Like every other part of the body, the eyes deteriorate over time. However, there are steps that you can take to minimize the deterioration and improve the overall health. You can avoid some of the most problematic conditions, including glaucoma and macular degeneration disease.
Prevention is much better than repair. Some conditions can’t be reversed, but you can halt the condition from getting worse and prevent the initial symptoms appearing at all. You just must be willing to put your eye health first.
Here are six ways to improve your eye health. They’re all about things that you can do to help prevent conditions and things to avoid helping slow down progression and signs of aging. These are simple steps that everyone can do on a daily, monthly and yearly basis.
Get Your Eyes Checked Every 1-2 Years
The number of times you’ll need to see an optician will depend on your age. The younger you are, the less you’ll have to book an appointment and it is possible to go every two years without seeing your optician as you get older, you’ll need to visit yearly for the best treatment. Your optician may also suggest yearly visits if you have a family history of some diseases or you’ve shown early warning signs of them. However, regardless of age, you should see your optician immediately if you feel your vision has changed or there are symptoms linked to the health of your eye.
Visiting the optician isn’t just about checking your eyesight for glasses and contact lenses. Regular visits will help your optician see the warning signs early. Your optician will be able to make sure your contact lenses still fit properly and are healthy for the eyes. They’ll check the pressure in the eyes to make sure there’s not a build-up, which can be a sign of a disease like glaucoma. An optician can make sure there’s no need to refer you to a specialist.
Some people will need to be treated by an ophthalmologist. Your optician will explain why they believe you’re better treated by a specialist and it is usually linked to the progression of a disease or due to eye surgery being needed.
Of course, yearly visits will also help to make sure your eyesight is corrected properly. While your eyeglasses may feel comfortable, a small change may be needed. You may have developed astigmatism over time, which new glasses will need to be prescribed for.
Don’t put off a visit to the eye doctor. The best thing you can do is get the warning or earlier signs, making treatment and prevention much easier.
