Your eyes do so much for you every day, from the moment you wake up to when you close them at night. They capture and interpret signals, allowing you to make sense of the world around you and connect with other people.

Proper nutrition, good health habits, and eye exercises should be a part of your eye care routine. Here are some of the reasons why you need to protect your vision and keep your eyes healthy.

Prevent Eye Problems

There are many vision and eye problems that are easily prevented if you practice proper eye care habits. Furthermore, regular eye and vision exams will ensure early diagnosis and treatment of these common eye problems and diseases:

  • Cataracts refer to a condition where the person suffers from cloudiness above the eye lens, poor vision, and extreme sensitivity to glare. This is a common condition, especially for older people.
  • Surfer’s eye or pterygium happens when tissue grows under the eyelids or on the surface of the eye. This develops after constant exposure to the sun and wind, hence its name.
  • Photokeratitis is essentially sunburn on the eyes. This happens after significant exposure to UV rays, which reflect off of water, sand, or snow.
  • Macular degeneration is one of the major causes of vision loss and blindness among people who are above 60 years of age. It involves poor, blurred, or distorted central vision.
  • Glaucoma happens when there’s fluid buildup in the front part of the eye. It damages the optic nerves, causing poor vision in the dark or poor peripheral vision. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness for those who are above 60 years of age.

Experienced and capable ophthalmologists from this site can appraise your eyes, determine whether any of the problems listed above exists, and recommend proper treatment to address the disorder.

Better Academic or Work Performance

For parents who are worried about the performance of their children in school, one possible cause to consider is a poor vision. A lot of children receive poor grades because they can’t see well, which makes them lose the desire to learn and socialize.

An annual eye exam will help ensure that your child can see comfortably to participate in academic and extracurricular activities.

Good vision is also a requirement for a lot of vocations and professions. In fact, an overwhelming 90 percent of blind people across the world cannot find work. Don’t let vision problems hinder you from reaching your highest potential.

Prevent Other Serious Health Problems

The eyes are the window to your body because it’s the only place where your blood vessels can be examined in their natural state without necessitating a surgical procedure. Comprehensive eye exams allow your eye doctor to check and assess the state of the retinal blood vessels and, in turn, your overall health condition.

Any changes in the appearance of your retinal blood vessels can also indicate changes with the rest of your body. This is why many people first learn that they’re suffering from serious health disorders during a routine eye exam.

The following are diseases that can be identified through an eye exam:

  • Hypertension
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetes
  • Liver disease
  • Various blood diseases
  • Brain tumors
  • Cancer

Regular visits to your eye doctor will help you spot serious health conditions immediately. Remember, early diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve your chances of overcoming a lot of diseases.

Improve Quality of Life

Healthy eyes and good vision are directly correlated to your quality of life. Good vision leads to better learning and comprehension, improved athletic ability, improved skill retention, and so much more.

In contrast, low vision and blindness can have adverse effects on individuals, families, and communities. Here are some examples:

  • In certain cultures, blindness comes with a stigma that can alienate the person from their community.
  • In developing countries, a significant percentage of the blind report loss of social standing and authority within their families.
  • Studies show that there’s an intimate link between blindness and poverty. Poverty can cause people to become blind because of the lack of access to basic health services. At the same time, blind individuals are also at an economic disadvantage. They have limited employment opportunities, often struggle with reduced earning potential, and incur higher medical costs.
  • Blind people also tend to have lower life expectancies, since they face life-threatening challenges every single day.

With proper eye care, you can avoid the physical, emotional, and economic toll of vision impairment and blindness.

Conclusion

Maintaining good eyesight is possible with a healthy lifestyle, balanced nutrition, and regular visits to your eye doctor.

Proper eye care can help you prevent health problems, improve your performance at work and at school, and improve your quality of life.