Don’t neglect your peepers—even if you think you have perfect vision. Because that could change without you knowing it, says Andrew Iwach, M.D., a spokesman with the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “You can lose considerable vision in an eye, or some of your peripheral vision, and not notice it because you walk around with both eyes open,” Dr. Iwach says.
Plus, day-to-day activities—like your job—could be taking a slow toll on your eyeballs. Staring at a computer screen, book, or paperwork at close range all day long could make you gradually develop nearsightedness, says Joshua Dunaief, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania.
You also undergo a series of tests that may show signs of glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes, or even cancer, Dr. Iwach says. If you’ve been checked and received the ocular okay in the past year, you can get away with an exam every five years, says Men’s Health ophthalmology advisor Kimberly Cockerham, M.D., F.A.C.S. However, if you have health issues or a family history of poor vision or eye conditions, shorten that interval to every two to three years.
In the meantime, wear sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV protection every time you step outside. Even on cloudy days, the sun’s UV rays may be strong enough to cause imperceptible but permanent eye damage, says Dr. Cockerham. And at work, taking occasional breaks from looking at things right in front of your face may help prevent or slow the damage to your eyes, Dr. Dunaief says…….
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