Take a second to close your eyes past halfway and imagine what life would be like without them. Try to do a few things; walking into the next room, eat a snack, continue to read this article. While you should be successful in just about everything you attempt, your effectiveness and speed will make even the most mundane of tasks difficult. Now, give it all a try with your eyes completely closed.

Vision is all-important, especially for those of us that are lucky enough to be used to living with it. However, like all health systems, vision must be protected to ensure continued well-being and functionality. General deterioration or a simple oversight in safety could result in your world darkening quickly without proper eye care; utilizing goggles, dieting, and regular eye exams.

One obvious element to protect your vision is using goggles when playing sports or taking part in activities and work that leave the eyes particularly vulnerable. Shatter proof goggles are essential for these activities. Nearly impenetrable by normal means, goggles will protect against the stray limbs that could strike in an athletic competition, or the occasional stray bit of wood or metal that comes with labor and crafting activities. Know when there is potential for that random element that justifies protective eyewear. Don’t leave anything to risk; if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar can become an international basketball hall-of-famer while wearing goggles, chances are you can handle averting the risk and playing with them.

Next, diet and supplements will play a role in the maintenance of your vision. Stretching beyond the simple “eat your carrots,” (though carrots and other vegetables are particularly good for strengthening retina) there are many other dietary factors that will affect healthy vision. Blood pressure is a serious link to damaged eye sight. High blood pressure causes the deterioration of blood vessels, especially in the eyes where such blood vessels are exceptionally delicate. Also, many different vitamins and supplements can bolster your eye’s health; including vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, and Omega-3 EFAs (essential fatty acids).

Finally, hire the help of a professional to manage eye care. Regular eye exams are becoming more and more essential to ensure continued vision health. Whether you need a new pair of glasses, multifocal lens replacement, or a number of other services; schedule an eye exam with your preferred ophthalmologist to take a proactive approach to vision health. If they happen to find something wrong, the next step can effectively be taken with regards to cataract surgery or glaucoma surgery and treatment.

If you don’t protect your vision, you’re going to miss it when it ultimately fails you. Take a proactive approach to protecting your eyes with protective wear, dieting, and eye exams to ensure health and longevity.