Without healthy eyes your day to day activities may become difficult, and your overall health may become affected. Here are six ways to keep your eyes healthy starting with an eye exam:

Eye Exam

An annual eye exam with your optometrist will assist your optical health in a number of ways. When examining you they will look to see if your vision needs any correcting with the help of prescription glasses, as well preform a number of tests to look for more serious issues such as cataracts and glaucoma. Your optometrist may even be able to tell you if there are any other medical issues you may not be aware of such as diabetes.

Stop Smoking

Smoking may sometimes seem appealing, but the extremely poor negatives truly outweigh the positives. Smoking can severely affect your health, as well as put you at risk for many eye issues including optic nerve damage, cataracts and macular degeneration. So butt out for good health and happier eyes.

Sun Damage

Sunglasses have long been a fashion favourite for accessorizing but they also play a key role in protecting your eyes from sun damage. Look for sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection and wear them all year long, not just in the summer.

Eye Protection

Whether you are a DIYer or work in any number of fields in which personal protection is advised for your eyes, be certain to wear the proper eye protection for the tasks you are performing at work and at home. Your computer is another hazard that has to be considered for eye health. Be certain to take breaks from your computer every few hours and adjust your screen so your eyes are looking downwards while you work. Follow the “20” rule and rest your eyes every 20 minutes by staring away from the screen about 20 feet for 20 seconds.

Exercise

Staying in good shape will help keep your eyes healthy as well by reducing eye pressure by 20 percent; just 30 minutes a day is all it takes.

Omega 3

Another common health tip, eating a diet with Omega 3 is also helpful for your eye health and vision. Women need 100 grams per day and men need 600.

From an annual eye exam to a healthier lifestyle and proper eye protection from the sun and other hazards your eyes will thank you with years of perfect vision and health.