Eye care: 9 tips you need to keep your eyes healthy

The eyes are our most sensitive organ, which means they deserve our most sensitive care. We rely on our eyes to see things and appreciate the sight around us. They can even connect us to our surroundings and protect us from danger in addition to our other body senses.

Just as it is important to keep our bodies healthy, we also need to keep our eyes in their best condition to prevent vision problems or loss and even possible eye diseases. We may not be able to go for eye consultations every day or weekly, there are simple self-practices we can do regularly for eye care.

Keeping your eyes at their best

To maintain your eye health and literally see the best in everything, here are some ways to add to your routine.

1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet

One best way to keep your eyes in optimum health is through a proper diet. Start adding more fruits and vegetables, especially green and deep yellow leafy vegetables, to your daily meal. Opt also for food containing nutrients and antioxidants like Lutein and Zeaxanthin; Vitamins A, C, and E; beta-carotene; zinc; and omega-3 fatty acids (from fishes like salmon and tuna) as they can help you maintain a healthy and clear vision while minimizing the risk of chronic eye diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

2. Use lubricating eye drops

Eye drops help replace your eyes’ natural moisture when they aren't making enough on their own. They also reduce dryness and relieve itchy or tired eyes. Likewise, these are used to treat eye conditions such as glaucoma, conjunctivitis, ocular inflammation, and dry eye disease. Most eye specialists prescribe them after eye surgeries to prevent infection, lubricate the eyes, and/or lessen inflammation.

The recommended usage of eye drops is around three to four times a day.

3. Get a good night’s sleep

Just like the rest of your body, your eyes require recharging too, which you can do by getting enough sleep regularly. Sleep, indeed, is restorative for all parts of the body—including immune function and cognition. So, with enough rest, your body can better restore and renew your eye vigor, which results in better, clearer, revitalized, and well-lubricated eyes.

4. Pamper your eyes with a warm compress

By relaxing your eyes through a warm compress every day, you get to help liquefy the oil glands in our eyelids that get clogged and secrete less oil into our tear supply. As a result, the oil flows freely into our tear supply and lubricates our eyes.

To do this, you can wet a clean towel or washcloth with warm water and press it against your eyelids for around a minute.

5. Observe the 20-20-20 rule

Most of us find ourselves facing our laptops or cellphones for long hours straight. Unfortunately, these devices emit high-energy blue light waves that pose eye health risks in the long run. To help your eyes stay healthy, consider adhering to the 20-20-20 rule. Doing this is as easy as ABC. Just try the rule below until it becomes a routine.

• Every 20 minutes, look away from your gadget and stare at an object that’s 20 feet away from you.
• Blink 20 successive times to ward off eye dryness.
• Every 20 minutes, stand up and take 20 steps

6. Identify your risk factors

As you get older, the risk of developing age-related eye conditions gets higher. Therefore, it’s crucial to identify your risk factors and change some behaviors or lifestyle habits to prevent eye problems.

One way to do this is to know your family medical history as some eye diseases are inherited. You can also have your eye specialist regularly check your eye health to be assured.

7. Avoid using old applicators and choose only eye-safe products

You may like a certain applicator that came with your old mascara tube or other makeup products. However, to be sure that you only use items that are clean and safe for the face, avoid reusing old applicators or products. Make sure you also choose to use cleaner and better eye beauty product options such as for false lashes to keep your eyes safe. 

Bacteria can grow and accumulate on them, so it’s important to do regular makeup item replacements and choose only those of good, eye-safe quality.

8. Apply eye cream

Eye cream is a good option to help you address eye puffiness or bags, uneven tones, dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles around your eyes. What’s good though is aside from these, eye cream can keep your skin feel supple and moisturized. No worries though safety-wise as eye creams are formulated to target the sensitive skin around the eyes and deliver just the right amount of crucial ingredients to improve the skin around the eyes.

If you have a certain eye need that needs to be addressed, opt for a customized night cream you can apply regularly.

9. Wear protective eyewear

Sun exposure can surely harm your eyes and raise your risk of developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. The best way to keep your eyes protected is by using sunglasses that block out ideally 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation. You should also protect your eyes from potential injuries indoors, like when working in jobs such as factory work and construction, or when doing repairs or other projects in your home.

In conclusion

Taking good care of your eyes really does not have to be complicated. You can take one step at a time in applying the good practices above until your body and mind get used to doing them.

Remember, an extra effort for your health is always worth it. Isn’t a lifetime of good eye vision worth an ounce of prevention?