4 Tips for Eye Care when You Have a Vision Impairment

If you have been diagnosed with farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism or any other eye condition that affects your vision, there are some precautions that you can take to preserve your sight. Taking these precautions may prevent your vision from getting worse. Here are some of the best eye care tips when you have a vision impairment.

Take Proper Care of Corrective Lenses

You’ll likely be prescribed either eyeglasses or contact lenses to improve your vision, and it’s important that you take the proper care of your corrective lenses so that they won’t get damaged. Using a paper towel, a napkin or the bottom of your shirt to clean your glasses could scratch the lenses, so it’s best to use a cleaning cloth that’s made of 100-percent cotton. It’s also important to use contact lens solution if you wear contacts to clean them instead of using water or saliva. Ensure that when you are not wearing your contact lens that you place them in the lens case with a fresh amount of solution. Make sure to have a constant spot for each your contacts if you have two different prescriptions for each eye. Taking proper care of your lenses will save you money and help your eyes.

Shield Eyes from the Sun

When you’re visually impaired, it’s especially crucial to keep your eyes protected from the sun to lessen the risk of further damage. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, UV sunglasses are able to slow or even prevent the onset of cataracts since sunlight is known to hasten the condition. Wearing a pair of sunglasses that’s able to block 100 percent of all UV-A and UV-B rays will be particularly beneficial.

Visit an Ophthalmologist

An ophthalmologist is an eye doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions that are known to cause visual impairment. Going to one of these professionals regularly will give you the chance to have any new conditions diagnosed and receive ophthalmology treatments to keep any existing ones from getting worse. Many places of work will provide eye health insurance as part of their package. Ask your current provider about your options.

Eat Eye-Healthy Foods

Certain foods are known to be excellent for vision health and can help you preserve your remaining eyesight. Tomatoes and carrots can help increase your intake of vitamin A, which is one of the best vitamins for eye health. Eating more oranges and other foods that contain a lot of vitamin C can also help preserve your vision. Almonds contain plenty of vitamin E, which can further aid in sight preservation. The omega-3 fatty acids found in many types of fish may slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Having a vision impairment can be a less challenging ordeal if you do everything possible to save your remaining eyesight. Making positive changes in your everyday life and going to a knowledgeable eye doctor regularly can help you see the world around you more clearly.