Our eyes are an important part of our health and as we get older, it’s important that we take crucial steps to help preserve our vision and prevent any eye related diseases and problems.
Here are some tips that can help you take action now to avoid problems later on in life:
Eating well
A well-balanced diet is not only great for your general health but specifically your eye health too. It’s important to sustain as many nutrients as you can, ranging from; omega 3 fatty acids, zinc and vitamins such as C and E. You can find these nutrients in foods such as salmon, tuna, eggs, beans and citrus fruits. Eating well will keep you at a healthy weight also which lowers your chances of obesity and most importantly type 2 diabetes which is the leading cause of blindness in adults.
Exercise
Alongside eating healthy, exercising will additionally limit your risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. It’s recommended that you exercise at least 3 times a week to lower your risk of certain diseases. These are:
- Glaucoma – When you exercise, it reduces your blood pressure, and those with glaucoma often have high blood pressure. This occurs when pressure builds within the eye and damages the optic nerve that often results in loss of vision. You can lower your risk of glaucoma by exercising regularly.
- Cataracts – This naturally forms when pass the age of 60 and forms when the proteins in your eyes climb together and your eye lens becomes cloudy as you age. Exercising frequently reduces oxidative stress (damage to your cells) and scales down your risk of infections and inflammation, and also slows down the cloudiness on your lens that leads to cataracts.
Sleeping well
Poor sleep can make your eyes red, sore, irritated, puffy and bloodshot, which is why it’s vital to get a goodnight’s sleep to keep your eyes feeling bright and refreshed. Insufficient sleep can cause drier eyes, which can make you prone to more eye infections. It can lead to twitches or spasms around the eye area too and eventually serious eye diseases like glaucoma.
For any relief for discomfort of the eyes due to a lack of sleep, try using a cold wet facecloth or cold slices of cucumbers over your eyes. Lay back and let them sit for around 10 minutes, and your eyes should feel more soothed.
Quit Smoking
If you are a smoker, you are putting yourself at risk at getting eye diseases much sooner and much more likely than a non-smoker. The chemicals in tobacco damage the blood vessels behind your eyes and increase the risk of age related macular degeneration (AMD) which causes your vision to become blurry.
Stopping smoking can decrease your risk of AMD and eye diseases such as cataracts.
Limit Screen Time
Many of us have to stare at screens for long periods of time for work/school, so it can be difficult to limit our screen time. Using the 20-20-20 rule, however, can give our eyes some ease and relief. To do this, you should take regular breaks where every 20 minutes, you shift your eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Sunglasses & Eye Protection
Overexposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun can cause your eyes to become red, swollen and watery and potentially lead to more serious eye conditions over time such as cataracts. Wearing sunglasses can protect your eyes from this, however it is crucial that you choose sunglasses to block around at least 99% of UV rays.
Over 30,000 eye injuries each year are caused by DIY, so it is vital to your eye safety to wear some form of eye protection when working on any projects. Be wary of small particles that may come from sanding, grinding or hammering materials such as wood, as these can easily penetrate an unprotected eye.
Regular Eye Examinations
You should have a check-up once every 2 years, unless it is advised otherwise by your optometrist. During your examination, they have detected any problems you are facing and also identity any underlying health issues you might not be aware about. This is essential to keeping your eye health on track and can help you treat any eye issues earlier before they evolve into something worse.
