The Importance of Vision Care for Quality of Life

A UK study found that over a billion people experience issues with their vision that disrupt their daily lives. Conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetes-related eye complications are all vision impairments that often go untreated—even if they’re treatable and preventable with proper care. If ignored, these could lead to complete vision loss.

In the end, this can impact how you live. Poor eyesight can impact your physical and mental well-being at home, in the office, and in your social interactions—all crucial aspects of quality of life.

To learn more about the importance of vision care and some best practices to keep in mind, keep reading below:

The importance of vision care for quality of life

It helps you live independently

Vision impairment may mean you’ll need assistance to do daily tasks. For example, driving when you have cataracts isn’t recommended: the condition causes cloudy vision that can risk accidents. Such complications can ultimately restrict your freedom to move around independently. Poor vision can also prevent you from earning a living on your own and may see you rely on others for sustenance. With proper vision care, you can keep the sense of purpose and satisfaction independence provides and maintain your quality of life.

It lowers your risk of accidents and injuries

Being unable to see your surroundings clearly is a recipe for disaster. For instance, glaucoma—optic nerve damage that can cause vision loss—can increase your risk of falling and slipping on wet floors, stairways, and the like, potentially leading to severe physical injuries like head trauma and broken limbs. Adequate vision care will help prevent this, preserving the physical wellness so crucial to quality of life.

It prevents anxiety and stress

Living with visual impairments can take a toll on your emotional well-being, impacting your quality of life. Conditions like myopia and age-related macular degeneration, for example, can gradually blur your vision and cause anxiety as they worsen. The NVISION article “Mental Health Effects of Vision Issues” reports that individuals with poor vision are also twice as likely to become depressed. These feelings can deepen as visual impairments take away their independence. With limited ability to move around, poor eyesight can cause anxiety when faced with doing daily tasks and may even lead to social withdrawal. All this can be prevented with good vision care.

The best practices for proper vision care

Get regular eye tests

Eye exams are vital for getting updated prescriptions for vision correction, but they play an even more crucial role in eye care. The symptoms of some eye conditions aren’t noticeable until it’s too late. Glaucoma, for instance, can only be diagnosed through a comprehensive dilated eye exam. After all, you won’t know if your optic nerve is damaged since it sits behind your eye.

Getting expert advice is also recommended to receive effective treatment. Simply following online information can be harmful since you may stumble upon inaccurate advice. Instead, head to a care centre at least every two years for an eye exam. That way, you can detect and prevent or treat eye conditions as early as possible.

Wear your prescription glasses consistently

Prescription glasses are necessary for correcting myopia (nearsightedness) and presbyopia (farsightedness), which is why it’s important to get updated prescriptions through regular eye exams. One thing you may overlook, however, is wearing them consistently. It is a myth that glasses make the eyes lazy and worsen vision, which is why they shouldn’t be worn regularly. In truth, you’ll experience blurred vision, headaches, and eye strain without them. Refractive errors can also potentially lead to blindness, making it even more important to wear glasses consistently.

If you have to regularly wear glasses throughout the day, consider buying prescription glasses from reliable brands. Take Ray-Ban: it sells lightweight, flexible pairs that are comfortable to wear and are durable enough to last through multiple prescription changes. You can also wear stylish frames like Aviators or Wayfarers that make you look good and feel more confident while wearing them. Since you can get them online by simply providing your prescription and having them shipped free to you, it should be much easier to take this simple step for vision care.

Nourish your eyes

Vision Matters reveals that 60% of Brits had no idea that their diet affects the health of their eyes. However, eating the right foods will give you the vitamins and nutrients you need to prevent eye diseases that can affect your quality of life.

You can start with seafood like salmon, cod, and tuna. These contain DHA and Omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce inflammation and high eye pressure, which is a major contributing factor to glaucoma. You should also look to eat more green leafy vegetables, like spinach or kale, which are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin. These protect your eyes from harmful high-energy light waves like UV rays from the sun, which can hasten cataract formation. Finally, look into foods rich in Vitamin E. A severe deficiency of this nutrient can potentially cause blindness, so look to consume more foods like avocados, sunflower seeds, and almonds.

Vision care is vital for maintaining a good quality of life. Try the tips above to maintain your well-being for longer.