General Eye Care

VISION FOR LIFE

Clarus Vision Clinic wants you to have great eyesight. Do you include routine vision exams when thinking about your overall health? If you’re seeing clearly, it’s easy to overlook routine eye care — but it’s so important. Having regular eye exams can give our providers a chance to help you correct or adapt to vision changes as well as detect problems early.

If you wear glasses or contact lenses, you might be considering LASIK or PRK as part of your eye care. Understand who’s a good candidate for eye surgery, as well as the risks and benefits of surgery by scheduling an exam.

It’s also important to think about common vision problems as you age, such as difficulty reading small print, cataracts, and macular degeneration. Knowing what’s normal — and what’s not — is important. Do you have a family history of glaucoma? Do you have trouble wearing contacts? Having a relationship with our doctors can help you manage your vision for life.

TIPS FOR HEALTHY EYES

Eat Right And Protect Your Sight

Experts at the Mayo Clinic have put together an important list of foods that help you maintain healthy eyes:

OMEGA-3 RICH FOODS: Salmon, herring, tuna, mackerel, rainbow trout, sardines, flaxseed, English walnuts, canola oil, roasted soybeans
VEGETABLES: Kale, collard greens, peppers, broccoli, sweet potato, spinach, peas, pumpkin, carrots and Swiss chard
FRUITS: Peaches, blueberries, oranges, tangerines, mango, tomato, apricot, papaya, cantaloupe, honeydew, avocado and grapefruit
ZINC RICH FOODS: King crab, lamb, bulgur, lean beef, fortified breakfast cereals, beans, lean pork, the dark meat of poultry, whole-wheat or buckwheat flours, pumpkin seeds

Maintain A Healthy Weight

Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes and other systemic conditions, which can lead to vision loss.

Wear Protective Eyewear

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are key to protecting your eyes from sun-related damage. Look for sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection, have great optical quality and are made from strong materials such as polycarbonate instead of plastic.

They should be worn anytime you are outdoors, particularly under these circumstances:

During the summer when UVA and UVB levels are at the highest
When at the beach or in the water
When participating in winter sports, especially at high altitudes
When using medications that can cause sensitivity to light (photosensitivity)

If you wear contact lenses, they may not protect your eyes from UV light. There are contact lenses available with UV protection. If you do not have contact lenses that absorb UV light, you need to protect your eyes with sunglasses.

Goggles, Safety Shields, Eye Guards

Wear protective eyewear when working in construction, playing sports such as racquetball, and doing jobs around the house. Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards especially designed to provide the correct protection for a certain activity.

Quit Smoking or Never Start

Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. Research has linked smoking to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to blindness.