Eye Surgery Cancelled Due To COVID-19

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My grandmother is 85 years old, and she has a cataract. She had a scheduled operation for her eyes last April 1st, which was canceled due to the pandemic. Now, she had to live with a blurry left eye during a mediocrely functioning right eye. I did not have it in my heart to put her in a home. That was what I promised my mother before she passed away three years ago. I told her that I would take care of Grams, and I have been not because of a promise. It was because I loved her dearly.

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Staying Healthy

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Attending the 2019 Health Conference made me realize how important health is. Most of the time, we often take this for granted, especially when we are doing okay at the moment. Eating healthy foods or maintaining healthy habits often just comes across our mind whenever we encounter health troubles, right? Unless we are health buffs, I’m sure people can significantly benefit from attending health conferences like this. It would help us remember that health is among the most critical aspects of our lives. That if being taken for granted, many things will be at stake.

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Slowing Down The Progression Of Glaucoma

 

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As we grow older, we begin to get anxious about our health, including our eye health. Maybe it was because our latest eye exam showed increasing pressure and redness in both eyes or perhaps a close relative was just diagnosed with glaucoma. Did someone tell you that glaucoma is a hereditary eye condition? If you already know this, then you also know you might need to take the necessary steps to prevent or slow down the progression of this eye condition.

Glaucoma Defined

It is an eye disease that destroys the optic nerve, which is responsible for sending impulses from the eye to the brain. When this is damaged, then the odds are likely that you will eventually lose your vision.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, at 65 years old, one out of three Americans will be diagnosed with a damaging eye condition. And second to cataracts, glaucoma is the second most common cause of vision loss across the United States. It is also one of the leading causes of blindness all over the world.

The primary cause of glaucoma is unknown, but increased eye pressure is said to be the most common factor. If it is left without any medical care, this eye condition will ultimately lead to blindness.

Glaucoma Risk Factors

It should be noted that there might be a higher likelihood for other individuals to develop glaucoma. Some of the risk factors include but are not limited to:

  • Age
  • A family history of glaucoma
  • Increased eye pressure
  • Nearsightedness or farsightedness
  • Past history of eye injury
  • Thin cornea
  • Existing conditions such as migraines, diabetes, and poor blood circulation

Developing two or more of these risk factors significantly heightens a person’s risk of developing glaucoma.

 

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Tips to Slow Down The Progression Of Glaucoma

Unfortunately, there is no known prevention of glaucoma. However, there are steps that we can take to slow down the progression of the disease and consequently reduce the risk of eye damage or vision loss.

  • Don’t Miss Your Regular Eye Checkups. This is essential in preventing glaucoma and other equally severe eye conditions. Routine eye examinations are a must. For glaucoma to be properly confirmed and diagnosed, the doctor conducts screening and inspects the drainage angle in both eyes. He will also check the status of the optic nerve and do a peripheral vision test. People who fail to have routine eye exams and develop glaucoma typically become aware of it only after they’ve sustained permanent vision loss from the disease. By that time, controlling glaucoma to prevent additional vision loss can be very difficult, explains Gary Heiting, OD.

Below is a list of age ranges and the number of times one is required to go for eye examinations.

Below 40 years old: once in five to ten years

40-54 years old: once in two to four years

55-64 years old: once in one to three years

65 years and older: once every one or two years

However, if your odds of developing glaucoma are relatively higher, then you must talk to your ophthalmologist about your screening schedules.

 

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  • Find Ways To Reduce Eye Pressure. For individuals who have developed increased eye pressure or ocular hypertension, consult your doctor so he can prescribe quality eye drops that you can use regularly to slow down the progression of glaucoma. According to Dr. Norm Zabriskie, MD, a glaucoma expert at the Moran Eye Center, “There have been multiple, very large, very well-designed and well-conducted studies both in the United States and in Europe and elsewhere…have fundamentally proven that lowering intraocular pressure, though not a cure, is absolutely beneficial in terms of either stopping or at least delaying the progression of glaucoma.”

The Glaucoma Foundation suggests that exercise is a great way to decrease eye pressure. They may walk or do light jogging three times a week.

