You probably know it’s important to have an annual eye exam*, but did you know that a personal daily eye care routine helps promote your overall health during the time in between those visits? Here are 8 easy steps including daily protection, healthy diet and bedtime routines to help you care for your eyes, 365!

EYE CARE TIPS – PROTECT YOUR EYES

1. INVEST IN GOOD PRESCRIPTION SUNGLASSES TO USE YEAR ROUND.

Everyone in your family including young kids should wear sun with polarized lenses to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays all year long – even in the shade and during winter. This is a personal eye care basic!

2. WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES WHEN NEEDED.

Up to 90% of eye injuries from sports, yard work, home repair and working in high-risk situations can be avoided with eye protection**.

3. BE SMART WITH DIGITAL SCREENS.

Between computers, smart-phones, e-readers, tablets and TVs, our eyes are constantly exposed to screens. Combat Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) and promote better daily eye care by considering anti-reflective lenses for your eyewear and taking frequent breaks.

EAT WELL AND PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE

4. Best foods for eye health.

Personal eye care includes more than just your eyes. Make sure your daily diet includes plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains and lots of water to hydrate your body from the inside out. Eating well has so many benefits, including maintaining healthy eyes.

5. HANDS OFF YOUR EYES!

Touching your eyes frequently will expose them to bacteria and germs. Plus, rubbing too hard can irritate your eyes further, or even break a blood vessel.

6. CHECK EXPIRATION DATES AND AVOID REDNESS-REDUCING DROPS.

Contacts, contact solution and eye drops all expire, so check the dates before use. Also, avoid redness-reducing drops as part of your daily routine. Why? These drops work by reducing blood flow to your cornea by shrinking your blood vessels. This robs the eye of oxygen. Plus, long-term use can actually cause more redness as your eyes get used to the drops. Instead, talk to your optometrist about the best solution to address itchy or red eyes for you.

PERSONAL DAILY EYE CARE ROUTINE FOR BEDTIME

7. TAKE OUT YOUR CONTACTS.

Even if your contacts are approved for overnight wear, it’s still best for your eye health to avoid sleeping in contact lenses**. Sleeping contact free allows your eyes to breathe and eliminates opportunity for bacteria to grow on your contacts.

8. REMOVE MAKEUP.

Eye makeup can clog the glands around your eyes and irritate your skin – not to mention leave you looking like a raccoon when you wake up! A better alternative: take a few minutes to carefully remove your makeup before hitting the pillow.

Take a little time every day to care for your eyes using these personal daily eye care tips. It’s the little things that help make a big difference in maintaining healthy eyes. And remember that making regular eye appointments is key to lifelong vision health. It’s best to see your eye doctor every year, and be sure to schedule an appointment* if any issues come up in between.

source: “8 DAILY EYE CARE TIPS TO KEEP YOUR VISION AT ITS BEST.”  Lenscrafters.com  Lens Crafters. Web. Oct. 17th, 2017.

For more helpful eyecare and vision care tips, please visit our main blog page.