How to Take Care of Your Eyes? 

Introduction

Eyes are one of the most important organs in the body, yet they are often neglected. Unlike skin or hair, there are no beauty treatments or spa therapies to rejuvenate or enhance eyesight. This means that maintaining good eye health largely depends on our daily habits and choices. 

Ironically, although vision is so essential for everyday life, we often take it for granted and place significant strain on our eyes. 

Here Are Eight Effective Ways of Taking Care of Your Eyes

1. Take Frequent Breaks From Screens

Thanks to the technological era that we live in, people spend endless hours in front of monitors, TVs, and cell phones. Doing near-distance work, such as using screens (tablets or smartphones) or reading, as well as intermediate-distance work, such as using a laptop or desktop or watching television, can lead to unnecessary strain on our eyes. This may be due to excessive convergence (inward eye movement) and accommodation (adjusting the focus)¹.

It is best to take frequent breaks when reading or working on a computer screen¹. Looking away and focusing on objects in the distance at intervals may help eye muscles to relax and improve eye health by reducing eye strain².

2. Use Eye Drops

Staring at screens for too long results in dry eyes and eye strain².The best way to overcome these problems is using eye drops that hydrate and nourish the eyes. Just as one shoe doesn’t fit all, one eye drop isn’t useful for everyone. Consult your ophthalmologist before you use any eyedrops to find the most suitable one for you^2,3. Also, always check the expiry date of products before using them. 

3. Get Regular Eye Check-ups

It is advisable to get an eye check-up at least once a year even if you do not have any eye-related problems, especially if you are above 40 years of age⁴. Eye strain, dry eyes, and other similar disorders can lead to severe eye issues if they aren’t managed on time. Consult your doctor once in 6 months or if you have any of the following: 

• Irritation or pain in the eyes 
• Red eyes 
• Stringy discharge from the eyes 
• Decreased or blurred vision 
• Diabetes: An eye check-up should be scheduled as soon as an individual is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Thereafter, a 6 monthly or yearly check-up is recommended⁵. 
• A family history of glaucoma (high eye pressure) or any eye disease 
• Being above 40 years of age⁶ 
• Have floaters or flashes in your vision^5,6 
• Changes in vision 
• Eye injury 
• Headache⁷ 
• Foreign body sensation in the eye⁸ 
• Eye fatigue 
• Heavy eyelids 
• Discomfort wearing contact lenses 
• Shorter, bearable spans of reading, working, or using computers 
• Children with glasses (yearly check-ups recommended) 

Cataract, glaucoma and refractive errors are very common eye health problems, which are a cause of vision impairment and a frequent cause of visits to an ophthalmologist. No symptoms of eye disease should be neglected. 

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

4. Take Proper Care of Contact Lenses

People who wear contact lenses should take extra care of their eyes. Precautions need to be taken while wearing and removing contact lenses, while applying or removing make-up or spraying deodorants, to name a few⁹. Do not wear lenses for too long, while sleeping, swimming, or showering, and avoid any contact with dust and foreign particles, as it may lead to infection¹⁰. 

5. Use Anti-Glare Glasses

UV rays of the sun can cause considerable damage to eyesight, affecting the cornea (keratoconus/pterygium), the retina (age-related degeneration), or the lens (cataract). Therefore, people of all ages should be very careful when they step out and use UV-protecting sunglasses¹¹. Using sunglasses might also protect the eyes from dry air and dust particles, as well as reduce the migraine attacks caused by bright light¹². Plus, they add to your coolness quotient, so why not? 

6. Consume a Balanced Diet

Our eyes need to be cared for both externally and internally. A diet rich in essential nutrients is important for maintaining optimum eye health. While eye problems associated with old age, such as cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma, cannot be eliminated completely, taking adequate quantities of nutrients such as zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E might help reduce the chances of these problems¹³.

Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, and protein-rich foods, such as chicken and soybean, may help you maintain healthy eyesight^13,14. A balanced diet may also give you a healthy body weight, keeping obesity at bay. Obesity is a common cause of type 2 diabetes, which is often responsible for a lot of vision-related problems¹⁵.

