Maintaining Good Eyesight

Good eyesight plays an important role in your mobility and the enjoyment of life, so it's important to follow these basic steps to keep your eyes seeing clearly.

Visit your eye Doctor

You should visit your eye doctor for an eye exam once every year to maintain good eyesight. See your ophthalmologist if you experience eye infections or symptoms of disease like loss of or blurred vision, light flashes, eye pain, redness, itching, swelling, and irritation around the eye or eyelid.

Practice disease prevention

Disease of the eye is the number one cause of blindness. Most diseases that cause blindness, like glaucoma and diabetes , can be treated or their progression slowed down with the proper diagnosis and management. While there is no cure for some eye conditions, there have been major medical advances for age-related macular degeneration , glaucoma , and cataracts . By visiting your eye doctor on a regular basis, you can catch any eye problems in their early stage when they are easier to treat.

Protect your eyes from the sun's harmful rays

Constant exposure to ultraviolet light can damage your eyes. Too much exposure increases pigmentation in the eye, causing a discoloration known as "brown" or "sunshine" cataracts. Eye diseases such as macular degeneration has been linked to UV exposure.

Wear protective gear and eyewear during work and sporting events

Wearing safety glasses and protective goggles while playing sports or working with hazardous and air-born materials lowers your risk for eye injury, impaired vision, and complete loss of sight.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute.

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Edited by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD, WebMD, October 2004.

Last Editorial Review: 6/29/2005

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