4. WEAR YOUR SHADES AND A BRIMMED HAT. Sunglasses and a brimmed hat are great fashion accessories, but their most important job is to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. When purchasing sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation. Prolonged sun exposure is associated with developing cataract and AMD.
5. DON’T SMOKE. Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. Research has linked smoking to an increased risk of developing AMD, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to vision loss and blindness.
6. USE PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR. Wear protective eyewear such as goggles, safety glasses, face shields, and eye guards when playing sports or doing activities around the home and encourage your family and friends to do the same. Most protective eyewear lenses are made of polycarbonate, which is 10 times stronger than other plastics. Many eye care providers sell protective eyewear, as do some sporting goods stores.
For more eye health resources, visit:
The National Eye Institute, one of the National Institutes of Health and the federal government’s principal agency for vision research, offers additional eye health information and tips for people to protect their vision as they age. Visit http://www.nei.nih.gov/agingeye.