In 2023, many people will begin to make a list of goals that they aim to accomplish in the new year. Some of the most common resolutions are to eat better and exercise more in an effort to be healthier.
When considering the health of your body, it’s important to prioritize your eyes as well. Keep reading to learn four of the best eye care tips to start off the new year right!
1. Schedule An Eye Exam
One of the most important things you can do to take care of your eyes is to visit your eye doctor for routine eye exams. Most people who have healthy eyes will need to visit their eye doctor at least once a year.
Depending on certain factors like your age, eye health, and family history, your eye doctor may recommend coming in for an eye exam more frequently. Apart from routine visits, it is essential to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor if you notice any changes to your vision or new symptoms such as eye pain, flashes of light, or floaters.
New or unusual symptoms may indicate an eye condition that requires treatment. It is very important you do not put the health of your eyes on the back burner, as certain eye conditions can cause irreversible vision loss.
During a routine eye exam, your eye doctor will thoroughly examine your eyes to ensure they are healthy. This includes testing your vision, measuring your eyes for a glasses prescription, and looking at the intricate structures of your eyes with a microscope.
In order to look at the structures at the back of your eyes, such as the retina, a layer of light-sensitive tissue that helps gather information from light to form an image, your eye doctor will dilate your eyes. To dilate your eyes, they will instill eye drops into your eyes, which will make your pupils larger.
Then, they will use a specific microscope called a slit lamp to examine your eyes and check to ensure they are healthy. Ensuring that you see your eye doctor for regular eye exams in 2023 is an excellent resolution that can lead to healthy eyes and your best vision.
2. Limit Your Screen Time
Apart from visiting your eye doctor for regular checkups, there are some things you can do on your own to ensure you are keeping your eyes as healthy as possible in the new year. One thing you can do to ensure the surface of your eyes stay lubricated and healthy is to limit your time in front of screens as much as possible.
With the increase in work from home jobs and the wide variety of entertainment you can get from your phone, computer, or TV, this may seem like a difficult task. However, when you are looking at a screen for an extended amount of time, your eyes will naturally blink less.
Blinking is necessary to keep the surface of your eyes moisturized and healthy. If you don’t blink as much, your cornea, the clear dome at the front of your eye, can become dry.
This can cause numerous symptoms, such as irritation, redness, and blurry vision, beyond the time you spend in front of the screen. To combat this, try to limit the amount of time you spend in front of a screen.
If you are unable to stay away from the screens due to work or other reasons, remember to blink as often as possible. It is also recommended that you follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every twenty minutes, look at something twenty feet away for twenty seconds.
This will remind you to blink and allow your eyelids to coat your cornea with fresh tears. Limiting your screen time and following the 20-20-20 rule in 2023 will help prevent you from developing symptoms of dry eye and keep your eyes comfortable.
3. Use Safety Eyewear
Safety eyewear is something frequently forgotten when doing at-home projects or activities. However, using these protective glasses can mean the difference between clear vision and a life with diminished sight.
Safety glasses are especially important if you have a job where you are exposed to eye hazards, such as in construction or welding. To determine which safety glasses are best, consider certain factors like the type of hazard you are dealing with, the fit of the glasses, the lens material, and if the lens has any coating.
If you are unsure which safety glasses to choose, ask your eye doctor at Blaine Eye Clinic to ensure you are selecting the best one for your job or activity. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines for the proper use and care of safety eyewear to ensure that it provides the maximum level of protection.
Beyond safety glasses, another type of eye protection that you should make sure you wear in 2023 is sunglasses! Sunglasses are more than a fashion accessory; they do a lot to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays.
Again, when choosing sunglasses, you should consider a variety of factors, including lens material, lens color, and polarization. However, one of the most important things to consider is the level of UV protection.
Choosing sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection to protect your eyes from harmful UV radiation is essential. Beyond this, it is also important to choose sunglasses that fit comfortably and securely to ensure they stay in place and provide proper protection.
Try on different styles and sizes to find the ones that fit the best! Don’t wait until summer rolls around. Make sure you wear sunglasses at all times of the year to ensure your eyes stay healthy and protected.
4. Maintain an Eye-Healthy Diet
Making sure that you maintain an eye-healthy diet is another excellent way to make sure you start the year off right in 2023. There are several steps you can take to maintain a healthy diet for your eyes, like eating a variety of foods and choosing foods that are rich in antioxidants and high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Did you know that your diet can contribute to healthy eyes and vision? Incorporating these types of foods can help your vision stay in the best shape and ensure your eyes remain healthy.
Beyond adding these nutrients to your diet, also consider limiting your salt intake and drinking plenty of water. Staying hydrated is important for maintaining overall health, which includes eye health.
Although eating well, wearing protective eyewear, and reducing screen time can all help you prioritize your eye health in the new year, remember that the most important thing you can do for your eye health is to visit your eye doctor regularly.
Get a head start on your eye-health resolution by scheduling an appointment today!
Is it time for you to have a routine eye exam? Schedule an appointment at Blaine Eye Clinic in Blaine, MN, today to have your eyes checked and learn more ways you can help keep them healthy in 2023!
