We depend on our vision more than any of our other senses. But is, is eye care one of our top priorities? Most of us take our eyes for granted and forget that our eyes need rest and care like any other muscle in our body.

Make the necessary changes so your eyes can be healthy, rested, and protected. Preventative eye care done now may avoid eye problems like macular degeneration in the future.

The most important step you can take for your eyes is to schedule regular comprehensive eye exams to safeguard your vision.

There are several ways to ensure your eye-care routines are correct. Let’s check them out!

Key Takeaways

• Getting an eye exam is essential to test visual acuity and check for any eye conditions you may have.
• Ignoring long-term eye symptoms may lead to permanent eye damage
• Make sure to follow the 20-20-20 rule and take breaks from screen time
• Never sleep without removing your makeup, practice eyelid and eyelash care
• Improper contact lens care or sleeping with your lenses may cause severe corneal damage
• Wear sunglasses regarding the season
• Make sure to wear eye protection during certain household activities and sports.
• Quit smoking 

1. You Don’t Get Annual Eye Exams

Most people think that getting their eyes screened when they got new glasses or lenses is the same as a comprehensive eye exam. It is not!

Comprehensive eye exams do not just test visual acuity, but they also provide a proper evaluation of your overall well-being. 

For example, many people have found out that they are diabetic or hypertensive because of eye exams. Because there are no pain receptors behind the eye, a condition like an eye tumor could go undiagnosed until it’s too late. Many eye diseases have no preliminary symptoms, such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. Long-term damage can often be irreparable.

Generally, it is recommended that everyone over the age of 40 have a dilated eye exam every two years.

2. You Ignore Irritated Eyes

While red, watery eyes that itch or burn can be a possible sign of allergies, make sure to watch out for these signs as they can lead to eye infection:

• Feel gritty
• Are sensitive to light
• Have a thick or mucus-like discharge
• Have a blurry vision that is new and not getting better

It’s essential to see your eye doctor right away if you notice any of those symptoms. 

If you’re one of those who tend to ignore health issues or think they will just resolve on their own, you need to be extra careful when it comes to your eyes. The infection can also be contagious, and you may even spread it to others around you. 

3. You Forget to Wear Sunglasses

Most of us remember to wear sunglasses only in the summer. Protecting your eyes all year long, especially in the winter, is just as important. The sun reflects off the snow and can cause similar eye damage to that of the sun, such as skin cancer, corneal burns, and spots on the whites of the eyes.

When shopping for sunglasses, look for sunglasses that block out at least 99% of both UVA and UVB rays, and keep them on hand all year round.

4. You Rub Your Eyes

While this habit seems harmless, rubbing too hard can irritate them and damage blood vessels.

Another reason to stop touching your eyes is that you risk transferring germs and dirt from your hands directly to your eyes. Your eyes are protected by mucous membranes that can easily collect dirt and germs, so they’re a great place for bacteria to grow.

According to the Mayo Clinic, regularly rubbing your eyes puts you at risk for an eye condition called keratoconus. This can lead to blurred vision, eye pain, sensitivity to light, and worsening eyesight.

5. You Spend Too Much Time on Screens

Most of us spend almost all day long staring at a screen. Either at work or reading up on the latest gossip on our phone, we don’t take out eyes from these screens for hours at a time.

Digital devices emit blue light, which can be damaging to the eyes. According to the AOA, the most common symptoms are a sensation that your eyes are strained, headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, and neck and shoulder pain.

Make sure to follow the 20-20-20 rule: Look at something for 20 seconds at 20 feet away every 20 minutes. Also, blinking often helps keep your eyes moist. 

6. You Skip Contact Lens Care

If you’re not following the proper contact lens care practices, you could cause temporary or even permanent damage to your eyes.

To keep your eyes healthy, clean your contacts with the recommended solution -never water or saliva – and store them properly. Change out the case every three months.

Here are some mistakes to avoid when it comes to lenses:

• Make sure to always wash your hands before handling your contacts
• Constantly clean and disinfect lenses using fresh solution.
• Don’t use expired solution or drops.
• Don’t wear your lenses after the suggested replacement date 
• Keep your lenses in a proper contact lens case
• Replace your contact lens case every three months, even though it may look immaculately clean.

7. You Shower With Your Contacts

If water reaches into your eyes, bacteria can get into your lenses and possibly cause an infection. This is also available if you are wearing your lenses while swimming in the pool.

A study revealed that “ineffective lens maintenance and exposure of the contact lenses to tap or other sources of water,” is linked to a condition called Acanthamoeba keratitis. This is a rare condition where amoebae attack the cornea of the eye, causing acute pain and “severe visual loss.”

8. Sleeping With Your Makeup On

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recommends to take off eye makeup completely every night. Remaining particles of mascara, eyeliner, or eye shadow can fall into your eyes and lead to infection.

You need to take extra care if you’re wearing false eyelashes. The glue can irritate the cornea, leading to severe inflammation.

9. You Don’t Wear Safety Glasses

According to experts, using proper eye protection can prevent 90% of accidental eye injuries. So, if you play sports like hockey or go skiing, make sure to wear protective eyewear.

Even general activities around the house, like repair work, using strong chemicals to clean, or gardening, may require safety glasses to protect from flying debris and strong fumes.

Anytime you think there’s a chance that something may hit or get into your eyes at high speed, you should wear eye protection.

10. You Smoke

Smoking can be as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body.

Studies show that people who smoke “double their chance of forming cataracts” and “have a three-fold increase in the risk of developing AMD compared with people who have never smoked.” They also have double the risk of developing dry eye.