Our eyes are often taken for granted, resulting in numerous eye problems and diseases that could easily have been avoided. We give you some of the top dos and don’ts to ensure optimal eye care.

Taking care of our eyes is so simple and prevents a number of irritating and harmful eye conditions and diseases. However, so few know how to correctly take care of their eyes and ensure long-term protection and perfect vision. Here are some of the basic dos and don’ts to optimally care for your eyes.

Don’t: spend hours in front of a TV or computer screen as it causes tired and strained eyes which take a heavy toll on ones vision and cause headaches and other related problems.

Do: take regular eye breaks and try to remove your contact lenses or prescription glasses for a few moments while you force your eyes to focus on something outside the window or anything other than your screen. If you’ve overdone it, soothe tired eyes by dipping  cotton pads into chilled milk and place on closed eyes for 10 -15 minutes, while completely relaxed.

Don’t: wear contact lenses for extended periods.

Do: take them out every 12 hours, never sleep with them in and give your eyes a full days rest at least once a week and wear your eyeglasses instead.

Don’t: rub your eyes with dirty, unwashed hands. This only serves to spread germs and cause eye problems.

Do: Wash your hand thoroughly, with soap, before touching your eyes, eyelashes, or eyelids.

Don’t: partake in any kind of work or sport that may compromise your eyes without the correct protective eye wear.

Do: always think ahead and ensure to wear protective eye wear when doing certain sports or jobs.

Don’t: think that you only need to visit the eye doctor or optometrist when you stop being able to see clearly, or start experiencing headaches.

Do:  Go for regular checkups, at least annual, when caring for your eyes. For maximum effect, when you find out that your prescription has changed, always buy glasses frames with the suitable lenses as soon after your check-up as possible.

Don’t: refrain from buying eyeglasses because you think that the frames will go against your fashion sense.

Do: Check out your eyeglasses selection online. With hundreds of designer prescription glasses available, you'll be bowled over by the sheer availability of frames which fit your every need.

Don’t: not buy eyeglasses because of the traditional expense attached to them.

Do: look to buy glasses online and take advantage of the savings that are available there. Fast Fact - eyeglasses online are sold at up to 70% less than those sold offline without compromising on quality.

Don’t: wear heavy frames that can add stress to your eyes and nasal cavities.

Do: choose light frames that tend to be more comfortable.

Don’t: ever go out into the sun without protection for your eyes.

Do: always ensure to wear either sunglasses or eyeglasses with a suitable sun-protective tint for those UVA/UVB rays. If you wear prescription lenses, be sure to order a pair of prescription sunglasses to ensure your all-round eye care. You can also order regular eyeglasses with a transition lens which goes dark when outside and back to a regular lens indoors.

At the end of the day, prevention is always better than the cure. Take care of your eyes and prevent eye strain and headaches by following the tips above and never buy glasses with an outdated eyeglasses prescription.