ADVISORY

Eye exam recommendations vary with age and risk for eye and vision problems. Generally, adults should have their eyes checked every 2 years until the age of 60, and yearly after that. Children and adults at increased risk for eye problems should have exams more frequently.

According to the CDC, dilated eye exams are necessary to detect certain conditions—including glaucoma and AMD—early and help prevent vision loss. Your eye care provider will place drops in your eyes to widen your pupils—allowing him or her to examine your eyes more thoroughly.

Many conditions that cause, or increase the risk for, vision loss are hereditary (genetic). Talk to your family and share information with your eye care provider to take additional steps—for example, more frequent eye exams and diagnostic tests—to help protect your eyes and preserve your vision.

Studies show that smoking damages blood vessels—including those in and around the eyes—and increases the risk for vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye syndrome, and other conditions. Quit smoking—or better yet, don’t start—to help keep your eyes healthy.

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables—especially dark, leafy greens—and omega-3 fats—found in salmon, tuna, flaxseed, walnuts, beans, and other sources—may promote eye health and help protect your vision. Overweight/obesity increases the risk for conditions like glaucoma and diabetes, which can lead to vision loss.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends wearing UV-blocking sunglasses whenever you’re out in the sun—at any time of the year. Sunglasses should provide 99–100 percent protection from UVA and UVB radiation. A wide-brimmed hat, cap, or visor also can help protect your eyes from the sun.

Follow the 20-20-20 rule if you regularly spend long hours reading or in front of a computer screen. Every 20 minutes, look away from your book or screen and focus on something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Blink often to refresh your eyes and help reduce eyestrain.

Wear protective eye wear—safety glasses, goggles, safety shields, eye guards—when necessary at work, at home and at play. Protective eye wear, which is usually made of strong plastic (polycarbonate), can be found at most home improvement stores, sporting good stores, or through your eye care provider.

Follow your eye care provider’s recommendations and labeling instructions for the use, care, and storage of your contact lenses and lens care products. Wash your hands before touching your lenses. Remove them immediately and call your eye care professional if your eyes become irritated or your vision changes.

• Before handling contact lenses, wash your hands with soap and water, then rinse and dry them with a lint-free towel.
• Minimize contact with water, including removing lenses before going swimming or in a hot tub.
• Contact lenses should not be rinsed with or stored in water (tap or sterile water).
• Do not put your lenses in your mouth to wet them. Saliva is not a sterile solution.
• Do not use saline solution and rewetting drops to disinfect lenses. Neither is an effective or approved disinfectant.
• Wear and replace contact lenses according to the schedule prescribed by your eye care professional.
• Follow the specific contact lens cleaning and storage guidelines from your eye care professional and the solution manufacturer.
• During cleaning, rub your contact lenses with your fingers, then rinse the lenses with solution before soaking them. This “rub and rinse” method is considered by some experts to be a superior method of cleaning, even if the solution you are using is a “no-rub” variety.
• Rinse the contact lens case with fresh solution — not water. Then leave the empty case open to air dry.
• Keep the contact lens case clean and replace it regularly, at least every three months.
• Lens cases can be a source of contamination and infection. Do not use cracked or damaged lens cases.

Some experts recommend that if you use contact lenses sporadically you consider using single-use daily disposable lenses