{"id":26053,"date":"2021-04-06T09:30:41","date_gmt":"2021-04-06T13:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=26053"},"modified":"2025-09-15T12:42:27","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T16:42:27","slug":"eye-health-how-to-protect-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/","title":{"rendered":"Eye health 101: How to protect vision and keep your eyes healthy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From reading to working on the computer to driving your car, vision plays an essential role in your everyday life. Taking steps to protect your eye health is important. Simple things like getting annual eye exams, reducing screen time, and wearing sunglasses can all help to prevent vision problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"signs-of-eye-problems\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Signs of eye problems<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you notice any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your optometrist or ophthalmologist:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blurry vision<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dry eyes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eye allergies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Floaters<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eyestrain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tunnel vision\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Difficulty seeing at night, especially when driving<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regular vision checks can help to detect and correct vision problems in their early stages before they lead to permanent issues.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"causes-of-eye-problems\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Causes of eye problems<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three main categories that can cause damage to eye health.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"technology\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technology<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With social media, videoconferences, and binge-watching television shows, studies say many Americans spend nearly half their day staring at a screen. All that time spent online can lead to dry eyes. The risk of acquiring dry eyes also increases as you get older.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"medication-side-effects\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medication side effects<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While your healthcare provider and pharmacist can recommend prescriptions to help you protect your eyesight, it\u2019s also important to be aware of medications that can cause vision problems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOTC antihistamines can dry out the eye surface,\u201d says <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.precisionvisionedmond.com\/edmond-optometrist-team\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Selina McGee<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, O.D., founder of Precision Vision in Edmond, Oklahoma. \u201cSince some prescription medications can affect vision, it\u2019s important to share any and all medications prescription and over-the-counter medications with their eye care provider and\/or pharmacist.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/Jeff Kegarise, board-certified optometrist in Franklin, Tennessee\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jeff Kegarise<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, board-certified optometrist at Cool Springs Eye Care in Franklin, Tennessee, says bladder control and anti-nausea medications are particularly drying and problematic to the ocular surface. \u201cDecongestants, certain blood pressure medications and antidepressants can also contribute to dry eye,\u201d Dr. Kegarise says.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"allergens\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allergens<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Itchy, red, and swollen eyes can result from exposure to pollen, pet dander, smoke, and perfume. Dr. McGee says allergic reactions can also result from makeup and skincare products. She recommends looking at ingredients in makeup and cleansers that can lead to issues with ocular surface health. These include talc, lead, selenium, nickel, mineral oil, sodium lauryl sulfate,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.safecosmetics.org\/get-the-facts\/chem-of-concern\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and more<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t\t<div class=\"singlecare-dynamic-newsletter-wrapper sin-newsletter-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"heading\">Get our wellness newsletter<\/span>\n\t\t\t<form class=\"form-wrapper\" data-newsletter-form=\"1\" data-subsource=\"Wellness Newsletter\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"input-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<label for=\"dynamic-email\">Email<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"email\" id=\"dynamic-email\" class=\"email\" required>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"input-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"submit-form-btn\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Click to sign up\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"success-message\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-can-i-check-my-eye-health\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can I check my eye health?<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have eye pain or other symptoms that don\u2019t resolve within a day or two, make an appointment with an optometrist or ophthalmologist.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At your appointment, your healthcare provider will ask questions about your medical history to see if you have or are at a higher risk for any conditions such as diabetes, Grave\u2019s disease, or high blood pressure that may affect your vision.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your healthcare provider will then walk you through a series of eye tests to check your pupil reactions, how well you can read an eye chart, and examine parts of your eyes, including the retina, cornea, iris, and lens. Your provider may also test the fluid pressure inside your eyes to check for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/glaucoma-treatment-and-medications\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">glaucoma<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a disease that damages the optic nerve. Although glaucoma becomes more common as people age, vision loss can often be prevented through routine eye exams and early treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/diabetic-retinopathy\/\"><b>What you need to know about diabetic retinopathy<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-to-protect-vision-and-improve-eye-health\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to protect vision and improve eye health<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These tips can help to protect vision and avoid future eye problems.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"1-schedule-regular-eye-exams\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Schedule regular eye exams<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintaining good eye health begins with a comprehensive eye health and vision exam that includes an overall review of the systemic medical history, medications, environment, symptoms, and how you use your eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cClose inspection of the eyelid glands including imaging is essential,\u201d Dr. Kegarise says. \u201cEach decade of life brings with it more common eye health preventative and corrective needs. Talk with your eye doctor who should be well versed in recommending preventative and\/or curative treatments that are individualized to you as a patient.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"2-get-individualized-recommendations\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Get individualized recommendations<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your healthcare provider can also determine whether or not you might benefit from a prescription eye medication. \u201cMost OTC dry eye medications are just<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0supplemental lubricants that temporarily add an extra volume of water to the tears, prescription drops add lubrication and\/or arrest inflammation on the surface of the eye, a main cause of symptoms,\u201d says Dr. Kegarise. \u201cPrescription drops can address the root cause of the ocular surface problem.