Eye Care

> ⚠️ Ask your doctor or health care professional. This information is AI generated for education and NOT medical advice.

Eye care covers maintaining vision health and managing common eye conditions, from minor irritation to conditions that can threaten sight if untreated.

Common issues

Dry eyes, eye strain, conjunctivitis (pink eye), refractive errors (needing glasses/contacts), and age-related conditions like cataracts or glaucoma.

General self-care measures

• Have regular eye examinations, even without symptoms — some conditions (like glaucoma) progress without early symptoms.
• Follow the 20-20-20 rule for screen-related eye strain (every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds).
• Wear appropriate eye protection for relevant activities (UV sunglasses, safety glasses).
• Practice good contact lens hygiene if applicable.
• Wash hands before touching eyes, especially with any eye irritation.

When to seek medical attention

• Sudden vision loss or significant vision change — this can be an emergency; see Urgent Emergency Care.
• Eye pain, especially with redness or light sensitivity.
• A foreign object in the eye that doesn't flush out easily.
• Sudden flashes of light or a shower of floaters (possible retinal detachment warning signs).

Common pitfalls

• Ignoring gradual vision changes — slow changes are easy to adapt to unconsciously, delaying diagnosis of a progressive condition.
• Using contact lenses beyond their recommended wear time or hygiene guidance — significantly increases infection risk.
• Treating "pink eye" as always the same cause — conjunctivitis can be viral, bacterial, or allergic, with different management for each; self-treating without knowing the cause can prolong or worsen it.

Learn more

• Ophthalmology Assessment for how eye conditions are clinically assessed.
• Health Care for general navigation of health systems.