10 New Year's Resolutions for Your Eyes

Well 2023 has come screaming in and it’s now time for New Year’s Resolutions! Of course, since this is a preeminent blog on Portland’s top eye care clinic’s website, we will be focusing on resolutions for your eyes! Check out the top ten list of eye health tips below and see if you can incorporate these behaviors, resolution-wise, into your daily life.

Certain foods are good for eye health. See the list below for some great suggestions. Image Courtesy: Envato Elements

  1. Wash Your HANDS Frequently: If avoiding catching a nasty virus isn’t enough of a reason to wash your hands a lot, well, your eyes are another. There are a host of vision-related diseases that area easily spread through hand-to-eye contact. If those hands are clean, well, there’s far less to spread. Wash up!

  2. Handle & Store Contacts Safely: If you’re a contact lens wearer you may already know that keeping your contacts clean and store safely is important. Of course, as humans, we get into patterns of behavior and sometimes we need a reminder. Here’s a quick list of tips on caring for your contacts (and your eyes as a result):

    1. Avoid wearing contacts for too long of a period

    2. Don’t reuse contact solution

    3. Get rid of solution when it expires

    4. Never put your hands or eye on the tip of your contact solution bottle

    5. Regularly clean and sterilize your contact lens case

    6. Always wash your hands before touching your contacts

    7. If you drop a contact on the counter or the floor, be sure to thoroughly clean it before using it. If it’s a disposable contact, it’s worth throwing it away and using a new one.

    8. Keep your solution and contact case somewhere clean, and not on a bathroom or kitchen counter where air-borne illnesses can infect it.

  3. Don’t use risky cosmetic procedures: Doing risky things with your eyes like iris tattooing or getting lid lifts (unnecessary!) aren’t a good idea. You only have two eyes, don't take risks with them.

  4. Wear Eye Protection: This is an obvious one. If you’re working around power tools ALWAYS wear protective glasses. Getting something flung into your eye(s) is a sure way to lose one! Wearing UVA and UVB-protective sunglasses counts in this area too…the sun is damaging!

  5. Consume Eye-healthy Foods: This is self-explanatory, but maintaining an “eye healthy diet” can reduce the onset of cataracts, night blindness, macular degeneration, and other issues. Some of the very best eye healthy foods include:

    1. Fish like salmon or tuna (for the Omega 3’s)

    2. Eggs (for the protein)

    3. Leafy greens (kale, spinach, collard greens as they contain lutein)

    4. Bell peppers (for the vitamin C)

    5. Whole grains that contain B vitamins and help regulate blood sugar

    6. Seeds and Nuts (as these also contain Omega 3’s, protein, and other nutrients good for the eyes)

  6. Exercise: Exercise is great for reducing stress, increasing blood flow, and reducing blood sugar. These elements help you stay fit and maintain healthy eyes.

  7. Manage Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Blood Sugar: Having your blood sugar out of control, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure reduces the efficiency of your circulatory system. Your vision will suffer with reduced circulatory flow, which can result in the development of diabetic retinopathy, blurry vision, and/or glaucoma.

  8. Keep Screen Time Down: Try to limit your screen time. Devices emit a harmful light called blue light. Take breaks from the computer to allow your eyes to rest. Also, use your distance vision to help balance out all of that close vision you’re doing on the computer.

  9. Don’t Smoke: As you age smoking can increase your risk of vision loss. Smoke constantly irritates and inflames your eyes and, eventually, your eyesight will decline. If you’re already smoking, try to stop.

  10. Make an Eye Appointment: At the first of the year it’s a great time to get in for an eye exam. In fact, you should regularly see your optometrist because most eye issues, if caught early, can be reduced or even eliminated.

Make an eye appointment soon. Optometrists are great sources for tips on caring for your eyes and they can also catch eye issues early! Image Courtesy: Envato Elements

Well, I hope this list of eye-healthy tips gives you something to operate off of in the new year. And as you build up the rest of your resolutions just don’t forget your eyes!

Dan Meyers