Healthy Vision Month is observed each year in May. This is a great time to learn how vision problems can affect you and your loved ones, and what you can do to keep your eyes healthy. Many Americans see the doctor every year for a physical. Lots of us also schedule regular visits to the dentist to get our teeth cleaned. But what about our eyes? The fact is, more than 23 million American adults have never had an eye exam.
Every Healthy Vision Month, the National Eye Institute (NEI) shares tips and resources to encourage people to take care of their vision — and inspire health professionals to help make eye health a priority. Read on to learn just a few ways to keep your eyes healthy.
- Get an eye exam
- If your eyes feel healthy, it’s easy to assume they are healthy. But getting an eye exam is the only way to be sure. Many serious eye diseases don’t have any warning signs — so you could have an eye problem and not know it. Getting an eye exam is the single best way to stay on top of your eye health!
- Know your family’s eye health history
- Talking to your family members about their eye health can help you find out if you’re at higher risk for eye disease. If you learn that eye diseases run in your family, talk with your eye doctor.
- Give your eyes a rest
- If you spend a lot of time at the computer, you may sometimes forget to blink — and that can tire out your eyes. To reduce eyestrain, try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look away from your work and focus about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds.
- Eat eye-healthy foods
- A diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables — especially dark leafy greens, like spinach or kale — is important for keeping your eyes healthy. Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids — like salmon, tuna, and halibut — can also help protect your vision.
- Wear sunglasses (even on cloudy days!)
- Sunglasses can protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays — and help keep your eyes healthy and your vision sharp. When shopping for shades, look for a pair that blocks out at least 99% of both UVA and UVB radiation.
From the moment you wake up until you go to bed at night, your eyes are working to bring you the world — so take steps to keep them healthy. To learn more about Healthy Vision Month and how to take care of your eyes, check out the Healthy Vision Month website.
Change your Facebook profile picture
This Healthy Vision Month, join us to spread the word about eye health and safety by adding our frame to your Facebook profile picture. You can add the frame to your current profile photo, or use the Facebook app's camera to take a new photo or video with these overlays.
Let us know what you think and tell us how we can better spread awareness. Make sure to like our Facebook page and check back soon for new frames.