Men’s Health Week at Georgia Eye Physicians & Surgeons
International Men’s Health Week is here and we thought now would be the perfect time to discuss eye health for men. Maintaining the best possible vision and eye health can be a challenge for some guys as the years go on. That’s why we wanted to provide a few helpful vision tips for men in the spirit of promoting good long-term eye health.
Keep Tabs On Your Screen Time
Eye strain resulting from too much time staring at digital screens including computers, smartphones, and televisions has become a very common problem in recent years. Especially for people who work from a computer everyday. Eye strain can cause the eyes to dry out, leading to pain, itching, blurred vision, and other troublesome symptoms. It can be incredibly helpful to give your eyes frequent breaks from screens and practice the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes of screen time, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds to help your eyes reset.
Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices
There is a distinct connection between healthy habits and protection against common eye diseases like macular degeneration and glaucoma. We recommend eating a healthy diet, rich in nutrients and plant-based foods, and getting roughly 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. Additionally, we recommend that you do not smoke as smoking can increase the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration.
Understand Your Family History
Many eye conditions that can affect a person’s vision may be hereditary, which is why it is so important to know your family history of vision problems. For example, men with a direct relative with glaucoma can have a nearly nine times higher risk of developing the condition than those without any family history. Men with a family history of eye conditions should be extra diligent about keeping up with their eye health.
Protect Your Eyes
It’s hard not to be excited about the warm weather and time outside that comes with the summer season. But now is the time that is most important to protect your eyes from the sun’s powerful UV Rays. Long-term exposure can cause damage to the cornea and lens, leading to eye cancers, cataracts, and other issues. Make sure to wear sunglasses during any prolonged time spent outdoors or even in the car this summer and beyond.
Simply being proactive is the most important aspect of keeping your eyes healthy over time. This means keeping up with annual eye exams and not hesitating to make an eye appointment if you experience something out of the ordinary that is affecting your vision or eye health. For more information or to book an eye care appointment with our expert ophthalmologist or optometrist, please contact Georgia Eye Physicians & Surgeons today. Don’t forget that you can also follow along with us on Facebook for more eye care tips, news, and much more.
