It is easy in our busy lives to take our eyes for granted, but just like other parts of our body and our health. In general, it is worth taking a few steps or adding a few routines into our everyday activities to improve our eye health. Many of the suggestions for improving your eye health will also have benefits for your general health. Liking having a good nights sleep, to reducing screen time you will see that introducing just small changes can have big impacts on the health of your eyes.
There are many reasons your eyesight could deteriorate: age, pollution, stress, unhealthy diet, etc. While you can’t really stop ageing of your eyes, you can slow it down. But many of the other issues could be avoided if you adopt a few measures. We have put together a list of 8 things that you can do to improve the health of your eyes and your general well being.
Regular check-up for your eyes
You need to visit an ophthalmologist/optometrist at least once a year. They will administer a number of tests to determine how strong your vision is or how healthy your eyes are. Based on the tests, you will be given a new pair of lenses for your glasses or medicines if needed. Myopia is becoming an epidemic, especially in kids. Scheduling regular eye check-up exams are the best way to ensure safety from myopia. Regular checkups can also ward off cataracts, retinal detachment, and glaucoma, all very sight-threatening eye conditions.
A healthy diet to the rescue
This is an age-old and sure-shot means of keeping your eyes healthy. There are certain foods that boost your eyesight and reverse the effects of ageing. Make sure your diet includes –
- Oily fishes that contain omega 3 fatty acid such as tuna, salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel, anchovies, herring, etc.
- All kinds of seeds and nuts – walnuts, brazil nuts, peanuts, cashews, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds
- Orange coloured foods like carrots, squash, cantaloupe, red peppers, and yellow bell pepper
- Eggs, soybeans, milk products and similar vegetarian protein sources
- All the leafy green vegetables that you can get your hands on like spinach, kale, and collards
A healthy diet also reduces your chances of becoming obese or contracting diabetes or hypertension, which are a leading cause of eye problems. Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) found that certain nutrients like copper, zinc, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and beta carotene can reduce risk of age-related decline in eye health.
Give up smoking
Smoking is not only destructive to your lungs but it can also give you cataracts. It may damage your optic nerve and cause macular degeneration. If you are a chain smoker and quitting seems impossible to you, talk to a therapist. Smoking also increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, dry eye syndrome. Smoking also leads to Uveitis (which is inflammation of the eye’s middle layer). Studies have shown that smokers are 2.2 times more at risk of deterioration of the eye than non-smokers.
Wear sunglasses
Shades are imperative when you go out into the sun. The UV rays of the sun can harm your eyes. They can bring about macular degeneration, cataracts and can even cause temporary blindness. Shades can protect you from the worst of the UV rays. If your work requires you to stare at a computer screen for 8 hours at a stretch, you will need to adopt a few extra precautions.
Give your eyes a break from screen time
Once every 30 minutes, look away from the screen and keep your eyes closed for 15 seconds. Then open them and blink rapidly, this will coat your eyes with a layer of moisture. Constantly working in front of a screen and not peeling your eyes for a long time may result in computer vision syndrome. It causes eyestrain, blurry vision, and discomfort.
Exercise regularly
What is good for your general health is usually good for your eye health. Exercises such as Aerobics, Zumba, jogging or even brisk walking will help lower the pressure in your eyes, otherwise known as help intraocular pressure. The hormones and anti-oxidants that release post-workout also help keep the retinal ganglion cells protected by fighting free radicals in the eye. Cardio exercises are especially beneficial as it helps increase the flow of the blood to the optic nerve and the retina. While vision-related problems cannot be fixed completely, exercising helps enhance overall eye health while protecting it from free radical damage and reducing their long-term effects.
Drink lots of water
Drinking plenty of water on a daily basis can prevent your body and your eyes from becoming dehydrated. Dehydration is severely harmful to your eyes and your organs if untreated, dehydration can lead to brain damage, seizures, and death. Staying hydrated requires you to drink plenty of water every day. It is recommended that you drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water or more on a daily basis. Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body does not have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. Consuming alcohol has the opposite effect, it dehydrates your body and organs. If you drink alcohol, try to limit the amount you are consuming, as it affects your liver and causes a drop in the level of glutathione, which is an antioxidant that helps protect against eye disease.
Wear safety goggles
Safety goggles are any kind of eye-wear that is intended to protect the user from some kind of peril. There are many different types of safety goggles. Within sports and racing, for instance, there are safety goggles that protect a person’s eye from injury due to trauma. Safety goggles are generally worn to protect the eyes of the wearer from hazardous materials or chemicals.
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