Be Wise About Your Eyes
They can change in a blink.
There are so many things we take for granted: Clean, running water. A bed to sleep in. The ability to smell, taste, feel. A sunny day. A cloudy day.
Our eyesight.
And without sounding all woe is me and like the sky is falling, I do want to state the obvious…nothing is guaranteed.
Today, I choose to write about our eyes.
Why? Because, when I glanced outside this morning, highlighted by the clear sky, I noticed some things for the first time after a long, cold, hard winter. Things I probably always took for granted.
Birds are building a nest right outside my back door, atop a porch light. (I can’t wait to see what happens next!)
The bare branches are suddenly blooming with vibrant colors: pinks, purples, and yellows. More to come.
The ground is covered in spots with purple and bright blue flowers hugging the soil.
I was reminded of the precious and precarious nature of my own eyes when, a few years ago, I suffered a detached retina that required emergency surgery and months of careful recuperation. Had I not paid attention to my blurry vision and called my ophthalmologist (who opened the office for me early on a Saturday morning), I might have lost vision in that eye. (This is a real medical emergency: make sure you pay attention to signs like a sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light, and a dark shadow or “curtain” covering your field of vision.)
There are so many things to be aware of when it comes to the health of your eyes:
They can get sunburned. Redness, pain and sensitivity is not just reserved for your skin’s reaction to the sun: it can happen to your eyes, too. It can happen in the winter (skiing) as well as in the summer (at the beach) from prolonged exposure to the sun. If you need sunblock for your skin, you also need sunglasses for your eyes. Note: Longtime exposure to the sun can also increase your risk for certain types of cataracts.
Remove your contacts. Don’t wear them to sleep, and don’t wear them to swim, either. By doing so, you are putting yourself at risk of infection. Also keep in mind that soft contacts, while they feel soft and comfortable, can dehydrate and become stiff or even brittle over time and especially during sleep (because tear production is slowed when your eyes are closed for a prolonged period). If you try removing your lenses when your eyes are dry, you risk ripping the superficial surfaces of your cornea.
Dry eyes should be treated. They are caused by so many things: age, staring at a screen, insufficient tear production, certain medications, clogged oil glands. I’ve suffered with dry eyes for years, and I will admit they are uncomfortable and at times very painful. I treat mine with a combination of artificial tears and prescription medications (my latest success is using Miebo). Tip: If you stare at a screen for prolonged periods, go with the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away (or farther) for 20 seconds.
Don’t neglect your eye exam. Not only is it important to make sure you are wearing the right prescription (if you have one) and to check for glaucoma, but so many diseases are actually diagnosed through an eye exam. I once knew a woman whose Type 1 diabetes was not diagnosed until she was in her mid-40s and visited her eye doctor because her vision was rapidly deteriorating. Also, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and even sexually transmitted diseases can show themselves in your eyes, as can some cancers and brain diseases.
One More Thing…
If you want to dig in more on eye health, here are a bunch of articles I wrote, back in the day, for Parade Magazine, most of which were on eyes.
Wishing you all a Happy Passover, joyful Easter, and safe, sunny days with new, wondrous surprises to come!
The information provided on the site is for educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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