Many people are confused as to whether or not they are actually taking good care of their eyes.  What does that really mean? Well, now we’ve developed a short quiz to help you determine whether or not you know how to take care of your eyes and what you should be doing.  Take the following quiz and see how you do:

1. How often do you see your eye doctor for an eye exam?

1. Whenever I feel like it
2. When I can’t see as well as I could before
3. At least every two years
4. I don’t

2. Which food is the best source of Lutein, that incredibly eye-healthy nutrient

1. Kale
2. Potatoes
3. Carrots
4. McDonalds

3. Which of the following could damage your eyesight?

1. Staring at your computer screen all day
2. Smoking
3. Reading in dim light
4. Driving on the left side of the road

4. Which eye disease can cause 40% loss of sight before you even notice it?

1. Glaucoma
2. Cataracts
3. You’d notice anything wrong with your eyes
4. Pink eye

5. If you get an eye infection should you?

1. Go straight to the hospital or your eye doctor
2. Use natural, or organic eye drops
3. Just wait it out, it will get better
4. Have a nice cup of tea

6. You want new sunglasses. Do you?

1. Buy the cheapest pair
2. Get fake Gucci’s on eBay
3. Make sure you buy ones that have passed safety regulations
4. Spend as much as you possibly can to look the best

7. Which of these is a symptom of age related macular degeneration?

1. Pain
2. Loss of central vision
3. Loss of side vision
4. Forgetting to pick your grandchildren up from school

Here are the answers:

1. You should have your eyes checked at least every 2 years.

2. Green leafy, Kale is the best food to provide the nutrient Lutein, most needed by eyes to perform at their best.

3. If you smoke you’re up to 4 times more likely to develop age related macular degeneration.

4. Glaucoma has been called the sneak thief of sight. It sneaks up and gradually causes your vision to move inwards.

5. Go straight to your doctor or eye doctor.  Serious problems can be avoided by rapid action.

6. Always check the safety regulations before buying any sunglasses.  Buy a pair that blocks 100% of UV rays.

7. Loss of central vision is a sign of age related macular degeneration, which affects almost a third of the people above 75 years old.  It is a very tricky disease to detect and only your eye doctor can know for sure.

How did you score? How many questions did you get right?

1-2 You have probably been lucky to not get any serious eye diseases, or injuries.  But you should study up some more on eye health and learn how to take better care of your eyes.

3-4 You’re doing pretty well, but you also need to be a bit more diligent when it comes to the health of your eyes.  Check back on the answers you got wrong and read our other Simon Eye blogs for more useful data.

5-7 Congratulations! It looks like you’re doing very well and know your stuff.  Keep it up.  Knowledge is the first defense in the fight to keep our eyes healthy and happy.

Healthy Vision Longer

At Simon Eye Associates we do a lot for one’s eyes and eyesight.  But we would prefer our patients take extra steps in preventing the problems they come to use to solve.  Recently, we have been gathering data for our readers on ways and means to do just that.  When we stumbled across this article, first published in Optometry Today, we knew we had found something of great benefit to you, our patient.  Enjoy!

To mark National Eye Week (November 9-15), the sight care charity has joined forces with healthcare provider, Simplyhealth to alert the public about the eye health risks associated with certain lifestyle choices. Together they are highlighting the effects that obesity, smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise and excessive alcohol consumption can have on a person’s eyesight.

Although smoking has been identified as a key element in the development of age-related macular degeneration, just 9.7% of the 13 million smokers in Britain are aware of this link, whist 92.2% and 87.7% are aware of its association with lung cancer and heart disease respectively.

Furthermore, although a small amount of red wine has been found to be beneficial for the eyes, too much alcohol will interfere with the liver. If the liver is damaged, the production of glutathione – which prevents cell damage that leads to cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy – is reduced.

Around 30 minutes of exercise five-times a week is also encouraged by the Trust. Regular exercise increases the oxygen supply to the retina and optic nerve, as well as lowering the pressure which builds up in the eye.

Iain Anderson, chairman of The Eyecare Trust, said: “There is growing evidence that lifestyle factors play a significant role in determining the long-term health of our eyes. Making the right lifestyle choices from the start can help preserve your vision. However, it’s never too late to make changes, as in some instances vision that is already in decline can be restored by following a healthy diet, taking regular exercise and generally cutting down on the things that we know are bad for us like cigarettes and alcohol.”

Squash the Bad Lifestyle Habits