5 Simple New Year Resolutions for Healthy Eyes in 2023

As the new year approaches, many of us make resolutions to improve our health and well-being. While resolutions to eat better, exercise more and reduce stress are important, don't forget about your eye health!

Here are 5 simple eye health resolutions you can make for 2023 and keep your eyes in good shape:

1. Get an eye examination:

If you haven't had an eye exam in the past year, now is the time to schedule one. Eye exams can identify vision problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and amblyopia. People above 40 years are screened for cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Eye exams can also detect early signs of serious systemic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, blood cancers and anaemia.

2. Take breaks from screens:

If you spend a lot of time staring at screens, you may experience digital eye strain. With the rise of smartphones, ocular symptoms due to prolonged use are becoming increasingly common.

To reduce the risk of eye strain, take breaks from screens every 20 minutes and follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away. Watch the video here.

Keep the screen at a comfortable distance and never too close to the eyes. Always keep the screen lower than eye level. Keep blinking whenever you press the 'Enter' button. All the aforementioned actions, reduce the evaporation of tear film from the ocular surface and reduce the drying of the eyes.

3. Eat a healthy diet:

A healthy diet is important for overall health, including wellness of the eyes. Researchers have linked eye-friendly nutrients, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc, to reducing the risk of certain serious eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Other examples of eye-healthy foods include fatty fish, leafy greens, eggs, nuts, and citrus fruits.

Eating highly processed meats and high-fat foods like bread, pasta, fries, cakes, sugary syrups, and candies may increase the risk of eye problems. Other factors, like diabetes and dehydration, can lead to chronic vision and eye conditions.

4. Quit smoking:

Smoking is harmful to your overall health, including your eyes. When you smoke cigarettes, you can damage important parts of your eyes necessary for maintaining clear eyesight.

If you smoke you are twice as likely to develop early-onset macular degeneration compared with people who do not smoke. You are 2-3 times more likely to develop cataracts compared with people who do not smoke. It also increases the risk of dryness in people exposed to passive smoke.

If you smoke, now is the time to quit for the sake of your eye health and overall well-being.

5. Protect your eyes from the sun:

Sun exposure can be harmful to your eyes, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Wear sunglasses that block out Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B rays to protect your eyes from the sun's harmful rays.

Our eyes deserve the same care that we dedicate to the rest of our body, so hopefully, you have seen just how easy it is to include a promise to your eyes in this new year.

By following these simple resolutions, you can help improve your eye health and protect your vision in the new year. Happy 2023!

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