Caring for your eyes

Getting your eyes tested is something many of us tend to neglect and it is recommended that you get your eyes checked at least every two years or sooner, if you encounter any noticeable deterioration in your sight.

Imagine not being able to see the vibrant colours of nature or focus on the faces of people around you. Out of all of our senses, studies have shown that the majority of people would be most affected by the loss of their sight. To this end, taking care of your eyes will go a long way towards ensuring your vision remains at its best for as long as possible.

For starters, a healthy diet can help maintain your eyesight. Foods rich in vitamin A are important for healthy eyes, with a serve deficiency in this vitamin known to cause a condition called xerophthalmia or drying of the eye, which in some cases can lead to blindness. Similarly, a diet rich in antioxidants has been found to help protect against macular degeneration, a serious eye disease associated with ageing.

Aside from eating the right foods to fortify your vision, protecting your eyes against harmful ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun’s rays is a must. The best ways to protect your eyes from the sun, particularly when it’s at its strongest during the summer months are wearing a hat with a wide brim and investing in some good quality sunglasses with a high level of UV protection. Kevin Camilleri, dispensing optician at K-Optics stresses the importance of wearing a good quality pair of sunglasses with ultraviolet protection in Malta, stating “UV from the sun can cause long-term damage to the inner structure of the eye can cause conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration.”

Moreover, if you engage in an activity that involves focusing on small details such as reading or sewing for long periods of time, be careful (whereby the muscles around your eyes become tired). To do this, take regular breaks from what you’re doing by simply closing your eyes for a short period every now and then, and letting them relax or focusing on something else in the distance.

Aside from these preventative measures, regular eye check-ups are also key in maintaining your eye health. Mr Camilleri recommends getting your eyes checked at least every two years or even sooner if you encounter any noticeable deterioration in your sight. He explains, “routine eye examinations are important regardless of your age and physical health. Your eye doctor does much more than determine your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses. He or she will check your eyes for common eye diseases and very often is the first professional to detect chronic systems diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma and other conditions such as high cholesterol.”

He goes on to emphasise how important it is that children have their eyes tested too, in order to “ensure normal development and academic achievement, as children will not normally complain about vision problems as they don’t know what ‘normal’ vision looks like.”

Following an eye check-up, if you do require lenses to correct your vision, you have a choice between contact lenses and glasses. To this end, Mr Camilleri advises, “I would definitely not recommend contacts for children below the age of 12 or adults who are careless about their hygiene for that matter, as this can cause serious infections and ulcers which are painful and difficult to treat. Otherwise contacts and glasses should both be used, as using contacts all the time is not beneficial and one needs to give one’s eyes a rest by wearing glasses. Glasses have become a very fashionable item nowadays, and can complement the face if carefully chosen.”

When it comes to caring for your eyes therefore, it is really a case of prevention is better than cure but if your eyes do need a little help, wearing the appropriate lenses will make a world of a difference, both to how you see the world as well as preventing your sight from worsening. In keeping with Kevin Camilleri’s rule of thumb about your eye health: “when in doubt, check it out!”