Digital eye strain, or computer vision syndrome, is very common nowadays due to increased screen time. 20-20-20 rule, every 20 minutes, an individual should take the eye off the screen for about 20 seconds and look at a distant object (situated 20 feet away) should always be followed with good ergonomics. 

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD(Pediatrics)

7. Give Up Smoking

Smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of vision problems, such as macular degeneration and cataracts. The toxins inhaled while smoking are extremely detrimental to eye health, as they can damage the optic nerve. To allow the optic nerves to function efficiently, it is absolutely essential to give up smoking¹⁶.

8. Get Adequate Sleep

Getting adequate sleep gives your eyes time to recover from the daily strain. Poor or insufficient sleep may lead to dry or irritated eyes, light sensitivity, or blurred vision. Over time, it may increase eye strain and increase the risk of certain eye conditions. Getting enough sleep each night is an important and simple way to support long-term eye health¹⁷.

Conclusion

Although eye health plays a major role in our daily life and overall well-being, it is often taken for granted. Adopting simple habits like taking regular screen breaks, using eye drops when advised, getting regular eye checkups, eating a healthy diet, protecting eyes from UV exposure, and avoiding smoking may help support eye health and reduce the risk of eye strain and long-term vision problems. 

References

1. R N, S R, Anantharaman G. Acute Acquired Comitant Esotropia Precipitated by Excessive near Work during the COVID-19-induced Home Confinement. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology [Internet]. 2022;70(4):1359–64. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9240503/ 

2. Kaur K, Gurnani B, Nayak S, Deori N, Kaur S, Jethani J, et al. Digital Eye Strain- a Comprehensive Review. Ophthalmology and Therapy [Internet]. 2022;11(5):1655–80. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9434525/ 

3. Boyd K. Lubricating Eye Drops for Dry Eyes [Internet]. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 2022. Available from: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/lubricating-eye-drops 

4. Wright DM, O’Reilly D, Azuara‐Blanco A, Curran R, McMullan M, Hogg RE. Delayed Attendance at Routine Eye Examinations Is Associated with Increased Probability of General Practitioner referral: a Record Linkage Study in Northern Ireland. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2022 Oct 13];40(3):365–75. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12852151/ 

5. Why Eye Exams Are Important [Internet]. CDC. 2024. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/vision-health/about-eye-disorders/why-eye-exams-are-important.html 

6. Tubert D. Eye Exam and Vision Testing Basics [Internet]. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 2024. Available from: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/eye-exams-101 

7. Dry Eye Disease [Internet]. Healthdirect Australia. 2024. Available from: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dry-eye-disease 

8. Why Does It Feel like Something Is Rubbing against My Eye When I blink? [Internet]. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 2025. Available from: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/symptoms/foreign-body-sensation 

9. Contact Lens Care [Internet]. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2018. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-topics/contact-lens-care 

10. Preventing Eye Infections When Wearing Contacts [Internet]. CDC. 2025. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/contact-lenses/prevention/index.html 

11. Turbert D. The Sun, UV Radiation and Your Eyes [Internet]. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 2024. Available from: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/sun 

12. O’Brien M. What to Know about Migraine Glasses [Internet]. Association of Migraine Disorders. 2024. Available from: https://www.migrainedisorders.org/migraine-glasses/ 

13. Mukamal R. Diet, Nutrition, and Eye Health Supplements [Internet]. Tubert D, editor. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 2025. Available from: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/diet-nutrition 

14. Merra G, Covino M, Piccioni A, Candelli M, Ojetti V, Gasbarrini A, et al. Feed the Eye to Heal the Eye. Journal of Current Ophthalmology [Internet]. 2024;35(3):209–15. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11047812/ 

15. Vision Loss and Diabetes [Internet]. CDC. 2024. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/diabetes-complications/diabetes-and-vision-loss.html 

16. Smoking and Eye Disease [Internet]. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 2026. Available from: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/smokers 

17. How lack of sleep affects your eyesight [Internet]. Sleepeducation.org. [updated 2 Jun 2020; cited 11 Feb, 2026]. Available from: https://sleepeducation.org/lack-sleep-affects-eyesight/

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof. 

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