An excellent article, by Marin Gazzaniga for MSN Health & Fitness, focused on Ten Tips to Protect Your Eyes. Using information from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Gazzaniga proposes the following 10 suggestions for
maintaining healthy eyes:

1. Regular checkups: The AAO recommends an eye exam before age 5 to check for childhood problems like lazy eye or crossed eyes. It's normal for vision to change with age, plus serious eye problems like glaucoma and macular degeneration (deterioration of retina causing loss of detail vision) can be treated if detected early.

2. SPF for the eyes: Sunglasses block harmful ultraviolet and other rays than can play a role in cataracts and macular degeneration. Buy sunglasses that have 100 percent UV protection. The blue wavelengths affect the retina; the best filters against blue are in the amber-orange-brown range of commercial sunglasses. Always wear sunglasses outdoors, especially in high glare areas like snow or water. A wide-brimmed hat helps block harmful rays.

3. Eye protection: Wear clear plastic eye protection, if you are doing construction, manufacturing or any job with machinery and flying particles.

4. Contact care: Wearing your contacts when your eyes are irritated can turn a simple problem (irritation) into a significant problem (ulcers). Make sure you care for the lenses. Make sure your solutions aren't expired, keep your contacts clean, and don't put them in your mouth.

5. Eating for your eyes: Green leafy veggies like kale, collard and mustard greens,
and spinach are good for the eyes because they contain lutein, which studies
indicate can reverse symptoms of macular degeneration. Carrots are always
a good vegetable, because of its high vitamin A content.

6. Eye lube: Our eyes get dryer as we age, because the tear film doesn't always have the right consistency of water, mucus and oil. The oil part of your tears comes from little glands around your eyelids. As you blink, oil is supposed to coat the eyes. But if you don't have a good eye slick, the tear film evaporates and eyes feel dry. This triggers extra tear glands, which is why your eyes tear up when they get dry and irritated. Omega-3 helps with this. Also, heat and air conditioning can cause dry eyes, especially if you sit near a vent or fan unit. Make sure your car's vent isn't blowing toward your face.

7. Stop smoking: Smoking increases the risk and accelerates the development of cataracts, macular degeneration and optic nerve damage.

8. Eye strain: When you sit in front of a computer screen for lengths of time, you don't blink as frequently. Stop frequently to give your eyes a rest. Artificial tears can help with eyestrain and help lubricate your eyes.

9. Eye problems are often hereditary: If you are diagnosed with glaucoma or another
eye condition, share that information with your immediate and extended family.
Early intervention is always the best defense.

10. Maintain good health: Eating the right food, helps with eye health. Exercise can lower pressure on the eyes, which helps with those who have glaucoma. Getting regular overall physicals may lead to early detection of diseases like diabetes or other systemic conditions that can lead to eye problems.

Read More About Eye Care from MSN Health & Fitness:
Marin Gazzaniga lives in Brooklyn, New York. She writes about fitness, health and science, culture and women's issues. She has written for Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle and AOL Time Warner, and is the author of several books.

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