By Jennifer Riggs
Special to Texas Metro News
Eye and vision care are crucial for maintaining good eye health. Over the years, eye doctors have stressed the importance of proactive eye health management. According to recent market research, the vision care market in North America is expected to reach $114.8 billion by 2033. This is due to the various technological advancements in the industry, including the development of innovative lenses and treatment options.
A factor driving the industry’s rapid growth is the concern for eye diseases and their increased prevalence in recent years. According to the CDC, about 11 million Americans over age 12 need vision correction. Today, cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the US, with an estimated 93 million US adults at high risk for vision loss. As such, focusing on eye health — as you would other aspects of your health — is crucial. In this post, we’ll look at why prioritizing eye health is important and cover some tips for eye health management:
Your eye health may indicate other health issues
As mentioned above, eye health is significantly linked to overall health. For example, during eye check-ups, doctors may be able to draw crucial medical insights about the heart, such as high cholesterol, which contributes to heart disease and an increased risk of heart attacks and even diabetes.
Some of the top hidden signs for heart health that eye doctors can identify during eye exams include blood vessels inside the eye changing size and blocked blood vessels in the eyes.
Eye doctors can also find microscopic blood clots in the back of the eye, indicating a high risk for stroke or even cancer through tumors and abnormal eye color changes. Other health issues a regular eye check-up can indicate include diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis.
Digital screens may damage your eyes or vision
Aside from being alerted to general health issues, caring about eye health is doubly critical in these digital times. For most people, daily errands, work, and entertainment are likely spent on a digital screen.
Unfortunately, overexposure to blue light over extended periods can lead to computer vision syndrome — a unique type of eye strain that causes symptoms like dry eyes, redness, headaches, and blurry vision.
To combat this, eye doctors often recommend decreasing your screen time and taking regular breaks away from the screen. Getting up, walking around, and looking away during these breaks can help keep the body active during long hours on the screen and decrease the amount of blue light you are exposed to.
Eye health tips
Aside from scheduling routine eye check-ups — annually if possible — there are other things you can do to manage your eye health properly. Below are some tips:
Wear glasses for vision correction
One of the best tools to aid in protecting your eye health and vision is by wearing glasses. A 2022 report from The Vision Council showed that 69% of consumers today use prescription eyewear for vision correction.
Today, users have a wide variety of eyeglasses to choose from, including fashionable designer brands. Iconic brands like Ray-Ban offer a long line of Optics eyewear in recognizable frames like the Aviator and Wayfarer. These offer sharp vision and anti-reflective and anti-scratch lenses, making them durable and perfect for daily use.
Protect your eyes from blue light
Aside from prescription lenses for vision correction, you can also invest in blue light blocking lenses. As mentioned above, digital screens emit blue light that can cause eye strain.
Some eyewear brands today offer upgrades for blue light filters, while others offer exclusive blue light glasses. These function by reflecting blue light waves so they bounce off the surface, preventing them from coming through to your eyes.
An added benefit to wearing blue light glasses is better sleep, as blue light suppresses melatonin production.
Eliminate bad habits
Finally, another crucial step to better eye health management is to reduce or eliminate your bad habits. In a previous post, we highlighted crucial eye care tips like wearing sunglasses when outdoors, even on cloudy days.
Similarly, other bad habits, like smoking or vaping, can damage your eyes. Doctors believe that smoking raises the risk of developing macular degeneration by 400% and cataracts by 300%. To go full circle — while caring for your eye health can help you care for your overall health, caring for your general health can also be beneficial for your eye health in the long term.
Written by Jennifer Riggs
Jennifer Riggs is a freelance writer and blogger with a special interest in everyday digital technologies. In particular, She is keen on how tech advancements change and impact our daily lives. When not busy reading and writing, she indulges in amateur pet photography with her two dogs.
