Five resolutions for healthy eyes in 2022
January is almost over, and as we all know, the pandemic isn’t over yet. We are working from home, our children are in online classes, we are socialising through our devices, we rely on screens for entertainment, and our sleep schedule is a mess. Our eyes have been under a lot of stress lately.
Here are five resolutions you can adopt to improve your eye health this year.
1. Schedule a comprehensive eye examination
We have a problematic mentality of thinking that our eyes are in perfect health as long as we are seeing things clearly. The thing is, many eye conditions show no early symptoms. With a comprehensive eye exam, we can detect these eye conditions at the earliest.
When we say comprehensive eye exam, we mean a comprehensive dilated eye check-up and not just a vision screening. You could show 20/20 vision at a vision screening and still have underlying eye conditions. A detailed eye check-up also helps uncover other health conditions linked to your eye health like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.
2. Reduce screen time
You might be tired of hearing this ever since screens became a part of our everyday life. But have you ever actually given it a try? Ever since the pandemic struck, our dependency on screens almost doubled and tripled. It is high time to take a step back and limit our toxic relationship with screens. There are essential areas where we need the screens like work, studies, and socialisation. And then there are areas we can limit screen time like entertainment and mere distraction.
Set a definite time limit for screen usage. Incorporate this time limit for yourself and your family if you live with them. This strategy can be highly useful for parents to control the screen time of their children.
Find healthy activities (that do not involve screens) to keep yourself busy such as gardening, crafting, reading, writing, working out, cooking, practicing musical (or other) instruments, etc. The options are limitless if you take some time to think about them.
3. Eat more greens.
Dark green leafy vegetables are great for your health, and they’re especially good for your eyes!
Green veggies like spinach, drumstick leaves, kale, broccoli, and lettuce are excellent sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, potent antioxidants that help with vision. These power-packed green veggies reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, prevent cataract formation, and protect your eyes from blue-light-related problems.
There are countless fun recipes for these green veggies on the internet. Do yourself the favor of falling in love with green food! Keep your eye health crisp and fresh as the fresh green veggies!
4. Get yourself a pair of high-quality sunglasses!
Finding the right pair of sunglasses that fit your style is important. But sunglasses are definitely more than just a style statement. They are your shield against harmful sun rays like ultraviolet rays.
Our eyes are sensitive, and prolonged exposure to the sun can lead to many eye ailments. Good sunglasses can help protect your eyes from serious eye diseases. High-quality sunglasses can significantly reduce the number of UV rays entering your eyes, reducing your risk of photokeratitis and long-term damage. Excessive UV exposure from the sun increases your chances of developing serious eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Quality sunglasses are also helpful for reducing eyestrain, headaches, and fatigue.
Make it a habit of wearing sunglasses when going out and experience the difference yourself!
5. Put an end to messing with your sleep schedule
Running low on sleep can take a toll on our eyes in ways we might not realise. And today, we live in a world where rest is taken for granted. This hustle culture and distracted living are affecting our sleep. When we don’t have enough sleep, our health gets affected along with our eye health.
When we sleep, many important diagnostic and repair functions take place in our bodies. Sleep is practically a refreshing and regenerating function of our body. Our eye cells are also renewed and repaired as we sleep. When this process is interrupted or compromised, we increase our risk of developing several eye conditions like dry eyes, dark circles, eye spasms, and even glaucoma. So make it a habit of sleeping for 7 to 8 hours every day. Doing so could save you a lot of trouble!
We strongly advise you to incorporate all of these resolutions for your eyes. We wish you a productive year and great eye health!
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