# Important Tips for Eye Health

Source page: https://www.kudretgozistanbul.com/en/blog/eye-diseases/important-tips-for-eye-health

**Author:** Kudret Eye İstanbul | **Medical Approval:** Op. Dr. Mehmet Ali Özdil | **Date:** 2026-09-05

> **Summary:** Kudret Eye İstanbul's ophthalmologists give practical tips for protecting eye health: regular examinations, accurate medical history, humid indoor air, make-up hygiene, healthy screen habits, nutrition, UV protection and quitting smoking. Many eye diseases progress without complaints, so regular examination matters at every age.

## Quick Facts
- **Screen distance:** 60 cm, top edge of the screen at eye level
- **Screen breaks:** Look 5 - 6 metres away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes; rest eyes closed for 1 to 2 minutes at intervals
- **Water intake:** At least 2 litres a day
- **Sunglasses:** With UV filters, in summer and winter

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## Regular Eye Examinations
- An eye examination can give the first diagnosis of general diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
- Cataract, glaucoma and macular degeneration become more common with age; presbyopia (loss of near vision as the lens loses flexibility) occurs over the age of 40.
- Eye diseases occur at every age: cataract, retinopathy and eye pressure can be seen even in infants; myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism are common in all age groups including children.
- Regular examinations help catch diseases that progress without complaints and cause unexpected vision loss.

## Inform Your Doctor Correctly
Share your disease history, medications, family diseases (hereditary factors play a large role), lifestyle and habits so the doctor can give suitable recommendations.

## Ventilation at Home and Office
- Air conditioners and heaters lower humidity and can cause dry eyes.
- Raise humidity with water containers on radiators or in the room, wet towels or humidifiers.
- Dry eye symptoms: stinging, burning, redness, itching, tearing, sticky discharge, difficulty using contact lenses.

## Make-up Hygiene
- Do not share make-up, do not buy products without a protection band, do not use expired products.
- Preservatives or active ingredients can cause allergic reactions, especially in allergic people.
- Never sleep in make-up; keep materials, cleansers and towels clean.
- Pain, redness, itching, stinging, swelling or watery eyes can signal infection or inflammation of the lash base: see an ophthalmologist.

## Screen Use
- Long screen work reduces blinking, so tears spread less and evaporate more, raising dry eye risk.
- Rest the eyes closed for 1 to 2 minutes at intervals.
- Keep a 60 cm distance, top edge of the screen level with the eyes, light not at right angles to the screen.
- Look 5 - 6 metres away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
- Drink at least 2 litres of water a day (dehydration is a cause of dry eye).

## Nutrition
- People with macular degeneration or a family history of it should eat plenty of foods rich in vitamins A, C, E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, selenium and omega 3.
- In intermediate dry macular degeneration, doctor-recommended high-dose vitamin and mineral supplements (AREDS) slow progression; these doses are hard to reach by diet alone, and no such benefit has been shown in the early stage.
- Lutein and zeaxanthin sources: egg yolk, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin, kale, orange, avocado, kiwi, corn, carrot.
- Fish provides omega 3 and selenium.
- Long-term vitamin C deficiency is known to increase cataract risk.

## Sun Protection
- Long-term UV exposure contributes to cataract, macular degeneration and pterygium.
- Wear UV-filter sunglasses in summer and winter, including on hazy, overcast days.
- Skiers and outdoor workers in snow should wear goggles: rays reflected from snow can burn the cornea.

## Quit Smoking
Nicotine and other toxins disrupt the structure and blood flow of blood vessels, including those in and around the eyes.

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## References
- Keep Your Eyes Healthy, NEI
- Computers, Digital Devices, and Eye Strain, AAO
- AREDS/AREDS2 Frequently Asked Questions, NEI