7 Ways You Could Be Damaging Your Eyesight

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Are you damaging your eyesight without realizing it? Here are seven lifestyle factors and habits that could be increasing your risk of vision loss.

Smoking

Smoking can damage nerves and blood vessels in the eyes. This can lead to conditions such as optic neuropathy – which can lead to blindness later in life. Smoking also increases the risk of dry eye syndrome and cataracts. All in all, it’s worth packing in smoking if you want to preserve your eye health.  

Drinking heavily

You can also damage your vision through regular heavy drinking. Long-term alcohol abuse can cause the eyes to become dry and bloodshot, while also leading to macular degeneration. This can increase the risk of blindness later in life. By drinking in moderation, you could prevent such problems.   

Eating an unbalanced diet

An unbalanced diet could also damage your vision. Too many fatty and sugary foods can increase your risk of diabetes, which can result in blurred vision (known as diabetic retinopathy). Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet that isn’t too high in fats and sugars. Getting enough fresh fruit and vegetables could also be important – many fruit and vegetables contain nutrients such as vitamin A and vitamin E that are essential for eye health.

Getting stressed out

Chronic stress can also damage your vision by increasing blood pressure and leading to nerve damage. By taking steps to reduce stress, you could help to protect your eyes. There are lots of stress-busting activities that you can try from listening to music to exercising to meditating. Getting a good night’s sleep could also lower your stress levels.

Not protecting your eyes in the sun

Sunlight contains UV rays, which can be harmful to the eyes. Prolonged sun exposure can increase the risk of conditions such as cataracts. By wearing shades in the sun, you can protect your eyes from harmful UV damage. Any time you have to squint because it is too bright is a time that you should be wearing shades.

Not wearing prescription glasses

You could also be damaging your eyes simply by not wearing prescription glasses. By putting extra strain on your eyes, you could cause your vision to get worse. You can click here to find lots of stylish women’s glasses online. Contact lenses could also be an option if you don’t get on with glasses. Try to get into a routine of wearing corrective lenses.

Ignoring visual health problems

If you start to notice blurred vision, black spots, streaks of light, or other issues with your vision, make sure that you see a doctor or an optician. Ignoring visual health problems can cause them to get worse. What could be something easily curable could then become irreversible? A good example is cataracts – when caught early, cataracts are easy to remove and vision can be easily restored, but when ignored, cataracts can lead to permanent blindness. Be safe and get any problem checked out as early as possible.

Reaching Out For Chronic Health Issues (Where To Go When You Need Help)

Sometimes getting help when we have a chronic condition can feel like a challenge. In fact, there are so many options out there that it can be hard to know where the time, money and effort you put into recovery will be best invested. Happily, if you have a particular issue and are wondering how to reach out for help, you may just find the answer in my post below. 

 

Your family doctor 

 

Of course, before we look at some of the more specialized health care out there, it pays to remember that a visit to your family doctor is never a bad idea. In fact, while your doctor’s office may not be equipped to offer you the specialist treatment, you need to recover, they can advise you. 

 

In fact, if you feel there is something wrong but you aren’t quite sure what heading to your doctors’ office is the best thing you can do.  (Although, if it is an emergency, always go to the hospital or call an ambulance!) 

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Sinus issues  

 

Being able to breath is essential for life. Although, often sinus issues may not be seen as the most severe medical problems a person can experience. However, they can be very destructive to a person’s quality of life and can be pretty darn painful as well. 

 

With that in mind, knowing where to go to get some help for your sinus issues is vital. Of course, some folks end up in the emergency room. Although, you can go to a specialist ent doctor for many problems such as Chronic Sinusitis, Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, and even Balloon Sinuplasty too. Such doctors can also offer acute care for sinus pain. Although, once again if you are in any doubt, a trip to the emergency room is often the best course of action. 

 

Skin conditions 

 

Acne, contact dermatitis and even psoriasis are conditions that can have a severe impact on the life of the sufferer. However, they tend to be chronic rather than acute or energy, which means they may be deprioritized in the medical care system. 

 

The good news is that for one set of medical professionals, these conditions are always a priority. These folks are of course dermatologists, and it’s to them you should go if you are concerned about any of the conditions above. 

 

In fact, because of their vast knowledge and experience in the area, dermatologists will be in the best position to diagnose and treat any non-emergency non-life threatening skin conditions. 

 

Summary 

 

In summary, who to see when you have a medical issue all comes down to two things. The first is how urgent the problem is. With life-threatening issues needing to be seen right away at an emergency room. 

 

The second is whether you know with confidence what your issue is. If you do, you can then book an appointment to see the relevant specialist, two of which are discussed above. Whereas if you don’t, head to your family doctor for advice can be the best option.