As we prepare to say goodbye to 2010, it’s no secret that frugal is the new fashion. Even as the economy begins to gingerly flex its muscles, we’ve developed healthy new habits of saving more than we spend. And nowhere is it more important to save those dollars than in health care, whose costs seem to rise with every morning paper.
So as our holiday gift to you, we here at Rebuild Your Vision present 9 ways to S-T-R-E-T-C-H your eye-care dollar.
1. Invest in a good pair of sunglasses.
In this case, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a few pounds of cure. Long-term exposure to UV rays can lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, skin cancer around the eyelids, and more — and the damage occurs all year round, not just in summer. So make friends with a pair that provides 99% to 100% UV protection: it’s a lot cheaper than paying for cataract surgery.
2. Schedule a regular comprehensive eye exam.
Eye exams allow for early detection of eye problems such as glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. But they offer double bang for your buck because your peepers can also provide physicians with an excellent look at your overall health. Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are all diseases that eye-care specialists can detect from a regular exam.
3. Eat more greens.
Greens — from mustard to collard to beet to turnip and beyond — are the workhorses of the vegetable world. They are simple to prepare (steam them or sauté in olive oil; add garlic, onions, cheese, nuts … whatever you like); readily available (you can even try growing them yourself); and packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and other eye-improving nutrients. All this at less than $2 a bunch!
4. Get your vitamins.
Much of the eye-health buzz this year was about nutrition, but as we know, it’s hard to get all the nourishment we need solely from our diet, especially if we’re holding down a few jobs — or if we just don’t like vegetables. The Ocu-Plus Formula Eye Vitamin is a low-cost, proven formula of 17 minerals, vitamins, and herbals that not only enhances everyday vision but also helps protect against cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. And you can try it out for 30 days free! Now THAT’S good value.
5. Wear eye-protective safety equipment.
No amount of vitamins will help if you injure your eyes while performing sports or household chores/maintenance. Make sure you and your children wear the proper eye-safety equipment for your activity, and monitor your child’s toys for any injury-causing parts. You can buy a pair of safety goggles on Amazon for as little as $10, whereas an emergency room visit for a detached retina may run into the hundreds of dollars.
6. Cultivate good computer habits.
One of the best things you can do for your eyes is also the most economical — free, in fact: look away from your computer every 10 minutes at an object 10 feet away for 10 seconds. Also free (well, almost): turn on a task light so that you do not work in the dark, as the contrast between computer-generated light and lack of background light strains the eyes.
7. Exercise.
By now you know that doing your eye exercises is a simple, proven effective, and low-cost way to improve your vision. But did you also know that regular exercise can reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration by up to 70%? The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health found that physical activity — even brisk walking for 12 blocks or more — reduces the type of inflammation and irregularities in the blood vessel walls associated with the wet form of the disease. And walking is free.
8. Don’t touch your eyes without washing your hands first.
It’s tempting, oh so tempting, especially when your eyes are tired or itchy — or, for the ladies, when you’re having a bad makeup day. Yet resisting that urge is a free way to save hundreds of healthcare dollars that you’d otherwise spend fighting conjunctivitis (aka pinkeye), colds, flu, and the like. As well, many of the viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi that can invade the human body are also capable of attacking the surface or interior of the eye. So remember to wash your hands, or purchase a bottle of hand sanitizer for a few bucks.
9. Quit smoking.
Not only does smoking increase your risk for cataracts and macular degeneration, but also the chemicals in tobacco cause itchy, red, dry, and irritated eyes; reduce the body’s antioxidant levels; and cause the blood vessels in the eye to constrict, leading to rising inner eye pressure that can result in glaucoma. Plus cigarettes cost a fortune these days. Nuff said.
Give the gift of sight this Christmas!
Happy holidays to you and yours from all of us here at Rebuild Your Vision!
“ My overall vision has improved during the 30 day course which I’ve just completed.
