Your eye doctor may be an expert when it comes to vision, but he or she also knows that you are not deaf. Do not wait to be referred to a hearing specialist; listen up and give your peepers what the doctor ordered. Below are the top two most common vision instructions that our patients here at Utah Eye Centers overlook and end up regretting.
Leaving Contact Lenses in for Too Long
Ophthalmologists are always reminding their patients not to wear contact lenses for more than 8-12 consecutive hours (depending on the type of lens). People find that order so hard to follow because most of us are awake for more than 8-12 hours a day. However, leaving them in from the crack of dawn until midnight is denying your eyes necessary oxygen, inflicting damage on your eyesight. Excessive contact lens use can even lead to a dry eye condition or worse. Try to get in the habit of changing into glasses when you get home from work or switch out of contacts for a little midday break. Never, ever sleep in your contacts. Lenses will often dry out overnight and can stick to your eyes, causing tearing or scratching when you try to remove them. Eye doctors will also inform you that sleeping with contact lenses in will also seriously increase your risk of contracting an unpleasant eye infection.
Diet
It may sound odd coming from an ophthalmologist or optometrist, but their nutritional recommendations do serve a purpose because eye health is greatly impacted by diet. The number one cause of blindness in adults is type II diabetes, which can be prevented with healthy eating. Other vision-impairing eye conditions that may be at least slowed by proper nutrition are macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts. Limit sugar, exercise to maintain a healthy weight, and eat these foods for eye health: spinach, legumes, carrots, and fish. The key ingredients in your eye diet are omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, low-fat protein, Vitamins C and E, zeaxanthin, beta carotene, and zinc. Dietary supplements are a great option.