We all make resolutions we don’t keep, but these are easy! As we near the new year, put these healthy-eye practices on your resolutions list. You’ll see clearer, be healthier and happier as a result.
- Clean up your diet. How we feed our bodies plays a huge role is eye health. To fuel better eyesight, make sure your diet in 2021 includes lots of healthy fats like avocado and fatty fish, a bright variety of veggies, high-fiber grains and lean proteins. Instead of focusing on giving up your vices, crowd them out with tasty recipes using these food groups that feel indulgent. Your palate will adjust.
- Take your vitamins. Cover dietary shortfalls with a complete multivitamin that includes eye-boosting beta carotene, lutein, lycopene and vitamins A, C and E.
- Wear your sunglasses. Full-spectrum protection helps your eyes in many ways. It shields them from drying winds, flying debris and the discomfort of bright sunlight and snow glare. They also help prevent sunburn. Yes, your eyes get burned, too! So, wear those shades every time you head outside.
- Form eye-healthy habits. Dry eye is no joke! Severe dry eye can cause blurriness, double vision and sometimes headaches. So, incorporate a few easy habits to help keep your eyes comfortable.
- Step away from the screen. At least once in a while. People viewing a computer monitor, TV screen or smart phone tend to forget to blink, which causes dry eyes and eye strain. Give yourself a break a few times each hour with the 20/20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes focus on something at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
- Blink often. To form a healthy blinking habit, practice syncing your blinking with something that can serve as a frequent reminder. For example, blink with each bit of punctuation as you read.
- Stop rubbing! Rubbing your eyes can cause microscopic damage, or even not-so-microscopic damage. Break yourself of this habit by calling attention to how often you do it. Enlist a friend or family member to tell you when you’ve absentmindedly rubbed, or wear glasses to block your hand until you’re confident you can consistently resist the urge. Soothe your eyes instead with eye drops or a warm washcloth.
- Step away from the screen. At least once in a while. People viewing a computer monitor, TV screen or smart phone tend to forget to blink, which causes dry eyes and eye strain. Give yourself a break a few times each hour with the 20/20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes focus on something at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
- Be responsible with contacts and glasses. Follow the advice of the manufacturer and your doctor on the care and use of contact lenses. That means regular cleaning, removing them at night and never using them longer than they were designed for. Keep your eyeglass lenses clean and consider repair or replacement if they become scratched or damaged. This care will keep your prescription functioning as intended.
- Schedule your annual eye appointment. Eyes can change over the course of a year! Make sure you’re keeping up with the changes by getting regular checkups. These check-ins can also detect any eye diseases early, so you can get prompt treatment and have healthy eyes for a lifetime.
- Take advantage of your flexible spending account. Should the need for treatment arise, remember your employer’s FSA or HSA is intended for just this purpose. Resolve to contribute the maximum allowable pre-tax dollars to your flex plan (it’s $2,750 in 2021) so you can receive eye care you may not have been able to afford in 2020.
Remember, you can use your untaxed flex dollars toward glasses, contacts and other treatment, as well as LASIK or other vision correction alternatives. What better way to achieve healthy eyes than to opt for permanent vision correction?
Matossian Eye Associates wishes you a very happy New Year! Our team is here to help you see (and feel) better in 2021. Schedule an appointment with one of our eye doctors by calling us at (800) 708-8800 or through our website at MatossianEye.com.
