(NAPSA)—The National Eye Institute (NEI) reminds you to make your eye health a priority and encourages you to take five important steps to protect your sight. Get a dilated eye exam.Getting a comprehensivedilated eye exam is the only way to know if your eyes are healthy and you are seeing your best. Talk to your eye care professional about how often you should haveone. Live a healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy foods, maintaining a healthy weight, managing chronic conditions and not smoking can lower yourrisk of eye disease. A few simple suggestions can help you see better, longer. Know yourfamily history. Talk to your family members about their eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with an eye disease, since many are hereditary. This will help to determineif you are at higher risk for developing an eye disease yourself. Use protective eyewear. Pro- tect your eyes when doing chores around the house, playing sports, or on the job to prevent eye injuries. This includes wearing safety glasses, goggles, safety shields, and eye guards that are made of polycarbonate. Talk to your eye care provider about the appropriate type of protective eye- wearfor your sport or job. Make a habit of wearing the appropriate type at all times and encourage your teammates and coworkersto do the same. Wear sunglasses. Wear sun- glasses outside to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. When purchasing sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVBradiation, so you can keep your eyes healthy. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can increase your risk for getting an eye disease like cataract or age-related macular degeneration. These steps can help you keep your eyes healthy and prevent vision loss and blindness from eye disease. For more information, visit www.nei.nih.gov/healthyeyes.
