Eye HealthLifestyle Topics
Water & Contacts Don’t Mix
To help prevent eye infections, contact lenses should be removed before going swimming or in a hot tub.
Jumping a Battery
Take precautions to prevent eye injury. Never lean over the battery and always wear safety goggles.
Eye Protection Works
Wearing the proper protective eyewear for sports and other activities can help prevent 90% of eye injuries.
It's Not OK to Skip a Day
To control glaucoma, take eye drops exactly as prescribed by your ophthalmologist—your sight depends on it.
Give your Eyes a Break
To prevent computer eyestrain, follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
What Is an Ophthalmologist?
Are You Fit at 40?
A baseline eye exam is recommended at age 40, when the signs of disease and changes in vision may start to occur.
If you have diabetes, you are at higher risk of developing certain eye diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. The good news is that you can preserve your vision and reduce your chances of eye disease. Follow these steps now to make sure you preserve your vision in the years to come.
1. Get a comprehensive dilated eye examination from your ophthalmologist at least once a year
In its early stages, diabetic eye disease often has no symptoms. A dilated eye exam allows your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) to examine more thoroughly the retina and optic nerve for signs of damage before you notice any change to your vision. Regularly monitoring your eyes’ health allows your ophthalmologist to begin treatment as soon as possible if signs of disease do appear.
2. Control your blood sugar
When your blood sugar is too high, it can affect the shape of your eye’s lens, causing blurry vision, which goes back to normal after your blood sugar stabilizes. High blood sugar can also damage the blood vessels in your eyes. Maintaining good control of your blood sugar helps prevent these problems.
3. Maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
High blood pressure and high cholesterol can put you at greater risk for eye disease and vision loss. Keeping both under control will not only help your eyes but your overall health.
4. Quit smoking
If you smoke, your risk for diabetic retinopathy and other diabetes-related eye diseases is higher. Giving up tobacco will help reduce that risk.
Exercise is good for your eyes. It’s also good for your diabetes. Regular exercise can help your eyes stay as healthy as possible while helping to control your diabetes.
If you have diabetes, you can preserve good vision. Make sure you actively manage your disease with your Eye M.D. so that you reduce your risk of eye disease.
Page updated: Oct. 29, 2014