– Eat smart. A diet rich in fruits, leafy vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids may reduce your risk of dry eyes and macular degeneration.
Quit smoking. Smoking increases your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and other serious eye problems. If you smoke, quit. If you don’t, don’t start.
-Get moving. Research suggests exercise may reduce your risk of glaucoma and diabetes-related vision loss.
– Schedule regular eye exams. Kids and seniors, especially, should have comprehensive eye exams yearly to monitor vision changes.
-Upgrade your eyeglasses. Ask your eye doctor about new high-definition lenses and anti-reflective coatings that may provide sharper vision than your current glasses.
-Wear sunglasses. Protecting your eyes from the sun’s UV rays may reduce your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration especially if you wear sunglasses throughout your lifetime.
-Take care of your contacts. See your eye doctor annually if you wear contacts, and be sure to clean, disinfect and replace your lenses as directed to avoid discomfort and eye infections.
-Wear safety eyewear. Experts say 90 percent of eye injuries can be prevented with safety glasses and sports eyewear.
-Reduce computer eye strain. Rest your eyes from computer work every 20 minutes to relieve strain and avoid dry eyes. Also, ask your eye doctor about stress-relieving computer glasses.
-Consider sports eyewear. Protect your eyes, increase comfort and improve your performance with specially tinted sports eyewear for your particular sport or outdoor activity.
-Get downloading. If you own a mobile device, you can download eye-related apps such as magnifiers, eye medication reminder tools and apps that let you try on “virtual” eyewear.
-Give something back. Donate your old glasses and contribute to vision charities to help give the gift of sight to those in need—both locally and around the world.