Enjoy Better Eye Health This Year
- Posted on: Jan 30 2022
A New Year is a new chance for greatness. Ok, maybe we don’t need to be so dramatic. That said, you may have made some resolutions to get you where you want to be in the coming months. Maybe you want to eat better or exercise more. Maybe you want to switch up something in your work life or relationships. As your friendly eye care specialists, we recommend that your resolutions include some practices that will help you enjoy long-term eye health. Here, we offer a few simple tips for achieving this goal.
Come See Us!
You may have heard that it’s important to have your eyes checked every year. It isn’t that you only need an optometrist to screen your vision. You need an ophthalmologist to evaluate all of the vital aspects of your eyes, including intraocular pressure, your retina, and other structures. A thorough eye exam looks at the structures that are involved in creating clear vision so the signs of eye disease may be detected early, when they can be treated efficiently and either stopped or slowed down. Most eye diseases do not provide early warning signs. Your ophthalmologist is your best first line of defense against the progression of diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, and more.
Adjust Screen Time
It’s hard to believe that there are adults alive today who never experienced a life without screens. We work on screens and we play on screens. We use digital technology to entertain ourselves and to stay connected with others. It’s hard to imaging how we would get anything done without our computers and phones and tablets. That said, screen time is directly correlated with higher risks for eye strain. Our eyes are not made to spend so much time looking at an object within arm’s reach. We need to take time to look farther away so the eyes can rest and reset. We need to blink more and close our eyes for a few minutes periodically to prevent dryness and fatigue. When possible, we can also benefit from adjusting the amount of time we spend using digital technology.
Remove Eye Makeup Nightly
Makeup can clog the pores in the skin if not removed every night before bed. These clogs can lead to acne flare-ups and inflammation. Likewise, when eye makeup is not removed, crusty debris can build up at the lash line. Here, blocked follicles could result in a stye. A stye is somewhat like a pimple. It is a pus-filled bump that can take days to go away. These bumps can be uncomfortable. Like pimples, they should not be popped or picked. Doing so could cause more discomfort and may invite infection. The best way to avoid styes is to practice good eyelid hygiene.
Wear Contacts as Directed
Contact lenses are not meant to be worn 24/7. Each person who receives a contact lens prescription also receives instructions regarding the proper wear and care of these thin discs. Contacts can become contaminated when worn too long, so should be removed and placed into the proper cleaning container for an allotted time. Another way that contacts become contaminated with bacteria is by “cleaning” or moistening them with saliva. The saliva in our mouths naturally has bacteria in the fluid. So, when you place saliva on your contact lenses, you then place bacteria in your eyes, where it could cause infection.
Eye care doesn’t have to be complicated. Our team can simplify your long-term eye care by providing outstanding diagnostic and therapeutic services. To schedule a visit, contact a Roholt Vision Institute near you. We proudly serve North Canton, Canfield, and Alliance.
Posted in: Ohio Eye Care, Preventive Eye Care