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5 Tips for Maintaining Good Eye Health at Any Age

Sight is an incredible gift that provides us with the ability to see and experience the world around us. As we age, our eyes become more susceptible to certain eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. Although the risk of developing these diseases rises as we age, they are preventable.

At Florida Eye Center, the leading eye specialist in Land O’ Lakes, we have decades of experience working with age-related eye conditions. Today, we’re sharing our top 5 tips that can help you prevent these conditions from developing.

#1: Practice Eye Safety

Although this tip may seem simple at first, it is one of the most important and difficult tasks you must accomplish to maintain proper eye health. Avoid engaging in activities that can pose a threat to your eyes, such as sports or projects that can cause vision loss or permanent damage to your eye. 

A further step you can take to practice eye safety is to wear protective eyewear (sunglasses). In doing so, you are preventing harmful ultraviolet rays from entering your eye, which are known to increase the risk of cataracts. Our optometrists in Land O’ Lakes recommend wearing polarized sunglasses any time you are outdoors in order to protect your eyes from these light waves.

#2: Quit Smoking

Smoking is known to cause severe negative health effects, such as high blood pressure, cancer, and heart issues. It is not commonly known that it can also negatively impact your eye health. Smokers have four times the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness in the U.S. In quitting, you reduce your risk tremendously and improve not just your eye health, but your overall health.

#3: Follow a Healthy Diet

Studies have demonstrated that being overweight increases your chances of developing cataracts as well as glaucoma. In maintaining a healthy diet, you are positively contributing to proper eye health. A fast and easy way of doing this is by consuming foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, all of which are known to promote healthy eyes.

#4: Maintain Proper Lighting

Working or reading in a room that has insufficient light can strain your eyes, leading to severe eye fatigue. Like muscles, this can cause your eyes to weaken if they are overworked. This is easily preventable by working in a properly lit space, thus ensuring your eyes aren’t strained due to poor lighting.

#5: Schedule Regular Eye Exams

Regular eye exams are the cornerstone of maintaining good eye health. Even if you are not experiencing any outward eye issues, getting your vision tested by an licensed optometrist is a vital component of good eye care. 

Our team of optometrists here in Land O’ Lakes recommends visiting your eye doctor at least once a year. This way, we can detect any potential vision issues as early as possible, and provide effective treatment to help correct or fix any problems before they become serious.

Ready to start forming good eye care habits? It starts with a visit to Florida Eye Center, a top eye specialist in Land O’ Lakes. Submit our contact form or give us a call at (813) 602-7336 to schedule an appointment today.

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are for general educational purposes only. All content and media on the Florida Eye Center website does not constitute professional medical advice nor is the information intended to replace the services provided by the medical professionals at Florida Eye Center or other qualified medical professionals. If you believe you are having a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. The content, views, and opinions communicated on this website do not represent the views of Florida Eye Center. Reliance on any information provided by this website is solely at your own risk. Although this website contains links to other medical websites, this is strictly for informational purposes. Florida Eye Center is not responsible nor do they approve of the content featured on any third party linked websites referenced on this website.

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