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Top Eye Care Tips for 2025

5 min read  |  January 31, 2025  | 

See the world through a new lens this year! Sight is one of our most valuable senses and it’s important to protect your eyes against conditions that can lead to vision impairment. 

Kick-off 2025 by taking these steps to preserve your eyesight. Julia Campbell, OD, an optometrist at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, shares her top suggestions for eye care. 

Schedule a dilated comprehensive eye exam 

Start the year right! Your eyes are a reflection of your body’s overall health. The best way to protect your eyes is with an annual dilated eye exam.

Dilation means eye drops will be used to allow your doctor to look at the health of the back of the eyes. A dilated eye exam can help detect various conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure. So, schedule your comprehensive exam today, and always say yes to dilation! 

Keep your eyes lubricated

Dry eye is one of the most common eye conditions and is becoming even more prevalent with increased screen time. Spending prolonged periods looking at a computer, phone, or tablet screen can cause the eyes to dry out, leading to eye strain.

It’s important to use lubricating eye drops regularly to prevent this. Even when the eyes don’t feel dry, try to remember to put in a drop of artificial tears, especially when doing prolonged near work. Look for the drops that say “lubricating” and “preservative-free” or “PF.”

Additionally, remember the 20-20-20 rule – For every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, look at something in the distance (approximately 20 feet away) for 20 seconds. Easy, right? 

Protect your eyes 

Heading to the beach? Don’t forget the sunscreen…and sunglasses! While it may be fun to soak up the sun, it’s important to keep your eyes protected at all times. Excessive UV exposure can contribute to the acceleration of cataracts, macular degeneration, or other eye growths (some of which could be cancerous). Protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays, and always use sunglasses outdoors and even while driving on a sunny day. Look for 100% UVA and UVB protection when choosing sunglasses. Additionally, the larger the frame, the more you’re protected. 

You should also protect your eyes from injury at work or during other activities by wearing protective glasses or goggles. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, hospital emergency rooms treat more than 700,000 work-related eye injuries each year. Additionally, 125,000 eye injuries occur at home, and there are 40,000 sports-related eye injuries annually.

Don’t let your new pickleball hobby damage your eyes! Speak to your eye doctor about work, hobbies, and athletic activities to determine your protective eyewear needs. 

Eat and drink with eye health in mind 

It’s not a myth – carrots really are good for your eyes! And so are other foods with antioxidants and essential vitamins such as vitamins A, C, and E. Next time you go to the grocery store, pick up some carrots, spinach, and citrus fruits. Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial as well, so be on the lookout for sources of this, such as salmon and walnuts. Some artificial tears even have omega-3 as an ingredient to help improve lubrication!  

Staying hydrated is also key for lubrication. Make it a goal to drink 6-8 cups of water daily to help prevent dry eye. 

Proper diet and hydration boost overall body health, and your eyes will thank you! 

Practice good eyelid hygiene  

Say goodbye to styes in 2025. Maintaining good eyelid hygiene is key to minimizing irritation, inflammation, and infection. Make cleaning the eyelids a part of your daily routine with over-the-counter lid wipes or foam. Some of these products contain tea tree oil, which has been shown to be an effective cleanser. Make sure to wash your hands, then use a wipe or Q-tip with foam to clean right along the upper and lower lid margin once daily.

The other important part of lid hygiene is warm compresses. Applying heat to the eyelids helps to stimulate the lubricating glands within our lids, allowing the eyes to stay lubricated throughout the day. You can look for microwaveable beaded masks near the lubricating eye drops at your local pharmacy. Put the mask in the microwave for 15 seconds, then apply to your eyelids with your eyes closed for 10 minutes daily. You can do it before bed to wind down – both relaxing and healthy!

Take care of your glasses and contacts

Feel like you’re looking through a dirty window? It’s important to keep your glasses and contact lenses clean and clear. 

If you wear glasses, the best way to clean them is simple: just use soap and water! Apply mild, oil-free soap, rinse with cool water, then dry gently with a microfiber cloth. Protect from scratches and damage to your lens coatings by always using a lens cloth or microfiber cloth to wipe. As tempting as it may be, never rub your lenses on your shirt or with a tissue/paper towel. Always keep a lens cloth handy everywhere you go!

If you wear contact lenses, the best way to take care of them is by simply following your doctor’s advice for wear and care. Contact-lens-related infections are scary and painful and can lead to serious vision problems or even blindness. Many of these can be prevented with good contact lens hygiene. Most importantly – never sleep, shower, or swim in contact lenses. Follow the appropriate wear and replacement schedule and clean the lenses only with solutions approved by your doctor. Lastly, always have a backup pair of glasses – you never know when you’ll need them! 

Follow these tips to make 2025 your best vision year yet! 


Jessica Gonzalez is the manager of communications at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.


Tags: Bascom Palmer, Dr. Julia Campbell, eye care in Miami, eye health, eye injury

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