How to Protect your Eyes from Injuries

How to Protect your Eyes from Injuries

Compared to other areas of your body, your eyes seem relatively small and not as vulnerable to injury. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Your eyes will be a small part of your body, sensitive, and vulnerable to damage from the sun, smoke, injury and illness. An overwhelming amount of eye injuries occur when playing sports. The increasingly common occurrence of eye injuries has led to the awareness that eye protection is important in the same way as other areas of your body, like your head. Many people partake in sports that involve fast movements and flying objects. Whether you are playing sports or lounging around, small dust particles can get in your eye and damage your cornea. The best way to protect your eyes is to wear protective glasses. In order to be fully protected when playing sports, you should wear sports glasses. They are made from polycarbonate lenses, which are stronger than standard lenses, which means that they won’t shatter in the event that they come off. In fact, sports glasses are up to ten times more resistant to impact than their plastic counterparts. Eye Injuries and Playing Sports The majority of eye injuries related to sports are caused by blunt trauma from an objecting hitting your eye area. The severity of the damage is dependent on the object’s size, and the speed that it was travelling when it came into contact with your eye. The muscles that control the movement of your eye can be fractures, which can impact your ability to shift your eyes up and down or back and forth. Aesthetically, when your eye...
Facts About Contact Lenses You Should Know

Facts About Contact Lenses You Should Know

While there are many benefits to wearing contact lenses, it also comes with many risks if you’re not careful. They can be an extremely safe eyewear option if properly taken care of. If you’re thinking of switching over to contact lenses or have been wearing them for a while, here are seven facts you should know. Avoid water at all times No matter where your water supply comes from, it all contains amoeba, tiny organisms that can cause an eye infection. While treatable, the Acanthamoeba keratitis condition that results can cause permanent vision loss if left untreated. You should also avoid wearing your lenses in the shower, while bathing or when swimming. If you need to wear them during a swim, make sure you’re wearing airtight goggles. Always rub them when cleaning Whether you’re using a no-rub solution or a standard one, rubbing is still necessary in order to properly remove deposits on the lenses. It’s also important that you don’t reuse solution, as it can carry bacteria that fresh solution is free of. Don’t sleep with them on There’s a reason why optometrists tell you not to sleep with your contact lenses on. Because lens wearers are more prone to eye infections thanks to less oxygen reaching the eyes, you’re more vulnerable to irritation, bacteria, and pathogen growth when you’re eyes are closed overnight. While some lenses are made for extended wear time due to their breathability, it’s still not recommended you sleep in them. Always wash your hands Your hands are coated in layers of bacteria at any point in the day, which is why it’s essential...
Foods to Include in Your Diet to Improve Eyesight

Foods to Include in Your Diet to Improve Eyesight

A well-balanced diet not only aids in keeping your overall body healthy but your vision as well. On top of regularly visiting your optometrist and scheduling eye exams every year, eating the right foods can result in an improvement in your eyesight as well as prevent eye-related conditions. Here are the eight foods you should be eating for good eye health. Fish Salmon specifically is important in maintaining and improving your eye health. Fish that contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids will aid in the development of overall health of your retina, located in the back of your eye. Adding fish into your diet a few times a week will also help prevent dry eyes. Nuts and Seeds Almonds are among many nuts and seeds that can help your eye health. Almonds, in particular, contain vitamin E that protects against any unstable molecules that go after healthy tissue. Eating nuts that are high in vitamin E on a regular basis will prevent age-related issues like macular degeneration and cataracts. Peanuts, sunflower seeds and hazelnuts are also good sources of vitamin E. Citrus Fruits Oranges and other citrus fruits contain vitamin C, a key nutrient for proper eye health. Vitamin C, usually found in fresh fruits and vegetables, aids in keeping the blood vessels in your eyes healthy. It can fight against the development of cataracts as well as macular degeneration when combined with other vitamins and nutrients. Leafy Green Vegetables Kale, for example, is commonly known as a superfood due to its abundance of vitamins, nutrients and minerals. It’s a great choice, as kale contains the lutein and...
5 Ways to Prepare for an Eye Exam

