Eye Disease Prevention

At Œil Santé MD, we want you to have the best vision possible - for life.

Many eye diseases are preventable. Serious conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and other diseases of the eye and retina are caused or made worse by damage to the eye over time.   
Taking care of your eyes is not complicated.

Here are several things you can do to protect your eyes:

 

Eat healthy

Taking care of your eyes means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and fish. Foods that are high in antioxidants, lutein, and omega-3 fatty acids, all contribute to your vision health.

 

Live healthy

Exercising regularly can reduce the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, vascular diseases, and other conditions that can lead to eye damage. Keep blood glucose (sugar) and blood pressure levels as close to normal as possible if you have diabetes or hypertension.

 

Quit smoking

Smoking and pollutants can increase the chance of developing cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration, which can lead to permanent vision loss.

 

Wear sunglasses

Excessive sun exposure can lead to cataracts later in life. Sunglasses with ultra violet protection are a simple way to reduce damage to your eye’s from the sun’s harmful rays. This is especially important if you spend a great deal of time outdoors in the sun. Wearing a hat with a large brim can also reduce eye damage.

 

Protect your eyes with goggles

Whether working around dust or debris, using saws or other machinery, or playing sports - protective eyewear is crucial to reduce possible injury or other damage.

Taking Care of Your Eyes

As we get older, it becomes more important to take care of our bodies, to see our doctor regularly, and to takes steps to prevent disease.

It’s the very same for your eyes. Many serious eye conditions become much more common as we age. The four most common eye diseases for people over 40 years of age are cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy - all serious conditions that with proper care, can often be prevented, slowed, or successfully treated.

Here are some tips to help you help your eyes - and your eye care team:

 

Have your eyes tested

Experts recommend that people have at least one full eye exam after they turn 40. That’s because many eye conditions do not affect vision until they are very advanced. By then, it might be too late to protect your vision. But if you catch a problem early, you can sometimes prevent vision loss.

 

Wash your hands

Contact lenses can be a source of harmful bacteria. Make sure to wash your hands before handling the lenses, and follow the instructions for cleansing the lenses and eye insertion and removal.

 

Eat your vegetables

A diet high in certain nutrients common to many vegetables and fruits has been found to improve eye health.

 

Have diabetes?

Protecting your vision is another reason to take extra care in following your doctor’s instructions and to monitor your glucose levels regularly. Diabetes is a risk factor especially for diseases of the retina.