- Patients should know what can damage their eyesight, such as rubbing one’s eyes or staring directly into the sun.
- Patients should wash their contact lens case weekly to prevent damage to their eyes.
- Patients should consider daily disposable lenses to avoid eye damage from not properly cleaning hard lenses or cases.
- Patients should know that certain conditions and diseases could have an effect on their eyesight, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus.
- High blood sugar is correlated with progressive diabetic eye disease, so patients should be mindful of their blood-glucose levels.
- High blood pressure and cholesterol can damage the blood vessels in the back of the eye.
- Healthy eating can contribute to eye health, with macular degeneration being the leading cause of vision loss among American adults.
- Patients should wear their sunglasses but skip blue-light glasses, as they have no demonstrated benefit.
- Patients should take breaks from staring at their computer screen every 20 to 30 minutes to allow their eye muscles to relax.
- Artificial tears can be used every two to three hours to relieve pain from prolonged work at a computer.
- Keeping kids active could prevent vision loss, as playing outside over inside has been linked to a lower likelihood of nearsightedness.
- Patients should take their makeup off every night to prevent blepharitis or damage to their upper eyelid.
- Patients should wash their eyelids with warm water frequently to prevent styes.
- Patients should get regular eye-health exams by an ophthalmologist, which is different from a vision screening with an optometrist.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.