Taking care of the eyes is essential for one’s overall well-being and health. Eyes are fragile and need to be cared for properly. However, several things may damage one’s eyesight, especially when one wears eye lenses. Age, unhealthy eating habits, pollution, stress, and excessive screen usage are all factors that lead to deterioration in eye health. This article discusses the best way to care for eye health while wearing contact lenses.

How to keep the eyes healthy?
Here are 4 essential tips that can help one keep their eyes healthier for longer.

1. Make healthy food choices
According to a study, approximately 250 million people across the world suffer from varying degrees of vision loss. The study cites evidence that nutritional regimes considerably impact preventing risks to one’s eye health.

Including certain vitamins in one’s meal plan can help maintain healthy vision and protect the eyes from environmental stressors. Vitamin A, found in carrots, sweet potatoes, and apricots, is especially important for preventing dry eyes and maintaining vision. Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries, helps prevent damage caused by oxidative stress and environmental factors. Vitamin E, found in sunflower seeds, almonds, and avocadoes, plays a role in keeping eye cells healthy. Moreover, omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like salmon, tuna, halibut, and trout can help reduce the risk of eye diseases. Finally, zinc, found in kidney beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas, poultry, and oysters, can help protect one’s eyes from the harmful effects of light and glare.

2. Lead a healthy lifestyle
Leading a healthy lifestyle is important for maintaining good eye health. Research has shown that an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to various eye diseases. Improper sleeping patterns and sleep disorders have been directly linked to conditions such as floppy eye syndrome and non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy. To prevent such issues, it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Some ways to achieve this include exercising regularly for at least 40 minutes, five times a week. It is also important to limit sugar intake to prevent the risk of severe health conditions. Establishing better sleep patterns is also important in maintaining good eye health. Additionally, prioritizing mental health and reducing stress through yoga and meditation can help one maintain a healthy lifestyle.

3. Limit screen time
In recent years, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us have been spending an increased amount of time in front of screens. Working and studying from home, as well as more frequent use of social media, are reasons why many of us spend a significant portion of our day staring at screens.

When one stares at a screen for a long time, it leads to several eye issues, especially for those who wear lenses. Some of these problems include:

• Eye strain
• Eye fatigue
• Dry eyes
• Loss of focus
• Nearsightedness

These tips will help one protect their eyes from excessive screen time:

• Adjust the brightness settings of the screen to prevent the glare from straining the eyes.
• Use the 20-20-20 rule to let the eyes take a break and prevent strain. Take a break every 20 seconds to look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• If one wears colored lenses or regular eye lenses, one must ensure to take them off and splash the eyes with water after prolonged screen usage.
• Always keep the screen at least 25 inches away from the eyes.

4. Maintain eye hygiene
Today, a lot of people prefer wearing contact lenses. Another thing that is getting popular is colored lenses to enhance the beauty of one’s eyes.

While there is nothing wrong with wearing lenses, not maintaining proper hygiene is linked to several eye problems. These include microbial contamination, dry eyes, strained eyes, and allergies.

These tips will help maintain hygiene while wearing regular or colored lenses:

• Never rub the eyes while wearing contact lenses.
• Make sure never to sleep while wearing lenses.
• Always take the contact lenses off while showering and swimming.
• Maintain hand hygiene while handling the lenses.
• Keep the contact lenses and their storage case clean.
• If one experiences itching or redness in the eyes, immediately remove the eye lenses and consult the doctor.
• Never use regular tap water to store or clean the lenses. This may lead to a condition known as acanthamoeba keratitis from the amoeba that lives in water. Instead, always use a clinically approved contact lens solution.

Conclusion
There are several things one can do to maintain good eye health, particularly when wearing contact lenses. Follow these tips mentioned above to avoid eye problems associated with wearing contact lenses.