7 Eye Health Facts Everyone Should Know

Most of us don't spend much time thinking about our eyes—until something suddenly feels wrong.

A stubborn eyelash, blurry vision, unexpected flashes of light or simply realizing that the restaurant menu seems to get smaller every year can quickly make eye health impossible to ignore.

Knowing what's normal, what you can safely handle at home and when it's time to call an eye doctor can make those moments a lot less confusing.

Here are seven useful things to know about protecting your eyes and vision.

1. There's a Right Way to Get Something Out of Your Eye

A speck of dust or stray eyelash can be incredibly irritating, but digging around in your eye with your fingers isn't the answer.

Start by blinking several times and allowing your natural tears to help wash away the particle.

If that doesn't work, gently rinse the eye with sterile eyewash or clean water.

Avoid rubbing the eye, particularly if you aren't sure what's causing the irritation. Rubbing can potentially make matters worse if a particle scratches the surface of the eye.

If discomfort, redness, excessive tearing or changes in vision continue after the object is removed, contact an eye care professional.

And if an object appears to be embedded in the eye, don't attempt to remove it yourself.

Chemical exposure is also an emergency. Immediately rinse the affected eye thoroughly with clean water and seek appropriate medical guidance.

2. Your Near Vision Naturally Changes With Age

If you've reached your 40s and suddenly find yourself holding menus, labels or your phone farther away, you're in very good company.

A normal age-related change called presbyopia gradually makes it more difficult for the eyes to focus on nearby objects.

Inside each eye is a flexible lens that changes shape to help focus light. When we're younger, that lens can adjust relatively easily when switching between objects at different distances.

As we get older, the lens becomes less flexible, making close-up focusing more difficult.

That's why reading glasses, bifocals, progressive lenses or other forms of vision correction become common during middle age.

Presbyopia isn't an eye disease. It's a normal part of aging.

However, any sudden or significant change in vision deserves professional evaluation rather than simply being attributed to getting older.

3. Nutrition Plays a Role in Eye Health

No single food can guarantee healthy vision, but the eyes depend on many of the same vitamins, minerals and other nutrients the rest of the body needs.

A varied, nutrient-rich diet is one part of supporting long-term eye health.

Dark Leafy Greens

Vegetables such as kale and spinach contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that accumulate in the retina, particularly in the macula.

These nutrients have been extensively studied for their role in eye health and are also components of the AREDS2 nutritional formulation studied in people with certain stages of age-related macular degeneration.

Citrus Fruits

Oranges, lemons, limes and other fruits and vegetables provide vitamin C, an antioxidant nutrient needed throughout the body.

Vitamin C is also naturally present in tissues within the eye and has been studied in relation to healthy aging and eye health.

Nuts and Peanuts

Nuts and peanuts can provide vitamin E as well as unsaturated fats.

Vitamin E functions as an antioxidant, while dietary fat helps the body absorb fat-soluble nutrients and carotenoids.

Zinc-Rich Foods

Oysters are exceptionally rich in zinc, while meat, seafood, beans, nuts and fortified foods can also provide it.

Zinc is involved in numerous biological processes and is found in high concentrations in parts of the eye.

The bigger lesson isn't to load up on one particular "eye superfood." A balanced diet containing vegetables, fruits, protein sources and healthy fats provides a much broader range of nutrients.

4. Some Eye Symptoms Shouldn't Be Ignored

Many minor eye complaints resolve on their own, but certain symptoms deserve attention.

Contact an eye care professional if you experience persistent or unexplained:

• Eye pain
• Blurred or double vision
• Difficulty seeing at night
• Significant sensitivity to light
• Persistent redness or irritation
• Frequent headaches associated with visual tasks
• Ongoing dry or excessively watery eyes
• Significant eye strain

Sudden changes require particular attention.

A sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light, a dark curtain or shadow across your vision, sudden vision loss or severe eye pain can indicate a potentially serious problem and should be evaluated promptly.

When vision changes suddenly, waiting to see whether it improves isn't always the safest approach.

5. Exercise May Benefit Your Eyes Too

Exercise is usually associated with stronger muscles and better cardiovascular health, but its benefits may extend to the eyes as well.

The eyes depend on healthy blood vessels and adequate circulation, and many conditions affecting overall cardiovascular and metabolic health can also affect vision.

Research has explored associations between physical activity and the risk of several eye conditions, including glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease.

Exercise also plays an important role in maintaining overall metabolic health and managing risk factors such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes—conditions that can affect the delicate blood vessels of the retina.

You don't need to exercise specifically "for your eyes."

Regular movement is simply another example of how taking care of the whole body can support the health of individual organs, including the eyes.

6. Online Vision Tests Have Limitations

Being able to renew an eyeglass prescription from your couch sounds wonderfully convenient—and in certain circumstances, online vision testing may be useful.

But checking how clearly you can see isn't the same thing as receiving a comprehensive eye examination.

An in-person eye exam can evaluate much more than your prescription. Depending on the examination, an eye care professional may assess the retina, optic nerve, eye pressure, eye movement and other structures involved in vision.

These evaluations can sometimes identify problems before a person notices obvious symptoms.

Online testing therefore shouldn't automatically be considered a replacement for routine comprehensive eye care, particularly for people with existing eye conditions, health conditions that can affect the eyes or new visual symptoms.

7. Optometrists and Ophthalmologists Have Different Roles

Both optometrists and ophthalmologists care for the eyes, but their education and scope of practice differ.

Optometrist

An optometrist (O.D.) completes professional optometry training and provides primary vision and eye care.

Depending on state laws and individual qualifications, optometrists can perform comprehensive eye examinations, prescribe glasses and contact lenses, diagnose many eye conditions and prescribe medications.

For routine eye care, an optometrist is often a good place to start.

Ophthalmologist

An ophthalmologist is a physician who specializes in medical and surgical care of the eyes.

Ophthalmologists diagnose and treat eye diseases, prescribe medications and corrective lenses, and perform procedures and eye surgery.

People with complex eye disease or conditions requiring surgery may be treated by an ophthalmologist.

Optometrists and ophthalmologists also frequently work together, with patients referred between them when specialized treatment is needed.

Everyday Eye Care Matters

Taking care of your vision isn't only about responding when something goes wrong.

Routine eye examinations, nutritious food, regular physical activity, appropriate eye protection and paying attention to changes in your vision can all be part of maintaining healthy eyes throughout life.

Most importantly, don't assume that every change in your eyesight is simply part of getting older.

Our eyes can tell us when something isn't right.

Knowing which symptoms are ordinary—and which deserve professional attention—can help you respond sooner and protect something that's remarkably easy to take for granted: the ability to see the world around you.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or replace advice from a qualified healthcare professional.