Your Eyes Deserve More

You only have one pair, so why not take the very best care of your eyes? Your eyes are the most important organs and the second most complex part of your body—only surpassed in complexity by the brain. An average of 80% of the information from our surrounding environment that reaches our brains comes from our eyes. Surprisingly, human eyes are able to process 36,000 pieces of information in just one hour.

Therefore, the eyes play such an important role in keeping us away from danger especially when our other senses are disabled. If you are unable to hear an alarm sounding or people screaming, or smell smoke, our eyes take over to ensure we are prepared for any danger we suddenly encounter.

By protecting your eyes, you will reduce the odds of blindness and vision loss while also staying on top of any developing eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma. People with vision problems are at a higher risk of developing diabetes, poor hearing, heart problems, high blood pressure, as well as an increased risk for falls, injury, and depression.

It's very important to have a comprehensive eye exam with an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist to ensure your eyes are healthy and you can pass a visual acuity test sufficiently. Eye health is important at all stages of life and may change over time.

Depending upon your vision health, visual acuity, family history of eye diseases, existing health conditions, your eye doctor will recommend an eye examination schedule. A comprehensive eye examination may include but is not limited to, visual acuity measurement, preliminary tests of visual function and eye health, color vision, peripheral vision, and the response of the pupils to light. In addition to routine eye exams, we recommend these simple tips to help keep your eyes healthy:

• Wear protective glasses at work, at home and at play to avoid eye injuries. Even minor eye injuries can cause long-term vision problems and suffering, such as recurrent and painful corneal erosion.
• Wear UVA/UVB blocking sunglasses while outdoors, exposure to UV light may cause blurred vision, excessive tearing, cataracts, macular degeneration, pterygium, keratitis, and skin cancers of the eyelid.
• Rest your eyes frequently when using electronic devices. Follow the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes spent using a screen; you should try to look away at something that is 20 feet away from you for a total of 20 seconds.
• Sleep at least 5+ hours. Sleep is the time when the fluids you need for healthy eyes circulate and hydrate your eyes; your eye cells are restored. Healthy eye cells lead to healthier eye function and better vision.
• Do not smoke. Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ system of the body. Smoking also increases your risk of developing macular degeneration, cataracts, uveitis, retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, and dry eye syndrome.
• Properly clean and care for your contact lenses. It's important to sterilize contact lenses to avoid eye infection or ask your eye doctor if disposable lenses are an option.
• Eat a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet and exercise daily. You may also talk with your doctor about vision supplements or multivitamins.
• Ensure your eyeglasses offer the right prescription and are fitted properly. Your glasses should properly fit your face and ensure that the center of the lenses aligns correctly with your eyes.

Your eyes deserve more and the very best in vision care. If you are experiencing any vision changes or if it's been over a year since your last exam, schedule your appointment with Shofner Vision Center today. Call us at (615) 340-4733 or book online.