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Or, antihistamine eye drops may be recommended to help with allergic reactions such as red and itchy eyes. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved prescription eye drop medications, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/olopatadine-hcl\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patanol<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/pataday\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pataday<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, to be available over the counter in pharmacies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"cta-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/pataday\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pataday coupons<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"3-consider-artificial-tears\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Consider artificial tears<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/refresh-digital\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Refresh Digital<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a new non-prescription lubricant eye drop formulated to specifically relieve dryness and irritation that may occur from prolonged screen time,\u201d Dr. McGee says. \u201cI recommend using it two to four times each day to support the ocular surface and to help with eye dryness associated with our current digital world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"cta-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/artificial-tears\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artificial tears coupons<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"4-rest-your-eyes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Rest your eyes<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. McGee recommends practicing the 20\/20 rule when spending time in front of a screen. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFor every 20 minutes of screen time look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds,\u201d Dr. McGee says. \u201cAlso, remember to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blink since studies have shown we blink less when looking at a screen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"5-practice-good-nutrition\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Practice good nutrition<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eating nutrient-rich foods can also go a long way in protecting your eyesight.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aao.org\/eye-health\/tips-prevention\/fabulous-foods-your-eyes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The American Academy of Ophthalmology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recommends eating a diet low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to preserve your vision. Some particularly good foods for eye health include fish, orange-colored vegetables, citrus fruits, leafy greens, and beans. If you\u2019re not getting the proper nutrients through your diet, talk to your doctor about supplementing with vitamins.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"6-take-vitamins-for-eye-health\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. Take vitamins for eye health<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As an example of the benefit of supplements, Dr. McGee cites the AREDS-2 study on patients with moderate macular degeneration.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aao.org\/eye-health\/news\/areds2-study-results-amd-supplement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> showed that taking daily doses of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/vitamin-c\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vitamin C<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/vitamin-e\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vitamin E<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/beta-carotene\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">beta carotene<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/zinc\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">zinc<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and copper could slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMost dry eye experts will prescribe <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/vitamin-a\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vitamin A<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/vitamin-d\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">D<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and E if a patient is deficient,\u201d Dr. Kegarise says. \u201cMore beneficial are oral <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/omega-3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">omega-3 fatty acids<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (fish oil), which are anti-inflammatory and pro-tear health.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"cta-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/vitamin-c\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vitamin C coupons<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a class=\"cta-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/vitamin-e\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vitamin E coupons<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a class=\"cta-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/omega-3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Omega-3 fatty acid coupons<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"7-exercise\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. Exercise<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Along with a healthy diet, physical activity is important to your overall health and reduces the likelihood of developing a chronic health condition that could damage your eyes. Regularly getting your heart rate up is beneficial for blood pressure, lowers the risk of diabetes, and positively affects cholesterol levels. All of these conditions can damage vision when untreated. In this case, avoidance is the best medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"8-wear-protective-eyewear\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8. Wear protective eyewear<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re out in the sun, a pair of shades that block 99% of UVA and UVB rays can help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. If you play sports, make sure to don a set of goggles to block stray pucks or balls.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"9-quit-smoking\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9. Quit smoking<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sure, it\u2019s bad for your lungs, but did you know cigarettes can damage your eyesight, too? According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nei.nih.gov\/learn-about-eye-health\/healthy-vision\/keep-your-eyes-healthy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Eye Institute<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it increases the risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, and causes damage to the optic nerve. If you needed another reason to kick the habit, now you have it!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From reading to working on the computer to driving your car, vision plays an essential role in your everyday life. Taking steps to protect your eye health is important. Simple things like getting annual eye exams, reducing screen time, and wearing sunglasses can all help to prevent vision problems.\u00a0 Signs of eye problems\u00a0 If you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":24856,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8029],"tags":[729],"coauthors":[10834],"class_list":["post-26053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-education","tag-doctor-visits","wpautop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Eye health 101: How to protect vision and keep eyes healthy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Good vision is essential for so many daily tasks. These nine steps\u2014from diet to medication\u2014can help you protect your eye health.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Are you taking these steps to protect your eyes?