According to Robert L. Stamper, MD, professor  of Clinical Ophthalmology and Director Emeritus of the Glaucoma Service at the University of California San Francisco, “a regular program of moderate exercise will benefit your overall health, and studies have shown that moderate exercise such as walking or jogging three or more times every week can have an IOP lowering effect.

  • Avoid Eye Injuries. Protecting your eyes from injury can greatly help avoid or delay the onset of glaucoma. In the home, keep away from too much dust when cleaning is done. When doing sports, keep your eyes injury-free by wearing protective gear.

These tips are basic but nevertheless vital in ensuring the health of your eyes. Practicing them may be your hope for zero eye damage until you’re 60 and older. Why not?

Screen Time And Eye Health

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It is not just you and me that spend a lot of time looking at the screen, such as on television, tablets, computers, and smartphones. Pretty much everybody is doing it regularly without noticing the danger of losing one’s vision. We know that it can significantly impact our health, but most of us tend to ignore the threat. According to Katherine Dahlsgaard, PhD, there is a mental health impact of excessive screen time, and she offers advice for setting limits. Model moderate screen use as a parent. Show your children, with your own behavior, how to live a rich, varied, and healthy life where all habits are practiced in moderation.

Reasonably,  it is an opportunity for us to consider taking care of our eyesight.

The Importance Of Understanding

It is not enough that we only know the possible things that might happen if we continue making unhealthy habits that damage our eyes. A lot of us are well aware of that. However, not all people are open to the idea of taking care of their vision. That explains why some people still use their contact lenses for more than the required hours. Some individuals often use their smartphones late at night. Some are even spending too much time in front of the computer without taking breaks as well. You see, people are stubborn that they do not seem to care what could happen to their health until things are a bit too late. That is the reason why when they only have a limited time to save their eye health, they try to do everything no matter what. It is ironic because no one with better eyesight is working on a list of proper eye care. Well, I think they are too confident to believe that they will never lose or damage their vision even if they habitually work on their bad routines.

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Sad Reality

Honestly, no one gets immediate dysfunctional eyes. It always takes a lot of time before something appears damaged. That gives people enough time to do whatever they want regardless of the harmful habit. Yes, if someone is spending time with his phone for more than ten hours a day and can screen time up to seven days a week within the span of three months, who would think that something terrible could happen? There is this people’s mentality that if they can maximize their eyesight usage without feeling pain, then things are still good. People believe that if something is not causing them unusual situations, there is nothing to worry about.

Another unfortunate reality this generation faces is the mental impact brought about by excessive screen time. “Children and adolescents who spent more time using screen media were lower in psychological well-being than low users. High users of screens were significantly more likely to display poor emotion regulation (not staying calm, arguing too much, being difficult to get along with), an inability to finish tasks, lower curiosity, and more difficulty making friends,” according to the research of Dr. Jean Twenge, PhD, and Dr. W. Keith Campbell, PhD.

Insight

Our eyes are sensitive; that is why it is essential to frequently consider taking a break from any digital use and activity. It will not hurt us if we lessen our screen time. It will not create a massive complication when we put our phones away for a couple of hours. It will not even make us suffer if we go to bed without checking our gadgets before going to sleep. You see, it all takes a change of habit to ensure our visions are in better health. We have to give our eyes a chance to move away from too much pressure and stress.

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Keeping our eyes safe and healthy is something that we can always do. Expert Dr. Anthony Fallone expresses the link between eyes and a person’s personality. He says, “The eye is so closely linked neurologically to the brain that you might call it the only part of our brain you can see from the outside. It seems to hold vital clues to our brain function.” As long we know and value the importance of our eyesight, we can have time to spare it from damaging habits.

What Causes Blurry Vision?

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There are a wide variety of eyesight problems that perhaps a lot of people are experiencing differently. There is the case of cataract, dilated pupils, crossed eyes, color blindness, and many more. But what most people are sharing the same is the condition of having a blurry vision.

“As organisms age, all their biological systems should be expected to break down and fail with increasing regularity, and eyes are no exception,” wrote Jesse Marczyk, PhD. “So what might explain why human visual acuity appears so lackluster early in life (to the tune of over 20 percent of teenagers using corrective lenses)? There are a number of possible explanations we might entertain.”

