36 everyday habits that can save your eyesight

Bugs Bunny was on to something – eating carrots can help you see better. “Carrots are one of many vegetables that are rich in vitamin A, which is very good for our eye health,” Dr Hau says. Make sure carrots or other vitamin A-rich-vegetables such as capsicums or pumpkin are part of your diet. “Rotate them in as one of your five a day a few times a week,” he says.

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Your mother was right! Staring at the sun, especially during a solar eclipse, can cause blindness. “The sun’s rays are very strong and can burn or scar your retina,” Dr Hau says. “Never look directly at the sun and if you really want to watch an eclipse, view it on the NASA website.”

“Drugs like Visine that help get the red out work by constricting the blood vessels, and your blood vessels get used to it,” explains ophthalmologist, Dr Lisa Park. “If you overuse it, your blood vessels will get bigger and you need more and more Visine. It’s a vicious cycle,” she says. “Instead, try artificial tears to soothe your eyes.”

“If your eyes are itchy, it may be an allergy,” Dr Park says. “Wash your hands before touching your eyes to keep allergens like pollen out.” Check in with an allergist to see what may be causing your symptoms, and which treatments can help keep relieve them.

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“Smoke and other fumes can irritate your eyes,” Dr Park says. “Avoid smoke-filled rooms or bars whenever you can and make sure to air rooms out before spending time in them.” Choose fragrance-free cleaning products when possible to cut down on the risk of eye irritation from any fumes.

“If you sit too close to the screen or too far away, you may get dizzy or develop a headache,” Dr Park says. Everyone’s eyesight is different, so choose your seats accordingly.

When you blink, your upper eyelid spreads tears over the front of your eye to keep it moist. “If you don’t blink enough, your cornea can dry out and feel irritated,” Dr Park says. Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds and blink naturally.

“You won’t see well and your eyes will be strained,” Dr Park says. “This isn’t a common practice but sometimes young people will swap recreational lenses that change eye colours, especially around Halloween.”

Knowing your family members’ eye health history will shine some light on can your own risks for certain eye diseases that may be passed down. Start the conversation today.

Lose weight if you are overweight, as carrying around excess kilos increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other systemic conditions, which can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic eye disease or glaucoma, Evans explains.

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