As a EuroEyes surgeon, I often emphasise that maintaining optimal eye health is not just about regular check-ups but adopting daily habits that support your vision’s long-term vitality. In today’s fast-paced, screen-heavy world, our eyes face unprecedented challenges—from prolonged digital exposure to lifestyle factors. Whether you wear contact lenses, glasses, or simply want to preserve your natural vision, these essential tips will help you cultivate healthier, brighter eyes and guard against potential risks. Your eyes are your window to the world—let’s care for them wisely.
Health and Risky Eye Habits
To help you adopt the best practices for maintaining eye health, we’ve outlined key habits that promote healthy vision and behaviours to avoid for optimal eye care.
| Healthy Vision Habits | Risky Vision Behaviours |
|---|---|
| Clean contact lenses with the recommended solution daily. | Sleeping with contact lenses still in. |
| Take regular breaks from screens (20-20-20 rule). | Staring at screens for prolonged periods without breaks. |
| Wear UV-protective sunglasses outdoors. | Skipping sunglasses in bright or reflective environments. |
| Visit an eye care specialist for regular check-ups. | Ignoring early symptoms like redness or dryness. |
| Stay hydrated and eat a nutrient-rich diet (e.g., leafy greens, fish). | Relying on poor nutrition or dehydration. |
| Replace contact lenses as directed by your specialist. | Using expired or over-worn contact lenses. |
| Maintain proper lighting when reading or working. | Reading or working in dim light for long periods. |
| Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your eyes. | Rubbing your eyes with unwashed hands. |
5 Key Habits To Avoid For Safe Contact Lens Wear
1. Wearing Lenses in the Shower or While Swimming
Water can introduce harmful bacteria to your lenses, increasing the risk of serious eye infections. Always remove your lenses before coming into contact with water.
2. Sleeping in Contact Lenses
Unless prescribed by your optician, never sleep in your lenses. Doing so reduces oxygen supply to the cornea, heightening the risk of infection.
3. Skipping Hand Hygiene Before Handling Lenses
Failing to wash and dry your hands before touching your lenses can introduce germs, leading to potential eye infections.
4. Storing Lenses in Water or Spitting on Them
Never store your lenses in water or use saliva to wet them. Both practices can cause harmful bacteria to accumulate, risking eye damage.
5. Overwearing Lenses
Wearing your lenses longer than recommended, especially disposables, can cause discomfort, dry eyes, and even serious infections. Always follow your optician’s advice on replacement schedules.
Contact Lens Disease Control
Poor contact lens care can lead to several serious eye infections. One of the most common is keratitis, an inflammation of the cornea caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. This can result from sleeping in contact lenses, not cleaning them properly, or exposing them to water, such as while swimming or showering.
Another risk is acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare but severe infection often linked to improper cleaning and storing of lenses in water or saliva. This condition can lead to long-term vision problems and, in extreme cases, requires a corneal transplant.
Additionally, contact lens-induced dry eye can occur when lenses are worn too long or improperly cleaned, causing discomfort and irritation. Over time, this condition can exacerbate other eye problems, leading to chronic dryness and an increased risk of eye infections.
5 Essential Tips For Spectacle Wearers
1. Clean Lenses Regularly
Dirty lenses can affect vision clarity and cause eye strain. Clean your spectacles with a microfiber cloth and a gentle lens cleaner to avoid scratching and to maintain clarity.
2. Store Glasses Properly
Avoid leaving your glasses face-down on surfaces or in hot places like your car. Always store them in a protective case to prevent scratches or warping.
3. Get Regular Adjustments
If your glasses feel uncomfortable or slide down your nose, visit an optician for an adjustment. Well-fitted glasses are key to reducing strain and discomfort.
4. Protect Lenses from Scratches
Consider using lenses with scratch-resistant coatings, especially if you have an active lifestyle. This helps to maintain clarity and longevity of your eyewear.
5. Avoid Wearing Glasses for Extended Periods in Certain Conditions
If you’re in environments with high dust or smoke, try to limit how long you wear your glasses in these areas, as it can lead to irritation and clouding of the lenses.
Contact Lens And Spectacle Alternatives
For those looking for permanent vision correction, several advanced options are available beyond glasses and contact lenses. Implantable Contact Lenses (ICL) are a great choice for individuals who are not candidates for LASIK. ICLs are surgically placed inside the eye to correct refractive errors and offer high-quality vision with minimal maintenance.
LASIK is a popular laser procedure that reshapes the cornea, correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. It’s quick and relatively painless, offering fast recovery and long-lasting results.
For those who are looking for a minimally invasive procedure, SMILE PRO (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) provides an alternative to traditional LASIK, using a small incision to reshape the cornea with precision and minimal discomfort.
LASEK is a less common procedure compared to LASIK, but it’s ideal for those with thinner corneas. It involves the removal of the corneal surface layer to reshape the cornea, providing an effective treatment for vision correction with a slightly longer recovery time.
Each of these alternatives has its own set of benefits, and an eye care professional can help you determine the best choice based on your needs and eye health.
Seeing Clearly Through Modern Technologies
As an eye surgeon at EuroEyes, I believe that with the latest advancements in technology, we can minimise the risks associated with poor vision care and eliminate many of the common diseases linked to outdated methods. Whether you’re considering LASIK, ICL, or other cutting-edge treatments, modern procedures provide safe, effective solutions for clearer vision. Don’t wait—take control of your eye health today with the latest options for seeing clearly, and say goodbye to the hassle and risks of glasses and contact lenses.