Perhaps that is due to the unhealthy practices that a lot of people do daily. It might include the pressure of spending too much time on mobile devices and bright screens. Anyhow, let’s take a closer understanding of what causes blurry vision.

Factors That Cause Blurry Vision

Refractive Errors

Some refractive eye errors result in the condition, such as nearsightedness or the inability to see things from afar. There is also farsightedness, which is the opposite of the latter. Then, lastly, astigmatism, where there is an irregularity on the surface of the eye’s cornea. All of these conditions are not at all severe and can be easily corrected with the help of glasses and specific contact lenses. But note that it is essential to consult an eye care professional before using any type of correcting-contact lenses and eyeglasses. That is to prevent the condition from getting worse.

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Eye Diseases

Some types of eye diseases may cause blurry vision. These include ocular migraine, dry eyes, eye floaters, macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and more. Any of these health conditions significantly contribute to the unclear vision. It is essential to consult a health professional about these specific cases to address the underlying issues that go along with it. Note that other factors can contribute to these eye diseases. So taking time in understanding all of them is as essential as well.

Change In prescription

As much as individuals desire to disregard the fact that drugs cannot affect their vision, well, it can. The individual who takes a drug prescription that suddenly changes the dosage or drug type is more likely to experience blurry vision. That is due to some of the medicine’s content that appears to stop the eye from producing water. The side effects of every drug vary, though. However, it is crucial to seek an eye expert when there is a sudden vision loss or change every time there is an instant replacement of medication.

Source: allaboutvision.com

Blood Sugar Is High

Having diabetes for an extended period can cause blurry vision. This particular condition is what we call diabetic retinopathy. It is the state where a high blood glucose level damages the eye cells and prevents the blood vessels from delivering enough oxygen to the veins of the eyes. Usually, there are no symptoms of eye protein leak that one can notice. However, the loss of nutrients to the part of the retina signals the body to form new weak blood vessels. That explains why diabetic individuals often suffer from eye swelling and bleeding inside the eye.

 

Consultant psychiatrist Raj Persaud, FRCPsych, also wrote, “In a high stakes situation, as when even small deviations in visual acuity can have catastrophic career consequences, such as being a pilot, it is possible that people with a background of anxiety or depression, get more worked up about their eyesight.”

There seems to be a connection between eye condition and mental health. Carol Look, LCSW, DCH, did a study answering the question, “Is it possible for a person with a vision problem to improve their eyesight by using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)?” There were limitations to the study, nonetheless, her results reported that “nearly 75% of participants in this study indicated that an improvement occurred in their vision during and by the end of the study.”

Whatever the cause is, it is vital to ensure that the eye receives the right amount of balance. So if any way some of these causes seem to get worse seek an eye expert immediately.

Improve Your Eyesight Naturally

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In today’s society, we are always spending time with our smartphones and computers. So it is pretty much a cliché if we keep on talking about how the eyes are getting all the unwanted pressure. We know that already, and it is very much evident that we take our eyesight for granted. But to be fair from the judgment, there are still ways that can help us save our eyes from everyday damage. But note that we should put an effort into understanding the things that we should be aware of to control situations. Remember, prevention is way too much better than cure.

How To Do It?

One way that helps improve eyesight is the reduction of time spent using smartphones. Yes, those little gadgets can have a massive impact on our eyes. The light that it emits, especially at night, is not that eye-friendly. With that, the less time we keep our eyes away from it, the more chances of saving our eyesight.

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Another way to improve our eyesight is by getting enough sleep. It allows the eyes to rejuvenate and repair itself because it gets enough rest. The longer it stays close, the better it receives hydration. Since the eyes usually work excessively, sleep can help increase blood circulation and function.

To protect the eyes from strain, a piece of advice that helps significantly is drinking enough water. Yes, our eyes are made up of water, too, so drinking enough water allows its hydration. The eyes should not stop producing water and must stay lubricated all the time. Because if it causes frequent dehydration, it may lead to severe vision problems.

