Taking care of your eyes can help preserve your vision and minimize your need for vision therapy. However, not everybody knows how effective a few simple lifestyle changes can be for maintaining good eyesight. Thankfully, the following tips can help you protect your eyes and minimize your risk of serious and long-term vision problems.

1. Get Regular Eye Exams

Too few people get regular eye exams and miss out on the chance to improve their vision. According to The National Eye Institute, a simple refractive correction could help 150 million Americans improve their sight. Getting regular checkups with your optometrist can help gauge whether this approach is right for you and help you identify an effective care method.

2. Stop Bad Habits

Smoking is one of the most damaging things that you can do to your body. It can severely damage your eyes and can even cause blindness, cataracts, and glaucoma. Drinking alcohol is also devastating to the eyes and can cause similar side effects. As a result, it's important to cut back or eliminate these habits in your life to ensure that your vision is as protected as possible from common damage.

3. Protect Your Eyes

Every time you step outside on a sunny day, you're putting your eyes at risk. UV rays can cause cataracts, eye cancer, and macular degeneration. Avoid UV beds whenever possible and wear protective sunglasses and large hats when outdoors in the summer. Doing so can keep harmful UV rays from impacting your eyes and causing damage that may be impossible to reverse with vision therapy.

4. Live a Healthy Life

Nutrition, diet, and weight can all impact your vision in various ways. Try to eat healthier foods, such as green and leafy vegetables, coldwater fish, oranges, and carrots to provide your body with carotenoids, vitamins C and E, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Stay active with 150 minutes of activity a week and maintain a healthy weight to further help your eyesight.

Utilize these tips and work with a vision therapy expert to ensure that you keep your eyes strong and healthy. Contact the Vision & Learning Center to get your eyes regularly checked and get treatment for any problems that may be affecting you. This step can help you gauge any potential vision problems devastating your eyes and help you decrease your vision loss or even improve your sight. We're here to help you!