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Just like people go to the gym, go easy on the sweets and drink a ton of water to stay in shape and keep in good health, we also need to be practicing good habits to keep our eyes healthy. There are a lot of simple things we can do to protect those valuable organs. Just a little maintenance will keep them going for man years. 1. Regular Visits to the Eye Doctor
Think back to the last time you had an eye exam. If it was three or more years, it is time for another one. For children, it is recommended that they have an eye exam before they reach the age of five years to check for childhood problems like amblyopia (lazy eye) or strabismus (misaligned eyes). After five years of age, they should visit the eye doctor on an as-needed basis - such as if they are experiencing vision problems or if they have been in an accident that might have affected their eyesight - until they are 19 years old. Once you have reached 20 years of age, most eye problems will be detected in time to be treated if you have at least one check up in your 20s and two in your 30s. As you age, eye exams will have to be more frequent, because like any other part of our anatomy, our eyes begin to age and deteriorate over time. So after you turn 40 get an eye exam every two to four years, and after age 65, get one every one to two years. If you have a history of diabetes or eye problems, or if you are an African American with an increased risk of glaucoma over the age of 40, your doctor visits should be more frequent. 2. Get Some Shades
Sunglasses will block harmful ultraviolet and other rays that can play a role in the development of cataracts and macular degeneration - conditions that can only be improved with San Francisco LASIK eye surgery. If you are a fair-skinned Caucasian, you are at the greatest risk for getting macular degeneration. It doesn’t matter how cool your sunglasses look, if they do not have 100% UV protection there is really no point in having them. To provide the very best protection for your eyes, you should wear sunglasses all the time. Not just in the summer, but in high glare areas around snow or water as well. You could also wear a wide-brimmed hat to block rays. 3. Other Types of Eye Protection
Sunglasses are not the only type of protection for your eyes. People who work around construction or manufacturing, or any job with machinery and flying particles, having to wear eye protection. Any hardware store sells inexpensive clear plastic eye protection, so it is good practice to wear them even around the house to protect your eyes from things like cleaning products or other harsh chemicals. 4. Keep Your Contacts Out of Your Mouth
Contacts are great for people that need them, but they come with some responsibility. In case anything happens to your contact lenses, it is a good idea to have a pair of eye glasses around with a recent prescription. If your contacts start to irritate your eyes, you will be able to easily switch to the glasses. Do not ever ignore a persistent eye irritation from your contact lenses. Ignoring this small problem could lead to something much worse, like a corneal ulcer, which can only be improved with San Francisco LASIK eye surgery. Care for your contact lenses properly. Do not put them in your mouth, then stick them in your eye. Your mouth is not clean, and if you put the bacteria from your mouth into your eye, you will be seeing your eye doctor a lot more than you want to be. 5. Just One More Reason to Quit Smoking
Smoking actually increases the risk and accelerates the development of eye problems such as cataracts, macular degeneration and optic nerve damage.
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