Healthy Vision

In addition to eating well and staying physically active, your eyes should be a priority for your overall health. Everyday activities like reading, watching TV, or working at computer screens can take a toll on your eyes and lead to changes in your vision.

In addition to protecting your eyes from injury and strain, try to lower your risk of eye disease and vision loss with the following tips:

• Get regular eye exams. An eye care professional can check for common vision problems and spot eye diseases early – when treatment is most effective – simply by looking into your eye.
• Know your family history. Discuss family eye conditions with your doctor and seek early diagnosis and treatment to prevent serious vision conditions.
• Avoid smoking. Quitting smoking may reduce your risk of developing several types of eye diseases.
• Eat healthy foods. Eating a healthy, balanced diet will give you a better chance of staying healthy and keeping your eyes healthy.
• Stay active. Exercising regularly can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of developing problems that can lead to eye-related diseases.
• Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure can increase your risk of glaucoma and diabetes-related eye conditions.
• Protect your eyes from the sun. Wear protective sunglasses to shield your eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays.
• Minimize eyestrain. Give your eyes a break throughout the day. Try to reduce or limit screen time and activities that requires intense eye focus.  
• Wash your hands. Prioritize washing your hands before inserting or removing contact lenses or touching your eyes in any way. Be sure to cleanse your contact lenses properly to avoid infection.
• Wear protective goggles. If you play sports, work in construction, or use chemicals for cleaning or home improvement projects, consider using protective goggles. More than 90 percent of eye injuries can be avoided by wearing proper eye protection.

For more information and resources on vision health, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website