In everyday practice I come across a lot of young people who aren’t aware of the precious ornaments we have called “EYES”. So I thought this would be the best way to create awareness among people, especially the younger generation. Eyes are very important to us and so we must be careful to look after them. When we talk to other people, we notice what their eyes are saying. Sometimes we can tell by someone’s eyes whether they are happy or sad or angry! Some people look away when they are bored. Some people do not look at another person’s eyes when they talk because in some cultures, this is thought to be rude.
What do we do with our eyes?
The main function that eyes do for us is to see. Here are terms you might want to know in order to understand your eyes.
Sight: Means able to see as in “I can see something there.”
Vision: Means being able to know what you are seeing, as in “I see a tree over there.”
What if your eyes don’t work properly or don’t see as well as they should? Then you have a problem with your eyes! Sometimes you don’t even know that everyone else sees differently from you. You must have heard some people who have problems with their eyes say something like” “I can see what they are doing, but I can’t see who they are.”
Here are some things that might tell you that you are not seeing as well as you could:
• Can’t see the board.
• Writing looks blurry.
• Eyes hurt or feel tired.
• Eyes sting or twitch.
• Get headaches when reading or writing for a while.
• Can’t tell the difference between some colors.
• Need your book close up to your eyes to be able to read it.
• When you look up from your work everything looks blurred or misty.
If you are worried or not sure if you have a problem with your eyes, you should see an ophthalmologist (an eye specialist).
What happens next?
Your eyes are tested. You may need a special doctor or an optician for this who may suggest if your eyes need help.
• Doing special eye exercises.
• Wearing glasses for a short time.
• Wearing glasses for a long time.
• Wearing contact lenses.
Your body does its best to protect your eyes from damage. Now you know what you can do to protect your eyes and keep them working well for you.
Some ways to look after your eyes:
• Protect your eyes when you are playing sports. Wear goggles for snow skiing, helmets and guards for cricket and baseball.
• Turn on lights when it’s getting dark, especially if you are reading.
• Don’t read while lying down.
• Wear sunglasses or hats on bright days.
• Keep sunscreen away from your eyes.
• Don’t wear other people’s glasses.
• Your eyes get sore if you look at computer or TV screens for too long, so do lots of different things in your spare time; you need to do eye exercises.
• Looking directly at the sun can damage your eyes.
• Don’t rub your eyes if you get something in it; this can hurt your eye.
• Use the correct drops/medication if you have any allergic symptoms.
• Blink a few times especially while reading, watching TV or working at a computer.
Protect your eyes. They are very precious and you really need to take care of them!
— Dr. Hajra Salar is an ophthalmologist and the editor of the Review Journal, Academy Of Ophthalmic Education,Toronto,Canada. She is based in Jeddah.