5 Ways to Prepare for an Eye Exam

It’s always best to arrive at an appointment, whatever it may be, mentally and physically prepared. An eye exam is no exception. While the exam itself may only take 15 to 30 minutes, there’s a lot of information that needs to be exchanged in that timeframe. Making sure you can convey everything you need to in order to get the best care possible is priority number one. Here are five ways you can make the most out of your eye exam. Bring Past Prescriptions Whether you’ve seen this doctor before or not, bring in your most recent pair of glasses into your next eye exam. This way, your optometrist will have some information regarding your lens type and possible eye history to work with. The same thing is true if you wear contact lenses. Make sure to wear them into your appointment, while also bringing along the packaging and any other relevant information. This will save you, and your optometrist, time, frustration and a few headaches. Note Any Issues A week or two leading up to your eye exam, consider some eye problems you may be experiencing. Do you have constant headaches, dry eyes, a tugging sensation in the back of your eye? If you encounter anything that causes you pain, write it down so you can inform your optometrist. This way, they can focus on the possible causes of your discomfort right away. Gather Information Be sure to talk to your parents or close relatives about any possible family history regarding eye diseases. This can include glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachment or anything else that has seriously affected...
Best Foods to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Best Foods to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Many people think that deteriorating eyesight is an inevitable result of ageing but, the truth is, a healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce the chances of eye health issues. Studies have shown that certain nutrients may reduce the risk of age-related eye degeneration. The following are the best nutrient-rich foods that boost eye health: FishFish contain rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Oily fish have oil in their tissue, which means consuming them gives you higher levels of omega-3 fish oil. The most beneficial fish are anchovies, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna. Some studies have shown that fish oil can reverse dry eye, including conditions caused by staring at screens for too long. Nuts and LegumesAlso rich in omega-3 fatty acids, nuts and legumes can help protect against age-related damage and have high levels of vitamin E. Brazil nuts, cashews, lentils, peanuts and walnuts all are excellent for maintaining eye health. SeedsSimilar to nuts and legumes, seeds are also a rich source of vitamin E and high in omega-3s. Seeds that have the highest content of omega-3 are chia, flax and hemp seeds. Citrus FruitsRich in vitamin C, citrus fruits are an antioxidant that helps fight against age-related eye damage. Grapefruit, lemons and oranges are all vitamin C-rich fruits you should consume regularly. Leafy Green VegetablesRich in both zeaxanthin and lutein, leafy green vegetables such as collards, kale and spinach are excellent sources of vitamin C. CarrotsBeta carotene gives carrots its orange colour, and your body also needs this nutrient to produce vitamin A, which plays a vital role in vision health. It is a part of a protein...
The Best Eyeglasses for Your Face

The Best Eyeglasses for Your Face

Not every pair of eyeglasses will look good on every person, and everyone who wears glasses has experienced being besotted by a pair of frames on display only to put them on and wonder why on earth you thought they were great to start with. Depending on your face shape and your colouring, different glasses will look best on you. If you are looking for a pair of glasses and aren’t sure where to begin, then read through our list of tips to help figure out what glasses will work best for you and compliment your features. Face Shape When you buy a pair of glasses, the goal is to balance your features. There are eight primary face shapes, and you most likely have one of them: Oval Rectangle Heart-shaped Square Diamond Round Triangle Oval Oval faces are “ideal” for glasses in that they are balanced. You will be able to get away with almost all glasses types and have them suit your face well. If you do have an oval face, more rounded styles or lemon-shaped styles can make your face appear round, so you may want to stay away from them. Rectangle Rectangular faces are balanced but can appear wide and sometimes quite angular. If you would like to soften your features then rounded, classic way-frames or browline frames will soften your features and way-frames and browline glasses will pull attention towards your eyes. Heart-shaped Heart-shaped faces are wide on the top third and narrow on the bottom third (they are sometimes called an inverse-triangle). Glasses tend to pull attention to the top of the face, which...