From learning in the classroom to being aware of your surroundings, vision is one of our most important senses. As such, it is of utmost importance to take proper care of your eyes. Whether your vision has started to deteriorate or you are simply trying to keep it in top shape, this collection of tips can help. Read on for more information on how to take care of your eyes.

You should try eating a proper diet to better care for your eyes. A good diet for maintaining eye health should include items that contain zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, vitamin C, and vitamin E. To get these nutrients, try eating items like dark leafy greens, oily fish, eggs, nuts, and citrus fruits.

Always wash your hands before you touch your eyes. Your fingers are covered with bacteria because your hands touch surfaces that other people have touched. If you touch your eyes without washing your hands, you will transfer bacteria to your eyes and cause irritation or even an infection. Therefore, before touching your eyes, wash your hands with soap and water.

When your eyes are focused on detailed work, remind yourself to look up every ten minutes. Your eyes need to be rested from the intense focus that you are subjecting them to. If you life your eyes and look out into the distance for about a minute, you relax your eye muscles.

Drink plenty of water to keep your eyes hydrated. Your eyes are made mostly of water, and they need to stay moist at all times to remain healthy. Dry eyes are more prone to eye problems and diseases. Keeping your body fully hydrated will ensure that your eyes stay moisturized.

If you wear contacts, you must follow your eye doctor’s instruction carefully. If your eyes feel irritated when you put them on, that can mean that your contact lenses are damaged. Another reason could be an eye problem that is beginning to form. See your eyecare professional right away to prevent a more serious problem.

If you regularly wear contacts, keep a pair of backup prescription eye glasses. When experiencing irritation in the eye, you should remove the contact and wear a pair of prescription eye glasses. Keeping a contact lens in your eye while the eye is irritated can turn this seemingly small problem into something much larger, such as corneal ulcer.

One of the best things you can do to protect your eyes is wear sunglasses. Even when it’s cloudy, the UV rays can harm your eyes and skin. When you decide on a pair of sunglasses, choose ones that offer UV protection. They might cost a little bit more, but your eye health is worth the extra cost.

Don’t strain the eyes for too long. When you strain your vision and focus on something, such as a computer or television screen, you typically forget to blink as much as you should. When you don’t blink enough, it means your eyes are getting the lubrication they need, which can lead to more serious problems.

If you wear contact lenses, avoid wearing them while you sleep or for more than 19 hours. Unless you are wearing special lenses that are made for wearing overnight, your contact can deprive your eyes of oxygen and lead to extreme discomfort and possibly serious permanent damage to your sight.

If you want to ensure that your eyes aren’t puffy, put your eye gels and creams in the fridge. This coolness will help to reduce inflammation, plus it will feel great when you put it on. Be sure to use your gel or cream every day for optimal results.

When doing any type of work, avoid injuring your eyes by always wearing protective glasses. This is especially important if you job entails handling airborne or hazardous materials. You should also wear protective eye wear when playing sports since certain sports such as racquetball, lacrosse or hockey can cause eye injuries.

It is important for you to get your eyes checked regularly. If you are an older adult, your eyes should be checked more often. As you age, your risk level for cataracts and glaucoma rise. This lets a medical professional see problems when they can easily be taken care of.

Quit smoking immediately. Smoking is terrible for your eyes as it will restrict the blood flow that you need to keep your eyes functioning properly. Additionally, smoking can disrupt your immune system, which is needed to flush out the free radicals in your body. This will make you feel better while improving the health of your eyes.

People often don’t realize how much they rely on their vision until they have a problem with it. Fortunately it is fairly easy to take good care of your eyes. By using the tips you learned here, it is possible to keep your vision in top shape for many years to come.

What Every Person Needs To Know About Eye Care was originally published on Spring