If you’re suddenly dealing with an eye problem like dry eyes, you’ll likely do everything possible to ease the discomfort. But when your eyes are working properly, it can be easy to ignore them. And without any troubling symptoms, how easy is it to think about skipping your next comprehensive eye examination?
Unfortunately, there’s much more to caring for your eyes than reactive care or dealing with problems after they become a problem. This is where finding a family eye doctor who is committed to your entire family’s eye health is so important.
Keep reading as we lay out six reasons why eye health is so important, the connection between the eyes and the rest of our body, and ways to build healthy eye care habits.
Importance of Eye Health
There are many reasons why taking care of your eyes is essential. Not every reason applies to everyone because different people have different risk factors. If you have any unique risk factors, your eye doctor can review any specific things to be mindful of regarding your ocular health.
No or Few Symptoms
Many eye diseases or conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or glaucoma, become more common in the older population. Unfortunately, many of these diseases begin developing with little to no symptoms.
Regular visits to see your eye doctor are a vital part of getting ahead of issues before they have a chance to cause severe or permanent damage to your eyes or vision.
You Only Get One Set
If we lose an eye, it doesn’t grow back. And once vision is gone, it typically cannot be regained. Additionally, even losing one eye can have undesirable effects because we use both eyes together for things like depth perception, increased field of view, or peripheral vision.
Eye & Overall Health are Linked
Not only does staying physically active reduce your risk for certain eye conditions, but the two are also connected in other ways. For example, diabetes can have disastrous effects on the eyes with diabetic retinopathy and other diabetes-related conditions.
At the same time, if you’ve never been diagnosed with diabetes but are at risk, your eye doctor could detect it during a comprehensive eye examination.
Lessen Your Chance of Injury
Seeing clearly is extremely important for many people, whether for work or play. Part of caring for your eyes is ensuring you have the correct prescription for your contact lenses or glasses and that you wear the correct safety eyewear while working or playing. With these things in place, you should reduce your injury chances.
Work, Play, and Rest
So much of our world revolves around reading, writing, and using computers. It’s important that a child’s vision is the best it can be as they mature. It’s crucial for their education and social development.
And as an adult, our quality of work and life typically revolves greatly around our ability to see. Following the eye doctor’s recommendations for how often to see them is crucial for your ongoing eye health.
Reduce Your Risk for Discomfort
Not every eye condition results in loss of vision or blindness; some are mostly just uncomfortable. One example is dry eye disease. This condition doesn’t typically result in permanent damage unless left untreated. However, it’s usually quite uncomfortable.
By keeping up with your eye examination frequency and following the eye doctor’s recommendations, you may lessen your chances of dealing with something like dry eyes without adequate treatment.
How to Keep Your Eyes Healthy
There isn’t a single answer to ensuring your eyes stay healthy. But here are some practical approaches to consider:
Healthy Diet
Much evidence supports how much a diet is connected to our health. Doctors recommend healthy diets to lower the risk of heart disease or cancer, but did you know they also recommend healthy eating for improved eye health?
Some specific nutrients that scientists recommend include:
- Vitamins C and E
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Zinc
- Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Active Lifestyle
Another thing you should consider as connected to your eye health is physical activity. But studies show that regular physical activity helps keep your eyes healthy. A few specific diseases and conditions the study mentioned include:
Regular Eye Doctor Visits
Arguably, one of the most critical parts of your eye care journey is seeing your optometrist regularly. The American Optometric Association recommends that you get a comprehensive eye examination every 1 to 2 years, depending on your age.
But it’s important to follow your eye doctor’s recommendations. For example, as a middle-aged adult, an examination every two years is typically advised. However, if there are unique risk factors, such as diabetes—or risk of developing it—your optometrists may advise you to come back and see them annually.
Book Your Next Examination at Westmount Optometrists
If you’ve reached this point and realized it’s been a while since you’ve seen the eye doctor, chat with us today. The professional staff at Westmount Optometrists is available to answer your questions.
We can book you an appointment with one of our eye doctors at a convenient time for you. When you book with us, we’re committed to giving your eyes the care they need and deserve.