Consequently, I no longer need glasses for reading and the computer…” – Steve Cooper
As we prepare to say goodbye to 2010, it’s no secret that frugal is the new fashion. Even as the economy begins to gingerly flex its muscles, we’ve developed healthy new habits of saving more than we spend. And nowhere is it more important to save those dollars than in health care, whose costs seem to rise with every morning paper.
So as our holiday gift to you, we here at Rebuild Your Vision present 9 ways to S-T-R-E-T-C-H your eye-care dollar.
1. Invest in a good pair of sunglasses.
In this case, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a few pounds of cure. Long-term exposure to UV rays can lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, skin cancer around the eyelids, and more — and the damage occurs all year round, not just in summer. So make friends with a pair that provides 99% to 100% UV protection: it’s a lot cheaper than paying for cataract surgery.
2. Schedule a regular comprehensive eye exam.
Eye exams allow for early detection of eye problems such as glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. But they offer double bang for your buck because your peepers can also provide physicians with an excellent look at your overall health. Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are all diseases that eye-care specialists can detect from a regular exam.
3. Eat more greens.
Greens — from mustard to collard to beet to turnip and beyond — are the workhorses of the vegetable world. They are simple to prepare (steam them or sauté in olive oil; add garlic, onions, cheese, nuts … whatever you like); readily available (you can even try growing them yourself); and packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and other eye-improving nutrients. All this at less than $2 a bunch!
4. Get your vitamins.
Much of the eye-health buzz this year was about nutrition, but as we know, it’s hard to get all the nourishment we need solely from our diet, especially if we’re holding down a few jobs — or if we just don’t like vegetables. The Ocu-Plus Formula Eye Vitamin is a low-cost, proven formula of 17 minerals, vitamins, and herbals that not only enhances everyday vision but also helps protect against cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. And you can try it out for 30 days free! Now THAT’S good value.
5. Wear eye-protective safety equipment.
No amount of vitamins will help if you injure your eyes while performing sports or household chores/maintenance. Make sure you and your children wear the proper eye-safety equipment for your activity, and monitor your child’s toys for any injury-causing parts. You can buy a pair of safety goggles on Amazon for as little as $10, whereas an emergency room visit for a detached retina may run into the hundreds of dollars.
6. Cultivate good computer habits.
One of the best things you can do for your eyes is also the most economical — free, in fact: look away from your computer every 10 minutes at an object 10 feet away for 10 seconds. Also free (well, almost): turn on a task light so that you do not work in the dark, as the contrast between computer-generated light and lack of background light strains the eyes.
7. Exercise.
By now you know that doing your eye exercises is a simple, proven effective, and low-cost way to improve your vision. But did you also know that regular exercise can reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration by up to 70%? The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health found that physical activity — even brisk walking for 12 blocks or more — reduces the type of inflammation and irregularities in the blood vessel walls associated with the wet form of the disease. And walking is free.
8. Don’t touch your eyes without washing your hands first.
It’s tempting, oh so tempting, especially when your eyes are tired or itchy — or, for the ladies, when you’re having a bad makeup day. Yet resisting that urge is a free way to save hundreds of healthcare dollars that you’d otherwise spend fighting conjunctivitis (aka pinkeye), colds, flu, and the like. As well, many of the viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi that can invade the human body are also capable of attacking the surface or interior of the eye. So remember to wash your hands, or purchase a bottle of hand sanitizer for a few bucks.
9. Quit smoking.
Not only does smoking increase your risk for cataracts and macular degeneration, but also the chemicals in tobacco cause itchy, red, dry, and irritated eyes; reduce the body’s antioxidant levels; and cause the blood vessels in the eye to constrict, leading to rising inner eye pressure that can result in glaucoma. Plus cigarettes cost a fortune these days. Nuff said.
Give the gift of sight this Christmas!
Happy holidays to you and yours from all of us here at Rebuild Your Vision!
“ My overall vision has improved during the 30 day course which I’ve just completed.Consequently, I no longer need glasses for reading and the computer…” – Steve Cooper
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