Visit your eye doctor regularly

For most people, this means an eye exam at least once every two years. Visits to the eye doctor can catch diseases that don’t have obvious symptoms. The earlier you catch these diseases, the easier and cheaper they are to treat.

Avoid (too much) screen time

You may not be able to avoid spending time looking at screens, but incorporate these healthy habits to avoid eye strain:

• Blink every 30 seconds. We tend not to blink as much while we look at screens, which can cause dry eyes.
• Try to work or read with your eyes on the same level as the top of your monitor. You should be looking slightly down to see your screen.
• Rest your eyes with one 15-minute break every 2 hours.
• Increase the font size setting on your smartphone or tablet. This reduces the need for your eyes to squint to see small text, which causes eye strain.
• And don’t worry about special computer glasses. “Blue light” glasses have not been shown to protect you from eyestrain or the effects of blue light.

Eat Well for Eye Health

Certain foods promote better eye health, and it’s not just carrots! They include:

• Green, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, collard greens, and bok choy
• Citrus fruits like oranges
• Non-meat sources of protein (good news, vegetarians), which include beans, eggs, and nuts
• Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish

Getting access to quality, healthy foods can be a challenge. CHPW case managers can connect you with resources in your community to help you get the foods you need to stay your healthiest.

Wear Sunglasses

Choose a pair that blocks 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB rays to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Find flattering sunglass shapes for your face.

Quit smoking

Quitting smoking is a hefty challenge. But it improves your health in many areas, including your eyesight. CHPW has resources to support you to stop smoking or using tobacco, and you can find other resources from the Washington Department of Health Getting Help to Quit Tobacco.

Don’t sleep in your eye makeup

Let’s end with an easy one! Sleeping in eye makeup can cause styes and other problems for your eye health. Use a gentle cleanser to remove mascara, eyeshadow, and other makeup before you go to bed.