Tips to Support Your Vision (Healthy Vision Awareness Month)
May is Healthy Vision Awareness Month, but supporting healthy vision and eyecare habits should be a yearlong goal! As children and adults alike spend more and more time in front of screens, there has never been a greater need to raise awareness around healthy vision and the risk factors that people of all ages face when it comes to their eyesight and eye health.
At Suburban Eye Associates, our eye doctors and eye care professionals offer a range of optometry and ophthalmology services across three convenient locations in Philadelphia, Huntingdon Valley, and Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.
Tips to support your vision during healthy vision awareness month (and all year long!)
Here are some healthy tips and tricks to protect your vision from the effects of long hours staring at a screen, environmental factors, and the aging process.
Schedule an eye exam
Many people wait until something is wrong to go to the eye doctor, but regular eye exams are key to supporting healthy vision. Even if you have 20/20 vision and don’t need glasses or contacts (yet), eye exams do more than just check your vision. How often you need an eye exam depends on factors like your age, your health, family history of eye disease, and your vision.
If it’s been a few years since your last eye exam, Healthy Vision Awareness Month is the perfect time to schedule an appointment!
Eat for eye health
How and what you eat affects your entire body, including your eye health and vision. In addition to carrots, there are a number of foods that help to promote healthy eyes, which includes your vision as well as the blood vessels and structures that support your eyes.
Foods that support eye health and vision include:
- Red peppers (Vitamin C)
- Nuts (Vitamin E)
- Leafy greens like kale or spinach (Lutein)
- Fatty fish like salmon or tuna (Omega 3)
- Carrots or sweet potatoes (Beta carotene)
- Chicken or beef (Zinc)
- Beans and lentils ( vegetarian Zinc alternative to animal protein)
- Eggs
- Broccoli
- Yellow squash
On the flip side, highly processed and unhealthy foods that can damage your general health are also bad for your eyes.
Take regular breaks from your screen time
Everyone feels the effects of eye strain from time to time, especially after a marathon session in front of a laptop or tablet. According to the 20-20-20 rule, you should take a break from your screen every 20 minutes, and try to focus your eyes on something that’s at least 20 feet away, for 20 seconds. If you can’t make that work, try to give your eyes a break at least once an hour for five to ten minutes.
Stay on top of your general health
Millions of Americans suffer from serious health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure, which can also affect your eye health and vision if they’re not managed properly. Stay on top of your general health, and discuss any concerns or family history of eye disease with one of our ophthalmologists at your next appointment for a personalized treatment plan.
For more information and tips to support and improve your vision and eye health, contact Suburban Eye Associates today to schedule an appointment at one of our three convenient locations in Philadelphia, Huntingdon Valley, or Jenkintown, or book an appointment online.