Protect Your Vision

January is National Eye care Month, the ideal time to learn some simple ways you can help protect your eyes and take care of your vision.br

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• Be sure to get your eyes checked at least once every 24 months. Even if you have perfect vision, only an eye exam can detect signs of glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration, which all lead to vision loss. A number of these diseases often don’t have any symptoms, but can be detected through an eye exam.
• Do not sleep with your contacts in unless they are approved for overnight use. During sleep, contacts cut off oxygen flow to your eyes, which cause your eyes to create blood vessels. These new blood vessels will ultimately damage your vision and/or prevent you from being able to wear contacts in the future. If you are prone to falling asleep before taking out your lenses, be sure to purchase specifically designed contacts that are approved for overnight use.
• Do not wear contacts past their recommended wearing schedule. If contacts are approved for two weeks of wear, only wear them for two weeks. After the expiration date, contact lenses begin to break down, which leads to eye infections.
• Quit smoking. There are infinite reasons why you should quit smoking but now you can add potential vision loss to the list. Quitting smoking reduces your risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma.

brThe cost of eye care should not deter anyone from following these tips. Talk to your local eye care professional about setting up a convenient payment plan. Companies like Coastal.com can help alleviate the financial burden that accompanies complete eyeglass frames as well as contact lenses by offering affordable and convenient options. Find out more at www.coastal.com.