Eye Health and Maintaining Good Eyesight

Good eyesight plays an important role in your life, so it's important to follow these basic steps to keep your eyes seeing clearly.

Visit Your Eye Doctor

You should visit your eye doctor for an eye exam -- if you are over age 40 -- at least once every couple of years to help maintain good eyesight. See your ophthalmologist if you experience eye infections or symptoms of disease like loss of or blurred vision, light flashes, eye pain, redness, itching, swelling, and irritation around the eye or eyelid.

Practice Eye Disease Prevention

Eye disease is the number one cause of blindness. Most diseases that cause blindness, like glaucoma and diabetes, can be treated or their progression slowed down with the proper diagnosis and management. While there is no cure for some eye conditions, there have been major medical advances for age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts. By visiting your eye doctor on a regular basis, you can catch any eye problems in their early stage when they are easier to treat.

Protect Your Eyes From the Sun

Constant exposure to the sun's ultraviolet light can damage your eyes. Too much exposure increases pigmentation in the eye, causing a discoloration known as "brown" or "sunshine" cataracts. Some eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, have also been linked to UV exposure.

Wear Protective Gear and Eyewear for Work and Sporting Events

Wearing safety glasses and protective goggles while playing sports or working with hazardous and airborne materials lowers your risk for eye injury, impaired vision, and complete loss of sight.