In conjunction with Eye Health Month, Angela Ellerman, an optometrist at the UGA Vision Clinic, offers these eye-care tips:
- Don’t wait until there’s a problem to see the optometrist. Many eye diseases affect vision later in their development.
- Routine eye evaluations are recommended every two years. Contact lens wearers and people older than 50 need yearly exams.
- Only sleep in contacts if directed to do so by a doctor. Overnight wear can lead to infections.
- Do follow the rules with contact lenses. Follow cleaning procedures and replacement schedules as advised by a doctor.
- Don’t wear contacts longer than recommended. If the contacts are good for a month, then at the end of the month, throw them away.
- Wear sunglasses while outdoors to protect against UV exposure.
- Wear eye protection when participating in a sport where something could become lodged in the eye. Eye injury is the largest cause of blindness in young people.
- Keep a spare set of spectacles in case you’re unable to wear contacts or break the primary pair.
- Take vision breaks every 20 minutes while reading or staring at a computer screen for hours.
- Use nonmedicated tear drops to soothe burning eyes.
