When spending time at home, there are several things you can do to bolster your eye health, and mitigate vision-related challenges. For starters, make sure your glasses and/or contact lens prescription is up to date. That means booking an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam, and consulting with a doctor about any existent eye concerns you might have. Remember, the sooner you address your concerns with a professional, the more likely you are to be able to mitigate long-term issues.

Secondly, limit screen time. Especially before bedtime, it’s important to minimize the amount of screen exposure you have in your home, as excessive screen use can spur eye strain, blurred vision, dry eyes and headaches, among other unwelcome symptoms. Eating well is another key way to protect your eyes at home. Maintaining a balanced diet is essential for overall well-being, but it also offers a number of powerful benefits for ocular health. Fill your diet with nutrient-rich food, including those that contain omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc and vitamins C and E—all of which have demonstrated to improve eye health while decreasing the risk of eye-related ailments, such as macular degeneration and cataracts.

Try incorporating more dark, leafy greens into your meals, as well as salmon (or other fatty fish), red peppers, nuts and seeds, sweet potatoes, eggs and lean protein sources.

Just as eating well offers important eye benefits, so, too does exercise. Keeping in shape lessens your risk for developing diabetes, which can impact your eyes. Regular cardio activity, in particular, can decrease your risk of experiencing cardiovascular-related eye ailments, such as hyperintense retinopathy and glaucoma.

 Maintaining good eye hygiene is also an important protective tool. Avoid excessive eye-rubbing, and always wash your hands before touching your eyes (which you should only do if you are removing or inserting. contact lenses). It’s also essential to remove eye makeup before bed, and replace your products every three months.

There are other important lifestyle changes you can make to protect your eye health, including quitting smoking (since smokers have a higher likelihood of developing cataracts and macular degeneration), and making time daily to get fresh air (which can help reduce your screen take and relax your eye muscles).