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Writer's pictureEsna van der Walt

4 Tips to maintain good eye health habits

Updated: Mar 7, 2023

Your eyesight is one of your most important senses. It helps you participate in society and navigate through your daily routines. Yet, it’s one of the senses that we often take for granted. Get into these 4 habits to maintain good eye health and prevent, detect and care for any eye conditions that may occur.


1. Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water


Just as the rest of your body, your eyes need the right nutrients and water to perform at their best. A healthy diet can reduce the risk of night-blindness, cataracts, macular degeneration and other eye problems. Good eye health foods include tuna and salmon that are high in omega-3, leafy greens such as kale and spinach, whole grains like barley and quinoa, as well as eggs, citrus, nuts and seeds.


2. Take a break from screen time


Extended screen time on your phone or computer may not cause permanent damage to your eyes, but it often results in digital eye strain, which is characterised by dry or watery eyes, blurry vision and headaches.


You can prevent eye strain by ensuring that your device is approximately 50 cm from your eyes, using a bigger font size, reducing your screen brightness and adding a blue protect coating to your spectacle correction. Blink regularly, use artificial tears and avoid direct wind from a fan or aircon to reduce dry eyes. Experts also recommend the 20-20-20 rule, which involves taking a break from your screen every 20 minutes by looking at something at least 20 feet (6 m) away for 20 seconds.


3. Protect your eyes


It's not only your skin that needs protection from the sun. Excessive sun exposure can cause long-term damage to your eyes. Make sure you wear sunglasses (even on cloudy days!) that offer 100% UV protection and or polarised lenses to minimise glare and cover your eyes properly to prevent light leakage.


You also need to protect your eyes from other environmental factors. Wear goggles to prevent irritation due to exposure to seawater or chlorine in swimming pools and wear protective eyewear like safety shields, safety spectacles or eye guards when participating in sports or doing certain activities around the home.


4. Have your eyes tested regularly


Get into the habit of scheduling regular eye exams. Seeing your optometrist or eye care specialist frequently is a sure-fire way to identify, prevent and treat potential eye problems or diseases before they lead to long-term vision-impairment.


It is especially important for children to have a proper eye exam at six months, three years, six years and every two years thereafter to make sure their eyes are healthy, seeing properly and working together for the clear, comfortable vision they need for optimal learning.


Contact us:


Tomlinson Optometrists is a family-oriented behavioural optometry practice in Cape Town. We help you live your best life with clear sight, efficient vision and eye health through vision assessments, screenings and eye exams, behavioural optometry, vision therapy and dyslexia assessments. Contact us on tel 021 797 7291, WhatsApp 066 327 0560 or email kenilworth@visualcare.co. Or book online here: https://www.eyecareportal.com/new_booking/1425






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