A good posture is vital in improving eyesight as well. That is because it has a lot to do with the position of the body when looking into something. If we have a bad posture, we might excessively put the pressure onto the eyes by frequently tilting our heads, squinting, and even leaning forward in front of the object.

The diet also plays a notable role in keeping the eyes healthy. Always make sure that the eyes receive the right amount of nutrients from the foods we eat. It is vital to make a habit of eating fruits and vegetables every day. Never forget to avoid unhealthy diet, such as consuming too much junk food. Not only will it lessen the eyes’ function, but it can also bring a higher risk for eye diseases.

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Our eyes are way too sensitive, so we have to protect them all the time. One way to help it is by wearing sunglasses. It helps prevent the eyes from getting damaged by ultraviolet rays from the sun. Therefore, it is essential to use and wear eye protection when the surroundings are super sunny and bright.

These are some of the remarkable things we can do to help improve our eyesight. As long as we make an effort to keep it safe, there is a guarantee of having an excellent and useful vision.

Useful Tips In Relieving Eye Strain

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A lot of people think that having an eye strain is typical in everyday life. Perhaps that is because of the ideal time they spend staring at their books, smartphones, computer screens, tablets, and televisions. The eyes have to put up effort into looking at something within a few feet of a particular range. Sometimes, an average time runs approximately ten hours of eye exposure to such stuff. According to Timothy Legg, PhD, CRNP, “the Vision Council reports that 87 percent of those in the United States use one or more digital devices for more than two hours a day.”

Every day, everybody is looking at something close up, so there is quite a tendency that almost above the average of people experience eye strain. To relieve that, here are some tips to follow.

Take A Break

Eye strain is not something that people should worry that much. Taking a break from doing things that pressure the eyes is helpful. Let’s say individuals spend more than two hours with their smartphones, 20 seconds to 20-minute eye rest will help restart the function of sight. However, for those individuals who seem to suffer from headache along with an eye strain, it is much better if they rest for at least a couple of hours.

Blink And Look Away

People experience eye strain because of too much exposure in a close distance range. In most cases, they forget to blink due to the excessive amount of eye focus. So one way to reduce that eye tension is blinking and looking to a distance. The process will allow the eyes to find its center again and to move away from focusing on particular stuff. The appropriate shift of sight is at least 20 feet away, so always remember that.

“Rather than keeping your eyes focused on the computer screen for hours at a time, interrupt this process every 15 minutes by briefly looking out of the window or around the room,” says Andrew Dahl, MD, FACS. He also added that “when performing extended visual tasks of all sorts, occasionally stand up, move about, and stretch your arms, legs, back, neck, and shoulders.”

 

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Use A Wider Screen

For those individuals who often use a computer or laptop, it is much better if they use a wider screen. It helps in reducing eye strain when it gets angled-up a little bit. If people can get it in comfortable eye height, and a convenient front distance, that would be much better. Also, set up the light of the screen according to the light of the surrounding to help prevent glaring.

Make Use Of The Surrounding Light

Aside from the light of the screen, people should work in a well-lighted area. It will help in creating a balance surrounding that will enhance the eyes’ capability to function. Avoid reading or working in a dim room because it adds more strain on the eyes. If in case the light is too much, it is much better to adjust the positioning to get the right amount of light.

“Many computer users find their eyes feel better if they can avoid working under overhead fluorescent lights. If possible, turn off the overhead fluorescent lights in your office and use floor lamps that provide indirect “soft white” LED lighting instead,” says Gary Heiting, OD, and Larry K. Wan, OD.

 

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Set Up A Proper Workplace

When using the eyes, it is also essential to think about where to sit to get an angle comfortable with the desk. If it is possible to have the monitor away, that would be perfect. Setting it at least 3 feet away diminishes the amount of the eye’s effort in focusing on something.

These useful guidelines go a long way in keeping your eyes away from ocular strain and stress.  But remember that the health of the eyes will still depend on how much time and what task people should spend using it.

How Psychologists Read The Mind Through The Eyes

“The eyes are the windows to our soul.” This statement is probably a famous saying that we have heard for the past decades. According to psychologists, this is most likely true. As experts in the field, they can tell most of the story of a person just by looking and gazing into them. So, what’s the science behind the eyes’ behavioral movements? Let us find out.

