Eye Health Do’s and Don’ts

You have to take care of your eyes in order to preserve the clarity of your vision. Even if you have good eyesight during your youth, the process of aging usually brings the necessity of wearing corrective lenses when you reach mid-life. The most common vision problems are nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), glaucoma, cataract, warped or blurred vision, diabetic retinopathy, etc.

It is inevitable for many people to fight various vision conditions, but there are some things you can introduce to your lifestyle to slow down the deterioration of your eyesight.

Sitting In Front of the Screen

Do: Many people spend a lot of time staring at some kind of screen: mobile phone, tablet, computer, television, etc. The truth is that this practice doesn’t harm your sight, but only if you follow some rules. Every now and then move your eyes from the screen and rest your eyes. Make sure to take a break from staring at the computer at least once every hour. You can look at something far away, or close your eyes and lay down for couple of minutes.

Don’t: It is not good for your eyesight to stare at the screen for a long period of time without taking a break. If you fail to do this, you will experience some unpleasantness, for example, eye strain and dry eyes. Avoid watching at television or computer screen in the dark, because that causes eye strain too. If your job doesn’t require it, don’t spend a lot of time in front of the screen.

Nutrition

Do: A healthy and balanced diet is your health’s best friend. This refers to your eyesight, too. You have most probably heard how good carrots are for your vision. This claim also applies to a variety of similar food. You have to introduce some vitamins and minerals in order to nourish your eyesight, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, lutein, etc. Fill your refrigerator with leafy green vegetables, like kale, spinach, cabbage, and endive. Also find some room for salmon, tuna, eggs, nuts, citrus, oysters, etc.

Don’t: One of the reasons why is it important to eat healthy to maintain eye health is that eyes are full of tiny blood vessels. If you base your nutrition on fried foods, sweetened drinks, cookies, margarine, toppings and dressings, you are increasing the risk of high-blood pressure, high cholesterol and fat deposits in the walls of your blood vessels. Poor nutrition can also lead to diabetes, which can consequently harm eye health, causing diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, cataracts, and glaucoma.

Take Regular Eye Exams

Do: Even if you don’t have any problems with your eyesight, you should start visiting your eye doctor for regular eye exams when you reach the age of 40. When you start experiencing some vision issues, your doctor will most probably suggest you to start wearing some kind of visual aid, such as contact lenses or glasses. No matter which ones you choose, just make sure to wear them regularly in order to improve your sight and keep your eyesight from further deterioration.

Don’t: The regular eye exam requires a series of things you have to do. Don’t make excuses in order to put off the visit to your doctor. Make sure to visit your doctor when you start experiencing problems with your sight. Once you book the appointment, make sure to come on time. The doctor is looking out for your best interest, so listen to his every suggestion. If you don’t follow his suggestions and prescriptions, you can expose your eye health to even greater danger.

Exposure to the Sun

Do: Wear hats and sunglasses during the sunny period of the year because it helps protect your skin and eyes. Prolonged exposure to sunlight is not good for your eyes because it can cause premature eyesight deterioration. Keep your eyes safe by wearing sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays. Wear your sunglasses even when you are in the shade because radiation from the sunlight is still reflecting from the buildings and vehicle glass.

Don’t: Don’t stare into the sun, not even when you are wearing sunglasses. You will feel a burning sensation if you stare directly at the sun for too long. This can lead to the eye damage which shows up as pain when you expose yourself to bright light again. You might experience distorted vision, dark or yellow spots, eye soreness, watery eyes, etc. But only wear sunglasses when you are outside. Don’t wear them inside, or during the night because your eyes can become more light-sensitive.

Exercise Your Eyes

Do: You have to exercise on a regular basis if you want to keep your body in shape. The same goes for your eyes. This especially refers to people who are forced to work from 9 to 5 in front of a computer. Your eyes are supported with muscles, so if you keep them in good condition, they will be more resilient to harmful conditions. Some exercises you might try are: eye roll, eye massage, eye press, blinking, flexing, etc.

Don’t: Hygiene is always in the first place when we talk about eyes, so don’t perform any of these exercises before you wash your hands. You don’t want to risk getting an eye infection. Although exercising your eyes helps to ease your daily sight issues, it will not heal your nearsightedness, farsightedness, or any other long-term vision condition. It will, however, help you reduce or eliminate the symptoms of eye fatigue – watery eyes, focusing difficulties, or eye soreness.

 

We get so much information through our eyes every day. They help us understand the world around us. And most of us don’t pay as much attention to the health of our eyes as we should. We can’t eliminate sight deterioration that comes with the process of aging, but we can postpone some of its signs. Start treating your eyes well: eat well, spend more time in nature away from your laptop and television, protect your body from the sun, and listen to your doctor when you start to use any kind visual aid.

 

Contributed by Scarlet Gratton, Fashion and Lifestyle Editor


Photo credits: unsplash.com

 

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