Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

GLADSTONE -- It's a new year and a new opportunity to maintain good health. But good health extends to more than exercise at the gym. January is National Eye Health Month, and there are exercises and practices you can do to make sure your vision stays healthy.

Dr. Jessica Cameron of Gladstone Eye Care says eye diseases increase with age. She checks for development of glaucoma and cataracts in patients over 40.

“A lot of eye diseases can creep up on you,” explains Dr. Cameron. “You don't realize there's a problem. And just like any other part of the body that is nervous tissue, it can't be regenerated. So if you damage the optic nerve, you really can't regain the vision that's lost from things like glaucoma."

Fortunately, there are ways to improve your eyes' health through your stomach.

“As far as nutrition, carrots are good, but spinach is better. They say that antioxidant vitamins can help, and the best place for those is in the brightly colored vegetables and dark, leafy greens," Dr. Cameron says.

There's so much more to caring for your eyes than simply nutrition. Optometrists also have tips on how to maintain good eye health in the digital age filled with computers, tablets, and smart phones.

Dr. Cameron says eyes constantly focused on a computer screen tend to become dry. Use a lubricating eye drop and practice looking away from the computer every twenty minutes.

“I don't spend a lot of prolonged time on a laptop and my Android because I drive a lot,” says Steve Postmus of Grand Rapids. "And I'm in and out of offices. My main thing would be driving. So that's where the sunglasses with polarized lenses come in."

Overall, eye experts say the best tip is to have an annual eye exam to check for eye health issues.