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It takes more than visiting the eye doctor once a year\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Checkup\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/singlecare\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-04-06T13:30:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-15T16:42:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Blog_040621_Keep_eyes_healthy_preserve_vision.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda Childers\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Are you taking these steps to protect your eyes?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"It takes more than visiting the eye doctor once a year\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@SingleCare\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@SingleCare\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Linda Childers\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Janice Rodden\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/169a1d8c8b88282cc3b792a394fc3575\"},\"headline\":\"Eye health 101: How to protect vision and keep your eyes healthy\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-04-06T13:30:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-15T16:42:27+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1219,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/03\\\/Blog_040621_Keep_eyes_healthy_preserve_vision.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Doctor visits\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Health Education\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/\",\"name\":\"Eye health 101: How to protect vision and keep eyes healthy\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/03\\\/Blog_040621_Keep_eyes_healthy_preserve_vision.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-04-06T13:30:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-15T16:42:27+00:00\",\"description\":\"Good vision is essential for so many daily tasks. These nine steps\u2014from diet to medication\u2014can help you protect your eye health.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/03\\\/Blog_040621_Keep_eyes_healthy_preserve_vision.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/03\\\/Blog_040621_Keep_eyes_healthy_preserve_vision.png\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1080,\"caption\":\"A boy getting a vision check - eye health\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Eye health 101: How to protect vision and keep your eyes healthy\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Checkup, a health blog by SingleCare\",\"description\":\"Read the latest in prescription, wellness, and healthcare news\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"SingleCare\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/placeholderimage-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/placeholderimage-1.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":630,\"caption\":\"SingleCare\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/singlecare\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/SingleCare\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/singlecare\\\/?hl=en\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/singlecare\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCd9kiPIjCQw95-2BHCYePKA\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/169a1d8c8b88282cc3b792a394fc3575\",\"name\":\"Janice Rodden\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/52a9a50886f8a50207b3817add6cf041e73c89f3a5b1776ee5f9642e519a0611?s=96&d=mm&r=gd66250315c656457c96a08c8fc87b6bb\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/52a9a50886f8a50207b3817add6cf041e73c89f3a5b1776ee5f9642e519a0611?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/52a9a50886f8a50207b3817add6cf041e73c89f3a5b1776ee5f9642e519a0611?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Janice Rodden\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.singlecare.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/jrodden\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Eye health 101: How to protect vision and keep eyes healthy","description":"Good vision is essential for so many daily tasks. These nine steps\u2014from diet to medication\u2014can help you protect your eye health.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Are you taking these steps to protect your eyes?","og_description":"It takes more than visiting the eye doctor once a year","og_url":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/","og_site_name":"The Checkup","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/singlecare","article_published_time":"2021-04-06T13:30:41+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-09-15T16:42:27+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Blog_040621_Keep_eyes_healthy_preserve_vision.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Linda Childers","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Are you taking these steps to protect your eyes?","twitter_description":"It takes more than visiting the eye doctor once a year","twitter_creator":"@SingleCare","twitter_site":"@SingleCare","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Linda Childers","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/"},"author":{"name":"Janice Rodden","@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/169a1d8c8b88282cc3b792a394fc3575"},"headline":"Eye health 101: How to protect vision and keep your eyes healthy","datePublished":"2021-04-06T13:30:41+00:00","dateModified":"2025-09-15T16:42:27+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/"},"wordCount":1219,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Blog_040621_Keep_eyes_healthy_preserve_vision.png","keywords":["Doctor visits"],"articleSection":["Health Education"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/","url":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/","name":"Eye health 101: How to protect vision and keep eyes healthy","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Blog_040621_Keep_eyes_healthy_preserve_vision.png","datePublished":"2021-04-06T13:30:41+00:00","dateModified":"2025-09-15T16:42:27+00:00","description":"Good vision is essential for so many daily tasks. These nine steps\u2014from diet to medication\u2014can help you protect your eye health.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Blog_040621_Keep_eyes_healthy_preserve_vision.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Blog_040621_Keep_eyes_healthy_preserve_vision.png","width":1920,"height":1080,"caption":"A boy getting a vision check - eye health"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eye-health-how-to-protect-vision\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Eye health 101: How to protect vision and keep your eyes healthy"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/","name":"The Checkup, a health blog by SingleCare","description":"Read the latest in prescription, wellness, and healthcare news","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"SingleCare","url":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/placeholderimage-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/placeholderimage-1.jpg","width":1200,"height":630,"caption":"SingleCare"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/singlecare","https:\/\/x.com\/SingleCare","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/singlecare\/?hl=en","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/singlecare\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCd9kiPIjCQw95-2BHCYePKA"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/169a1d8c8b88282cc3b792a394fc3575","name":"Janice Rodden","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/52a9a50886f8a50207b3817add6cf041e73c89f3a5b1776ee5f9642e519a0611?s=96&d=mm&r=gd66250315c656457c96a08c8fc87b6bb","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/52a9a50886f8a50207b3817add6cf041e73c89f3a5b1776ee5f9642e519a0611?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/52a9a50886f8a50207b3817add6cf041e73c89f3a5b1776ee5f9642e519a0611?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Janice Rodden"},"url":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/author\/jrodden\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/85"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26053\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26053"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=26053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}