Century Park Blog

January is National Eye Care month! Taking care of your eyes is only one of the many ways that can help you keep up with the pace of aging.

Some tips for practicing good eye health include:

• Maintain your blood sugar level. People who have diabetes are more prone to eye problems. Making sure that you maintain your blood sugar level can help prevent complications such as eye issues.
• Maintain a healthy blood pressure. Having a healthy blood pressure level is an important part of reducing your risk of developing vision problems, such as hypertensive retinopathy or optic neuropathy. Speak with your medical provider regarding your risk factors and if you are having any symptoms.
• Eat right. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Kale, spinach, and collard greens, for example, are rich in both vitamins C and E. They also have the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. These plant-based forms of vitamin A lower your risk of long-term eye diseases, including cataracts and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), which affects a person's central vision.
• Rest your eyes. Try to limit mobile phone, computer, and television screen time and take a break every 20 minutes. Spending too much time staring at a screen can cause eye strain.
• Clean your hands before touching your eyes. To avoid the risk of infection, always wash your hands thoroughly before putting in or taking out your contact lenses. Avoid rubbing your eyes with your hands—use a clean tissue instead.
• Wear sunglasses. Protect your eyes from the sun by wearing UV-A and UV-B radiation-protected lenses. The rays from the sun can be very harmful to unprotected eyes.