5 Ways to Save Your Vision

March is National Save Your Vision Month.  It is meant to bring attention to eye health concerns and the steps we can take to help preserve our vision over the long term.  Your vision is the most important of your five senses and losing it will greatly reduce your quality of life.  Below are 5 steps you can take to increase your chances of saving your vision.

1.       Get a comprehensive eye exam every year.  This seems like a no-brainer, but less than 30% of Americans get an annual eye exam and another 30% have never had one!  A comprehensive eye exam will catch diseases and other eye problems early allowing you to treat them sooner and more effectively.  Just because you can see the road signs when you drive without the need for glasses, does not mean you have good ocular health and very serious eye diseases may be lurking.  If it has been more than a year since your last eye health exam, do yourself a favor and schedule one today.

2.       Eat a healthy diet.  Studies show that diets rich in antioxidants help to stave off the aging process in ocular tissues.  You can also improve your overall eye health by eating foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.  A healthy diet will also help prevent general health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol which can have very detrimental effects to your vision.

3.       Wear protective eyewear.  Over 90% of eye injuries can be prevented by wearing protective eyewear.  Wear it anytime you are doing yard work, housework or other occasions where particles large or small are flying around.  Also wear protective eyewear when playing sports that involve a high velocity ball or those that put your eyes in contact with competitors’ fingers, hands and elbows.

4.       Exercise.  Exercise will improve your overall health which will help to preserve your vision.  Even walking 30 minutes a day can help prevent diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other diseases which can wreak havoc on your eyes and vision.

5.       Wear UV blocking sunglasses.  One of the most harmful things to our eyes is exposure to UV rays.  Here in the Lowcountry we are no strangers to the sun.  UV exposure can lead to cataracts, age related macular degeneration, solar maculopathy and UV keratitis.  Anytime you are outdoors, even on overcast days, be sure to wear sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB.