What are the Best Ways to Maintain Eye Health and Vision?

The best ways to maintain eye health and vision include visiting an eye doctor, practicing eye disease prevention, shielding eyes from the sun's rays, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining eye health and vision is important, as the eyes provide a vital role in everyday functioning. As a person gets older, particularly into his 30s and 40s, eyesight naturally begins to decline, making it more important to maintain eye health with things that can be controlled.

Many degenerative eye diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts, can be treated and controlled if caught early. Thus, having one's eyes checked yearly is one of the most important things a person can do to maintain eye health and vision. An ophthalmologist is trained to gauge the overall health of a person's eyes and can recommend any treatment, such as surgery, or prescribe medication for any eye ailment uncovered. If degenerative eye diseases are ignored or not treated early enough, a person may eventually go blind.

A visit once a year to an optometrist can also enhance eye health and vision. An optometrist is trained to examine a person's vision and is able to prescribe corrective lenses, as well as eye exercises. Typically, a visit to an optometrist will include tests to see how well the eyes of a patient can focus on objects close up as well as far away. A person's depth perception will often be checked. If prescribed lenses are recommended, it is important that a person wears them; otherwise, he may experience headaches, blurred vision, or even hurt himself because he cannot see properly.

Another way to maintain eye health and vision is to wear sunglasses outdoors. The ultraviolet light from the sun's rays can harm the eyes and may even lead to cataracts or damaged corneas. Eyeglasses or contact lenses that have been treated for ultraviolet absorption can properly shield the eyes from potentially dangerous rays.

Leading a healthy life can go a long way for the overall health of one's eyes. Refraining from smoking is one important healthy lifestyle choice a person can make. Tobacco disrupts the absorption of lutein, an antioxidant that shields the retina from ultraviolet rays. Smoking may also harm the eyes, as the use of tobacco narrows blood vessels, which in turn lowers the amount of oxygen the eyes receive.

Eating a healthy diet that contains leafy vegetables and fruits can help a person maintain good eye health. Leafy vegetables and fruits contain carotenoids and antioxidants, which help keep eyes healthy. If a person is not able to get enough fruits and vegetables in his diet, he can take supplements that include zinc and vitamins A, B, C, and E instead.