To drive safely on the UK’s roads you will need to use your full attention and focus. Good eyesight is crucial as it helps you to drive safely. It also ensures other drivers are kept as safe as possible while you’re on the road.
We’ve popped together some tips to help you keep your eyes healthy.
Get More Active
If you are physically active you’re much more likely to stay healthy. Getting more active can help to reduce your risk of suffering from health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Each of these conditions has the potential to cause problems with your eyesight. This is why it’s important you look after yourself if you want to keep driving.
Eat Healthier Foods
Healthy foods such as spinach, collard and kale are great for your eyesight. Fish that is high in omega 3 such as halibut, salmon and tuna can also help to keep your eyes healthy.
Try to eat oily fish twice a week so you start to reap the rewards. There’s unlikely to be a huge change in your eyesight but they will be less likely to become unhealthy.
Stop Smoking
We all know that smoking can cause lung cancer and a variety of other conditions. However, not everyone is aware that smoking can damage your eyes. If you smoke you increase your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
Get More Sleep
Not only can getting enough sleep helps you to feel revitalised but it is beneficial to your eyes. Sleep helps to relax your eyes so that they work a little better. If you do not have sufficient sleep you could find that your eye starts to go into spasm. This is a harmless side effect of tiredness but it can be distracting.
Wear Sunglasses
Sunglasses not only reduce the glare that you get from the sun but they can help to keep your eyes healthy. Consider opting for sunglasses that block UVA and UVB radiation. Sunglasses also help to protect your eyes from Blue Light – this is what makes you squint when the sun is bright. When the sun is shining bright it makes it harder to see. What’s more, there is often glare from other vehicles that reflect the light. Wearing sunglasses will make driving much more comfortable and you’ll be able to see much better. If you’re intending to purchase sunglasses that are specifically for driving you might want to opt for those with a good filter. Filter category 0-3 will ensure you’re more comfortable driving. If you wear contact lenses but you want sunglasses for driving you’re in luck. You can buy prescription-free lenses that have an anti-glare filter on them.
Avoid Having Dry Eyes
Your car’s air conditioning and heating can make the surface of your eyes dry. When eyes become dry they might start to water. This is known as “reflex watering” which can cause blurred vision.
Try to refrain from having the air conditioning or heater blowing air on your face. If you have dry eyes before you get behind the wheel use lubricating drops before your journey begins.
Using the above tips could help you to keep your eyes healthy. Healthy eyes mean you can spend more time driving. Be sensible, look after your eyes and you could have many years of driving ahead of you. For more information on keeping your eyes healthy, check out Vision Matters.
