Love your Eyes

Love Your Eyes

WINTER

1. Eat healthy. We know the start of the year and cold weather can be especially tempting for poor diet choices, but make it a point to add leafy greens, colourful fruit or anything containing omega-3 fatty acids for good eye health. The milder weather is encouraging many to stick to salads rather than soups for their lunch time snack - and Rocket is one of those leafy greens that is great for eyes with macular pigments and anti-oxidants included. Alternatively put a bit of spinach in your soup to fill it out a little more. Oily fish are great to help moisturise your eyes through making sure your tears have a good lipid layer - even more important when the heating is on in the car or the office, and for those longer hours spent inside working or reading at this time of year. More information about nutrition and the eyes can be found here.
2. Quit smoking. No butts about it: Smoking is harmful to almost every organ in your body, including your eyes. Those who smoke are up to four times more likely to go blind in old age. Smoking can actually affect your eyes in 20 different ways. One way that may improve things in the short term is vaping. Vaping has a lot of myths about it including causing "popcorn lung" through diacetyl, formaldehyde and many other chemicals that have been shown to be eye irritants - providing your vaping mixture comes from a regulated UK shop, they shouldn't contain diacetyl and the other chemicals are in much lower concentrations than found in regular smoking. And hopefully in the medium term you can quite altogether - the UK now has the second lowest smoking rate in Europe. 
3. Get fit - keep going with your New Year Resolution to get healthy this winter. Lack of exercise contributes significantly to several eye conditions affecting the elderly, with a slightly lower contribution for middle age and younger patients according to the Royal College Ophthalmologists. Exercise may reduce the risk of sight loss from narrowing or hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. Exercise may also reduce the risk of sight loss and other complications from these conditions, once they develop. Exercise also encourages us to drink more water which helps flush toxins and oxidants from the body as well as helping to keep our tear film topped up as well.

SPRING

1. Allergy relief. Seasonal allergies can have you in a fog, with itchy eyes and a runny nose. Pay extra attention to what triggers your allergies so you’ll know what to avoid. Click here for more allergy tips and visit us if your eyes become red, watery or swollen.
2. Upgrade your eyewear. Spring fashion trends inspire great new frame designs. Visit any us to see what’s in this season–we get all new inventory twice a year!
3. Recycle unused pairs. After you’ve upgraded your eyeglasses, consider donating your old eyewear to someone in need. You can change the life of someone who can’t afford an eye exam or eyewear. Unsure where to donate? Bring your unused pairs to any Mackey Opticians location, we’ll take care of it!
4. Sports eyewear. Almost 90 percent of sports-related eye injuries are preventable with protective eyewear. Sports glasses offer eye protection, colour enhancement, light control and more. Ask an optician for help finding the best sports eyewear to keep your eyes safe and enhance your game.

SUMMER

1. Sun protection. It’s important to wear sunglasses all year long, but summertime is great for purchasing new shades for your whole family. Even little eyes need protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Remember that UV rays can damage eyes even on cloudy days. Wearing sunglasses whenever you are outside can reduce your risk for cataracts and macular degeneration.
2. Polarized lenses. Don’t let glare from the sun ruin outdoor activities like boating, golfing and even jogging. Polarized lenses for sunglasses can help control glare and provide a clearer view with a special filter that blocks intense reflected light.
3. Swim goggles. Whether it’s a dip in the pool, a visit to the beach, or jumping into a lake, you should never wear contacts while swimming unless you’re also wearing goggles. Goggles protect your eyes from waterborne bacteria that can cause sight-threatening diseases. Goggles also sharpen your vision while you swim, snorkel or explore underwater.
4. Eye exams. Before school starts, make sure your kids have comprehensive eye exams to help detect any vision problems that could affect their learning. P1 vision screenings are not a substitute for eye exams.

AUTUMN

1. Rest your eyes. If you’re spending more time indoors on a computer, or sit in front of a computer at work, remember to rest your eyes. Follow the “20-20-20” rule — take a break every 20 minutes and look at something that is at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds — to reduce your risk of computer vision syndrome.
2. Stay active. Don’t let the colder weather keep you from exercising regularly. Staying active is good for your entire body and can help protect against diabetes, macular degeneration and more.
3. Drink lots of water. The fall season brings with it lots of yummy coffee and hot cocoa flavours, but don’t forget to continue to drink lots of water. If you don’t drink enough water, you can dehydrate your body and in turn not produce enough tears to keep your eyes moist and comfortable. Eye-related symptoms of dehydration include redness, dryness and puffy eyelids.

Throughout the year, if you have any questions or needs not addressed on this list please give us a call! Click here for our contact information, and to schedule an appointment.