How Does a Healthy Lifestyle Impact Eye Health?

Did you know that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can significantly impact your eye health and vision? When we think of keeping ourselves healthy, we tend to think of diet and exercise, blood pressure, strength and weight. But there are several factors that can also improve eye health and therefore help you avoid eye disease as you age.

When you keep these goals in mind, commit to a healthy lifestyle and avoid some basic pitfalls, you are actively caring for your vision each and every day. Here are some reminders for making healthy choices for your eyes.

Do Not Smoke

As with most physical conditions, vision and eye health decline has a direct link to smoking tobacco. Eye issues such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy are conditions that are increased and made worse in people who smoke. In fact, those who smoke are two to three times more likely to develop AMD and two to three times more likely to develop cataracts. Smokers also experience twice as much dry eye syndrome.

Be Aware of Too Much Screen Time

So much of our days are spent in front of a computer or device these days. This can cause eye fatigue and dryness. If your job requires a lot of screen time, it is important to take breaks every two hours for five to ten minutes to give them recovery time. You can also make sure you are blinking enough to hydrate your eyes and staring for hours can cause dryness.

Nutrition Impacts Eye Health and Vision

In our article dated April 25, 2022, Did You Know Nutrition Matters for Vision?We discussed the nutrients and foods that are beneficial for keeping your eyes healthy and your vision strong. Foods high in vitamins A, E and C are good for your eyes as well as foods containing Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Omega 3s. For more specifics about what foods are high in these nutrients, please click the link above.

Healthy Weight Means Healthy Eyes

When you are carrying extra weight, especially if you are clinically obese, you are at higher risk for developing diabetes and other systemic conditions. Diabetes carries with it an increased risk of vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy, cataracts or glaucoma. It is also important, regardless of weight, to keep on top of your glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels as these are also risk factors for diabetes and other conditions that can impact your vision.

Physical Activity

It might not seem like exercise and eye health are connected, but several studies over the last 10 years show there is definite improvement to eye health with regular exercise. Researchers have found connections between regular exercise and reducing risks for several eye ailments such as cataracts, wet age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Also, did you know cardiovascular workouts like aerobics, running and swimming will lower intraocular pressure (pressure in your eyes), which helps keep the retinal ganglion cells protected? Cardio exercise also increases blood flow to the optic nerve and the retina. So, get that workout in several times per week to improve overall eye health and vision. It’s good for us all, but it’s especially beneficial to people with glaucoma.

Sleep Enough

Are you getting enough sleep? The National Sleep Foundation recommends getting between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. Sleep is important for a variety of health conditions, but it also helps your eyes. During sleep, our eyes experience continuous lubrication. This rids the eyes of dust, allergens or smoke that accumulates during the day.

Overall health and wellness are important for all of us. And keeping your eye health in mind, especially if you are already experiencing vision loss or eye disease is particularly critical. If you are experiencing eye problems or have questions about how best to protect your vision, Dr. Salisbury can help. Schedule a consultation today to learn what you can do to keep your health on track.

Are You Intimidated by LASIK Surgery?

Are you nervous about getting LASIK surgery? Whether you are the kind of person who doesn’t like anything near your eyes – much less a laser – or are someone who has no issue putting in contacts or touching your eyes, LASIK surgery can be scary. But the benefits can far outweigh the fears if you prepare yourself and feel comfortable with your doctor.

Preparing for LASIK Surgery

The Facts

The best way to prepare for your LASIK surgery is to educate yourself on the procedure. The more you know what to expect, the less you will fear. So, let’s talk facts. LAISK surgery is one of the safest procedures with a complication rate of less than one percent according to WebMD. Additionally, it has never been the exclusive cause of blindness, according to the American Refractive Surgery Council. The council also reports that fewer than one percent of LASIK patients experience worse vision post-surgery.

What Happens During the Procedure?

Many patients are afraid of feeling pain during a LASIK procedure. You can put this fear to rest. During the procedure, you will feel almost nothing. It only takes five minutes, and while you are awake, you will be given a mild sedative and numbing drops to make sure you are completely comfortable. Occasionally, patients report a feeling of some pressure in the eye, but there is no pain at all.

Other patients are nervous about being able to keep their eyes open or accidentally moving their eyes during the procedure. A fairly comfortable speculum will be inserted to hold the eye open during the LASIK procedure. Also, Dr. Salisbury uses the most advanced laser technology which has a built-in eye tracker that can track small eye movements and keep the laser centered in case the eye moves during the vision correction portion of the procedure.

The first step to successful LAISK surgery is to choose a highly trained doctor. Dr. Salisbury completed an additional fellowship to specialize in cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery at Eye Consultants of Atlanta through Piedmont Hospital. He is also a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist. He can guide you through your best options and create a comfortable experience for your eye care.

The next step is to educate yourself. Ask your doctor questions, weigh all of your options, and understand the procedure. Knowing what to expect and how to care for yourself will ease the anxiety of a LASIK surgery.

Lastly, be sure you follow the doctor’s pre-op and post-op instructions and attend all of your appointments. If there were to be any complications or unexpected events, being compliant and following up with the doctor is critical in making sure you have the best possible outcome.

Success Rates of LASIK Surgery

The Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery reports that LASIK surgery has the highest patient satisfaction rates of any elective procedure in the United States. And studies show that 92 percent of patients who have all-laser topography achieved 20/20 vision or better.

Find Out if You are a Candidate for LASIK Surgery

As we move into the summer heat and spend more time outside, it would be nice to be able to ditch the prescription glasses or contacts, wouldn’t it? Swimming in the pool or the ocean and being able to see clearly would make it so much more enjoyable. And playing outdoor sports without sweat on your glasses or pouring into you contacts would be like a dream!

If you are interested in finding out if you are a candidate for LASIK surgery, please visit complete our contact form by clicking the link here or call our office at 251-341-3413.