Eye Direction

Psychologists take into consideration the direction of the gaze of someone’s eye whenever they are thinking. Looking at their right means that creative thoughts are dominating their minds. This behavior is a potential sign that someone might be planning something deceitful in several situations (e.g., creating their own stories or versions of individual events).

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On the other hand, looking at their left means that they are trying to remember or reminisce about some memories. Gazing in this direction indicates that what they’re about to say next is all based on facts and realities. Take note, however, that when a person is left-handed, we should reverse the indicators.

Eye Contact

Eye contact is necessary when it comes to the daily interactions we have with people. Those who want to be as effective and intimate with the one they are talking to should establish proper eye contact. “Eye contact can have a memory-boosting, prosocial, and stimulating effect as long as it’s wanted by the person being looked at. If you’re trying to use eye contact to your advantage, pay attention to the cues coming from the person you’re staring at: If they’re returning your gaze, lighting up, becoming more talkative, or straightening their posture or relaxing as you look into their eyes, you’re doing great,” Katherine Schreiber, MFA, LMSW confers.

Evasive Eye Contact

“We spend a lot of time looking at other people, especially at their faces. We’re also told to look other people in the eye when we speak to them, and we may feel awkward when a person we’re talking to keeps looking away,” says David Ludden, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Georgia Gwinnett College. Psychologists say that Individuals often avoid looking and establishing eye contact with another person because they are either being dishonest, trying to deceive their colleague, or feeling ashamed. Hence, when they have sessions with their clients, those patients who are having evasive eye contact are usually the ones they have to focus on. This way, they can open up and be more honest with their psychologists.

Persistent Eye Contact

“When we look at a face or a picture, our eyes pause, or fixate, on one spot at a time, often on the eyes or mouth,” Robert A. Lavine, Ph.D. wrote. “These fixations typically occur at about three per second, and the eyes then jump to another spot until several important points in the image are registered like a series of snapshots,” he says. The other extreme eye contact on the other end of the spectrum is the persistent eye contact. This body language usually aims to intimidate and scare people. This over-powering body language tends to make the receiver overly studied and uncomfortable.

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In a study conducted by Evan Risko, a psychologist at the University of Waterloo, the participants were asked to talk and interact with another individual via a two-way video feed. They found out that the participants make more eye contact with people who they think are socially inferior to them. At the same time, they tend to look away as well when talking to a perceived social superior.

From this, what do we consider the most optimum length of eye contact? Researchers tried to answer this question by using recruited participants from London’s Science Museum. They were instructed to give a score on how comfortable they were per length of eye contact by showing faces in video clips. The time ranged from between a tenth of a second up to 10 seconds. The results show that the participants were most comfortable with just three seconds of eye contact.

From the experiment, it is safe to deduce that we should have the right balance in terms of persistent and evasive eye contact by maintaining it at regular intervals.

Pupils

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Compared to the other two above, the pupils are part of our body language that we cannot control. According to a study by Eckhard Hess (1975), the pupils dilate whenever we are interested in the topic we’re discussing or the person we are talking to. Psychologists use this to determine whether their patients are interested in having their therapy sessions or if they are only there since they are forced to be.

At the same time, the pupils are also used by others to indicate whether they can trust a person or not. According to studies, patients subconsciously pay attention to the behavior of the pupils of their psychologists. If they dilate, it results in emotional arousal and attraction on the side of the client. They indicate that their psychologists are trustworthy.

On the other hand, if the pupils constrict, the patients feel more threatened, and they consider their psychologists as less trustworthy.

Blinking

Yes, it is an instinct to blink. However, the blinking rate also has a say on what our feelings and emotions are towards the person we are interacting with. The average blinking price of a person ranges from 6 to 10 times per minute. Blinking more than the average rate is a sign that the person is interested with the person on the other end. Blinking is used as an indicator for flirting.

From the points above, we can genuinely say that psychologists do have a basis when they are evaluating patients. They do not merely read minds. Instead, they read thoughts through their eyes.

