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Our eyes are much like the rest of our bodies—we seldom think about them until something is wrong. But it’s important to protect your eyes to ensure good eye health, strong vision, and protect against potential ailments that worsen eye vision.

That’s why our team at AFC Urgent Care Warrington wants to get the word out about Eye Care Month this January to share some insight about your eyes and how to keep them healthy. Maintaining peak ocular health and vision requires understanding levels of vision, the basics, and simple ways to take care of yourself!

What Does It Mean to Have 20/20 Vision?

When people discuss vision, they often reference 20/20 vision. When you have 20/20 vision, you are considered to have perfect vision. However, when the bottom number starts to change, it means your vision is worsening.

For instance, if you have 20/30 vision, you are able to read letters from 20 feet away that people who have 20/20 vision can see from 30 feet away. Most patients that have significantly worsened vision (below 20/30) likely need corrective lenses in order to clearly see print on pages, as well as objects both near and far.

Eye Health Basics

Eye health can be effectively maintained if you take the time to learn some preventive measures. Preventive care at an optometrist’s office can help to maintain your overall eye health and vision. Here are some things you should do in order to keep your eyes healthy:

• Know your eye health history.
• Make sure to have regular physical exams.
• Exercise on a regular basis.
• Protect your eyes from the sun by wearing UVA/UVB sunglasses.
• Consume a healthy diet.
• Get an annual comprehensive eye exam.
• Quit smoking.

Why Is Eye Care Important?

Regular eye exams are important for a few different reasons. The first is that they allow an eye doctor the opportunity to check your vision and prescribe vision correction, if needed.

But eye exams also give the opportunity to gauge the current status of your eye health and your overall health. That’s because many medical conditions, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, first show up through eye-related symptoms.Visit a licensed optometrist to evaluate the overall health of your eye and see if they have any immediate recommendations for eye health and vision correction.

Limiting the use of drugs while eating healthier foods can help maintain strong eye health as well. A list of foods that are linked to strong eye health include the following:

• Fish
• Nuts
• Legumes
• Seeds
• Citrus fruits
• Leafy, green vegetables
• Carrots
• Sweet potatoes
• Beef

Dealing with a painful eye? Stop by AFC Urgent Care Warrington today to have things checked out!

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