It’s time for a New Year, and a New You!

As we close the chapter on another tough year it’s time to think about relaxing, enjoying the sunshine, and spending time with family and friends. It’s time to reflect on your goals and the year that has been. Ready to start the new year afresh!

If you like to make New Year’s resolutions here are a few eye care ones that can really make a difference to your eye health.

Sunglasses

Protect your eyes from damaging UV light by wearing your sunglasses when outdoors. Sunglasses also protect your eyes from dry wind and sand. This resolution can be instantly rewarding if you also treat yourself to a new pair of good quality sunglasses. Find ones that have good UV protection and fit your face really well. We care so much about good sunglasses we wrote this blog on why sunglasses are important and how to choose the best pairs.

Contact Lenses

Make it your New Year’s resolution to wear your contact lenses more responsibly. Over time we contact lens wearers can get a bit slack. Even the most diligent of us might bend the rules a bit with our contact lenses. Have you ever bought a cheaper cleaning solution than the one your Optometrist recommended? Naughtily slept in your lenses when advised not to? It’s easy to do. So check your contact lens packaging, or touch base with your Optometrist as to what they last recommended for you.

Some general good habits that are great to instigate is removing your lenses a good two hours before bedtime or working toward having one day a week of no contact lens wear. The Cornea and Contact Lens Society of New Zealand website might be a good place to refresh your memory of what is considered appropriate contact lens wearing practises. 

But if you think 2023 is the year you get rid of your contact lenses altogether… Then why not see if you’re suitable for laser eye surgery! Fill in the enquiry form down the bottom to find out more about laser vision correction and becoming independent of your contact lenses and spectacles.

Family History

Knowing what eye diseases run in your family is really important, so strike up a conversation with your family this holiday season. Encourage other family members to get their eyes tested too, especially if there is a family history of eye disease or poor vision. A good rule of thumb is that everyone needs a full eye exam every 2 years, but those with a family history of eye disease might need to be seen every 12months.

Another common genetic condition is short-sightedness (myopia); this is easily corrected with spectacles, contact lenses or laser vision correction. But these days, if caught early enough, your Optometrist might be able to slow down the short-sightedness in your kids or teenagers. This practice is called Myopia Management, or Myopia Control, but it wasn’t readily available five years ago. So help the future generations by checking out these options.  

Quit Smoking

We know smoking does our physical health no favours. Smoking also increases your risk of getting sight-threatening eye diseases such as age related macular degeneration (ARMD) and cataracts. Quitting smoking will have more impact on your long term eye health than healthy eating! So if you need some extra help to quit, get it now, there’s no time like the present!

Makeup

Maybe your New Year’s resolution could be to be more diligent when removing your makeup? And making sure you do it every night before bed?

The build-up of makeup around our eyes leads to getting debris in our eyes, an increase in the numbers of bacteria and mites on our skin and inflammation that can cause irritated, sore, red and blurry eyes.

Perhaps you can start this resolution off by doing a cull of your makeup collection? Most fluid-based makeups like mascara and liquid foundation have a two – three-month expiry. For more information on safe make-up use and the eyes check out our recent blog here.

Not into New Years Resolutions?

Maybe New Year’s resolutions aren’t your thing, how about starting the New Year as a New You? What if 2023 was the year you got rid of your contact lenses and spectacles? Maybe this is the year that you shout yourself laser vision correction?

At the Wellington Eye Centre we have had quite a few patients tell us they’ve gifted themselves laser vision correction because they couldn’t swing their overseas travel this year, or because they were treating themselves after a year or two of Covid related repression.

If you want to learn more about your suitability for laser vision correction then book a free assessment or give us a call on 0800 733 327.