New Year’s Resolutions to Improve Eye Health

  • By:Dr. Katie Dugan

What resolutions have you chosen for 2019? January is the most common time of year to set new goals. This time of year offers an opportunity for a fresh start and a change in habits. Often, the focus for resolutions turns to health goals, such as weight loss or dietary changes.

As you are considering the physical health improvements that you desire, don’t overlook the importance of caring for your eyes. A few important lifestyle changes can be implemented to create the habits that will protect your vision and reduce the risk of possible complications:

  • Eat Your Vegetables: Listen to your mother’s advice and make sure to eat a healthy serving of vegetables at each meal. Brightly colored vegetables are rich in antioxidants, such as beta-carotene. The vitamins help with eye health and reduce the risk of common eye disease such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  • Stop Smoking: Avoiding cigarettes is a necessary step to protect many aspects of your health. Researchers have found that smoking can affect the macular deterioration due to the reduced oxygen and blood flow in the eyes.
  • Move Your Body: Regular exercise is important to managing your blood pressure and weight. As you control these aspects of your wellness, it can be helpful to improve your eye health as well.
  • Wear UV Protection Lenses: A pair of sunglasses not only looks stylish, but these lenses help in the protection against the UV rays from the sun. Avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays is an effective step to reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
  • Schedule an Eye Exam: Even if you don’t feel like you are experiencing vision issues, it is important to maintain regular eye exam appointments. This routine appointment will ensure that you have the right prevention and treatments to avoid common vision issues.

Is it time for you to schedule an appointment with an eye doctor? We provide two locations to make it easy to meet with an experienced optical team in the area. Call if you have questions or you would like to schedule an exam: our Temecula office is located at (951) 302-1331, or our Murrieta office is located at (951) 600-9226.

Posted in: Eye Health