Eye disease prevention: How to live with eye disease

Just like every other disease, eye problems are better to be prevented than treated. The most vital factor about preventing an eye disease is to take proper care of the eyes. Various ways in which a person can avoid leading to the problem of the eye exist.

Eye disease prevention method

Ultraviolet or UV rays cause a lot of damage to the eyes and it is good to keep them protected. Some of the best ways to achieve that goal is to wear sunglasses or a broad-brimmed hat. It is best to combine these two. The eyes can also get injured by the rays during certain activities like sunbathing or skiing. The glasses must not be forgotten during the time spent in a tanning booth or when using tanning lamps. Goggles or protective glasses are an essential part of the protection gear when a person is handling chemicals, using power tools, hammering nails or taking part in a sport activity that may cause an injury to the eye, like ice hockey or racquetball. These types of glasses need to be worn every single day if someone has only one functional eye. A parent who wears these glasses when it is needed will not only protect his or her eyes, but will also be a good example to the children.

Understanding that periodic vision checkups are of great significance is vital for the prevention of eye diseases. Those who wear glasses have their eyes checked every two years, while those not wearing them should do that every five years. A person with a family history of certain disorders like diabetes, eye disorders, glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration needs to check the eyes periodically as well.

Taking proper care of the lenses is vital as well. Lenses that are not being taken care of properly increase the risk of eye disease. Blood pressure is connected with the health of the eyes and that is why it is essential to keep the blood pressure under control. If the blood pressure is too high, the blood vessels may get damaged and that will interrupt the normal supply of blood to the eye. Diabetic retinopathy is a serious threat for those diagnosed with diabetes. These patients benefit a lot from regular checkups because the disease can be treated if it is identified in the early stages.

Apart from taking care of their own eyes, parents need to pay more attention to the eye health of their children. Certain things like watching too much television, playing video games a lot or quite often use of computer seriously affects the natural blink reflex of the child. Due to that, a child may experience irritation, dryness and redness in the eye. The child will not pay attention to these problems but the parent needs to notice them in order for the child to receive proper treatment on time.

At the first sign of eye problems people should go to the eye doctor. However, there are certain ways to treat the eyes at home. Even though home remedies will not cure the condition, they do provide some relief. Rest helps with most diseases and that is why resting the eye when it hurts is vital. Rubbing the eye must be avoided at all cost. Those who wear contact lenses need to take them out before deciding to rest the eyes. Applying either warm or cold compresses to the eye provides a lot of relief. A person can use either, whichever feels better. Flushing the eye with cool water helps in some situations but it is essential that a person does that gently. When the eye is hurt, avoiding bright lights is vital and so is wearing dark glasses.

Eye disease life style

Those diagnosed with hypertensive retinopathy need to make certain changes in their life style in order to relieve the symptoms of the disease. Patients who smoke need to stop at once. Even secondary smoke is dangerous and that needs to be avoided as well. Drinking alcohol is also bad for the health of the eyes and therefore needs to be avoided or at least consumed in moderation. Men should not consume more than two alcoholic beverages in one day and women must not drink more than one such beverage. Keeping the weight in control is another vital factor and if a patient is overweight, he or she needs to lose that extra weight.

Following a special diet is recommended for these patients. The diet needs to control the intake of calories and patients should only eat enough calories that will achieve and maintain normal weight. Instead of using unhealthy oils, olive oil should be used. A proper balance of fat, protein and carbohydrate intake needs to exist and fad diets should be avoided. No more than 200 milligrams of cholesterol should be consumed within one day. Fresh fruits and vegetables play a significant role as well. Talking to the doctor about the vitamin B supplements needs to be done as well as these vitamins help with the condition.