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As we have celebrated World Sight Day 2023 in October , an occasion that aims to spread the importance of our eyes health . With the theme # LoveYourEyes , prioritizing the importance of your eye health . The goal is to get 10 million sight test pledges around the world , and we hope this will raise awareness and drive demand for better eye care services . Furthermore , here are simple steps that can help boost your eye health .

TAKING STEPS FOR BETTER EYE HEALTH At any stage in life , people can be affected by multitude of eye conditions that can be concerning . The common eye conditions are cataracts , dry eye disease , diabetic eye disease , glaucoma , macula degeneration or uncorrected refractive errors . Thus , to improve our eye health please consider these steps below :

A comprehensive eye examination . Having a comprehensive eye examination is the only way that can help detect diseases and conditions that cause vision loss and blindness . Some of these diseases have no warning signs , and if detected in the early stages have better outcomes for vision preservation . Diabetic patients are at risk of blindness and comprehensive eye examination is greatly needed to prevent irreversible blindness . Example of normal healthy retina ( the layer at the back of the eye that acts like a film ) vs retina related to diabetes that is vision threatening .

Knowledge regarding your family ’ s eye health history . Certain conditions that affect the eye have a genetic role that can be passed down the family tree line . Having a conversation with family members about their vision history or if anyone has been diagnosed with a condition that disturbs their eyesight could help determine if you are at risk of developing a diseaserelated with hereditary trait .

Obtaining a Good Overall health . A healthy lifestyle goes a long way in impacting the eye health . For instance , maintaining a healthy weight could avoid diabetes which inevitably could risk eyesight disturbances . A diabetic patient might benefit from healthy blood sugar control thus reducing the risk of blindness . Another healthy lifestyle is quitting smoking and eating a balanced diet will have a positive impact on overall eye health . A diet recommendation that contains omega-3 fatty acids ( including �HA ), copper , lutein , and �ea�anthin is necessary for the eye .

A picture of a normal healthy retina ( A layer lining the back wall inside of the eye ).

A picture of an unhealthy retina with the risk of blindness .

Wearing proper protective eyewear equipment . Protective eyewear not only could shield you from harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun , but protective eyewear like safety glasses during work and certain high-risk activities is an effective way to prevent eyerelated injuries . In conjunction with World Sight Day 2023 , the current theme focuses on the importance of eye care in the workplace .

Have an adequate rest . In this digital era , increased screen time could lead to eye fatigue and strain . Practice the 20-20-20 rule : Every 20 minutes , look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds . This short exercise can help reduce eyestrain .

Practice clean hands and adequate handling of contact lenses . The risk of eye infection can be greatly reduced if proper handling of contact lenses before and after usage . Disinfectant is necessary during usage as instructed and remove or replace them in timely order .

To conclude , the above steps could be done and hoping for the best of our god-gifted eyesight . As the saying “ The eyes are windows to the world ” and it ’ s our responsibility to safeguard them for ourselves and our loved ones .

��� Ali� ���a� �heo�� is a �o�s�lta�t ��hthal�olo�ist ��actisi�� i� ��� ��A��A� �����A� ������� ��a�ta�� Paha��� �ala�sia

Having a comprehensive eye examination is the only way that can help detect diseases and conditions that cause vision loss and blindness .

Dr . Aliff Irwan Cheong

GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com ISSUE 6 | 2023

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