How A Therapist Takes Good Care Of His Eyesight

Every person needs to understand the importance of having good eyesight. Hence, everyone is highly encouraged to make time to see an ophthalmologist. Even if you do not feel any problem with your eyes, it is still best to go on a regular checkup with the said professional doctor. Do not wait before it is too late to act on your eye-related issues or problems. Jesse Marczyk, Ph.D., wrote, “…our technologies have been relaxing the selection pressures that were keeping it sharp. In other words, since humans invented glasses and granted those who cannot see as well a crutch to overcome this issue, any reproductive disadvantage associated with poor vision was effectively removed.” As early as now, you have to fully understand that regular checkups with a doctor are not sufficient. You must also seek other ways how to avoid having poor eyesight in the future. In today’s article, we are going to share some of the techniques used by a therapist to take good care of his vision.

 

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Below are some of the care tips or tricks that you may want to consider:

 

Wear Sunglasses When In Outdoors

 

One of the great things that you must always remember is to wear your sunglasses once you step outside your house during the morning or afternoon. Keep in mind that the sun releases UV rays that can be harmful, not only to your skin but even to your eyesight. Because of this, you have to remind yourself why it is crucial to wear your sunglasses if you will have direct exposure to the sunlight.

 

Get Sufficient Sleep

 

Are you aware that lack of sleep will not only make you cranky the following day? At the same time, it can also result in drowsiness to the point that you will always feel tired or exhausted during the entire day. When this happens, your eyes will become droopy. As such, it is crucial for you to see to it that you can get enough sleep every single night. “Getting enough sleep is important for your health and happiness—but “enough” doesn’t look the same for everyone,” says clinical health psychologist and host of the Savvy Psychologist podcast Jade Wu, Ph.D. Hence, she notes, “Keeping a consistent wake-up time will help you to get on the same page with your body and to have just the right amount of that sweet, innocent sleep.” Learn how to set your bedtime schedule and be strict in following it. Failure to do this can have adverse effects on your health and eyesight.

 

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Avoid Rubbing Your Eyes

 

Some people are fond of rubbing their eyes, especially when they are exposed to a dusty environment. They believe that in doing so, they are cleaning their eyes. In reality, the truth is that it causes stress to your eyes. At the same time, it may even lead to irritation, especially in cases where you will touch the area of your eyes without washing your hands properly. If you feel an itch in your eye, the best thing to do is to use a doctor-recommended eye drop. Do not touch your eyes or any area near it with your bare hands to ensure that nothing will go wrong.

 

Consult With A Doctor

 

As already mentioned above, you must always find time to meet with your ophthalmologist. The eye doctor is the only person who is licensed and authorized to provide you with the correct diagnosis of your condition. Do not believe what you read online, especially if it talks about a worst-case scenario about your eyesight. If you feel that there is something wrong with your eyes, be sure to book an appointment with your eye doctor as soon as possible. It is crucial to act fast so that you still protect yourself from potential damage or harm.

 

Avoid Using Devices At Night

 

When you are already in your bed, it is suggested to keep yourself away from your gadgets such as your phone, tablet, or laptop. Take note that the light coming from these devices can cause adverse effects on your eyesight. “Even low levels of light, such as a dim bedside lamp, can decrease the production of melatonin (for this reason, you should never sleep with a “nightlight” on and use good blackout curtains), Susan Biali Haas, M.D. explains. “The light emitted from phone screens, shining directly in your eyes, suppresses the production of this crucial hormone in the evening.” Unfortunately, it will take time before you can notice the said effects. If you do not follow this tip, then there is a high possibility that you will suffer from poor eyesight in the future. In such a case, be prepared to start wearing prescription glasses.

 

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Eat A Balanced Diet

 

Another thing that you have to consider is to start investing your time and efforts into living a healthy lifestyle. Start your journey to wellness by following a balanced diet. The initial step is to create a meal plan wherein you will write down the list of healthy food items that you can consume within a given day or week. Be sure to strictly follow this plan to enjoy its practical benefits or advantages. Once you do this, you will experience a lot of improvements in your health. In the long run, it can also help to develop your eyesight or heal it in case there is something wrong with it.

 

Take good care of your eyesight while you still can. Act fast today to prevent future issues or problems.