12 Eye Health Care Challenges to Try Every Month in 2022

Making New Year’s resolutions? Here’s one more to add to your list: Prioritise taking care of your eye health.

To make this goal more attainable, we’ve come up with monthly challenges to take you through a year of health care for those peepers. Here’s your guide to living a better life with healthier eyes.

Kick-start the year with a little gift for yourself and buy a pair of UV-protected sunglasses from Chew’s Optics. The goal is to wear them every time you go out during the day.

Without UV protection for your eyes, you may increase your risk of developing cataracts, eye cancer and corneal inflammation. For maximum protection, choose UV400 or polarised lenses.

Take breaks throughout the day to rest your eyes. All you have to do is look at an object at least 20ft (6m) away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. This helps to reduce digital eye strain, a great habit to cultivate at a time when everyone is glued to their smartphone or computer.

This month, challenge yourself to spend one day every week without using any digital devices. That means no phones, no computers, no tablets and no television. Instead, immerse yourself in nature and go back to basics with screen-free activities like journaling and crafting.

Before you brew your first cup of coffee or catch up on your emails, do this first. Use your thumb and index finger to press the inner edge of your eyes, close to the nose bridge. Try applying some pressure for about 10 seconds before releasing, and repeat the process as many times as you want.

End by rubbing your hands together and gently placing them on your closed eyes to relax them. This simple eye massage not only helps to relieve headaches, but also get rid of eye twitching and other discomfort around the eyes.

This isn’t just an excuse to get your body ready for the summer break. Cardio workouts (such as running and cycling) can actually help to combat high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension, which are linked to glaucoma and retina changes.

It’s time for a mid-year check. Get a comprehensive eye exam done by an optometrist in Singapore like Chew’s Optics. This is your opportunity to learn about where your eye health stands.

At Chew’s Optics, an average session takes only 20 minutes. Prices start from S$20 – a small investment with long-term benefits. Besides the in-depth tests, our optometrists will also take the time to understand your lifestyle and medical history. Got questions about wearing contacts or specific eye conditions? Fire away!

Is eating clean one of your New Year’s resolutions? Now you get to kill two birds with one stone. What you eat can affect the condition of your eyes. To keep your vision in tip-top shape, try to include more green leafy vegetables, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidant-rich foods into each meal.

If you can’t stick to this diet 7 days a week, we suggest giving yourself one or two cheat days (weekends are your chance to go nuts and indulge yourself).

Last month was all about food. This month is all about water. Your challenge is to consume at least 8 cups of water each day. This will keep your body hydrated, along with your eyes. It might even be more beneficial than eating clean, seeing that about 60% of our body is water.

Not only does it affect the brain, your energy level and your weight, it can also treat kidney stones and constipation, while keeping dry eyes and irritation at bay.

While the kids head back to school this month, take some time yourself to read up about various eye conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma. Like most things, you need to have awareness before you can start to take action. Here are some resources from Chew’s Optics.

• 5 myths about cataracts to clear up from an optometrist’s perspective
• 4 reasons you should visit an optometrist
• A guide to comprehensive eye examinations in Singapore

Your eye health education continues this month with a look into your family’s medical history. Do your parents, grandparents or relatives suffer from any specific eye conditions? Is there a pattern?

Chances are, if a close family member is affected by a specific eye condition, you might inherit it. The bright side is, you’ll be much more prepared to prevent and deal with it.

Sleep shortage can lead to dry eyes and eye strain, which may result in bloodshot eyes. The only solution is to get more sleep. This month’s challenge is to clock at least 8 hours every night.

If you happen to be a night owl, you can try putting up black-out curtains and turning off your morning alarm. That is, if you don’t have any plans in the morning. Allowing yourself to sleep uninterrupted will ensure that you’ll naturally get your 8 hours, no matter how late you head to bed.

Made it this far with the monthly challenges? Congratulations! Treat yourself to a shopping spree at Chew’s Optics and add more stylish sunglasses to your collection. You deserve it.

Swing by Chew’s Optics, a seasoned optometrist in Singapore, at 144 Teck Whye Lane, #01-211. We’re open daily except Mondays. For further enquiries, contact us at +65 8314 7093.