10 Ways to Preserve Eyesight
Having healthy eyesight is an important part of overall health, and while some things are out of our control — like aging — there are also many ways to preserve our vision.
Things such as washing your hands regularly, eating lots of vegetables and getting regular eye exams can help prevent vision problems down the road.
1. Protect your eyes from the sun
Sun exposure can be damaging to the eyes. Over time, it can lead to cataracts and other eye diseases. It can also increase the risk of skin cancer.
The best way to protect your eyes is to wear sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UV rays. Look for sunglasses with a uniform tint and wraparound frames to prevent UV rays from sneaking in around the edges of the lens.
Also, eat a balanced diet with dark leafy vegetables and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Lastly, get regular eye exams, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. An eye exam can spot early signs of eye damage and disease. It can also help you manage chronic health conditions that can impact your vision. A comprehensive dilated exam is recommended for people over 60.
2. Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is crucial for overall health, including eye health. Dehydration can cause eye strain, redness, itching and other symptoms that may lead to discomfort or vision problems.
When we are dehydrated, it is harder for our eyes to maintain a healthy layer of basal tears. This can make it easier for dust, dirt, and other particles to enter the eye and damage it.
To avoid dehydration, drink plenty of water throughout the day and avoid excessive consumption of caffeine and alcohol. Incorporate foods with high water content like cucumbers, watermelon, and oranges to supplement your hydration levels.
3. Don’t smoke
The toxins in cigarettes and cigars damage internal organs like the lungs, heart and eyes. Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke increase your risk for age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and dry eye syndrome.
Dry eye syndrome is a condition in which your eyes don’t have enough tears to properly lubricate the eyes. It can cause a burning, scratchy, red or watery sensation in the eyes and can blur your vision.
A healthy diet including a variety of leafy vegetables, colorful fruits, nuts, seeds and cold-water fish is essential to eye health. Supplements may also help fill in nutrient gaps. Talk to your doctor about the right supplements for you.
4. Get regular eye exams
While there are some things you can’t control, like getting older, there are a few preventive measures you can take to help preserve your eyesight. For example, annual eye exams can detect changes in your vision and alert you to potential health issues before they worsen.
Eye care professionals use drops to widen, or dilate, your pupils so they can see the back of your eye and look for signs of disease and damage. They may also perform a cover test, where they ask you to stare at a target and cover your eyes to observe how well your eyes work together, or a visual field test, where they move their fingers in front of your face to measure your peripheral vision.
Eating a diet rich in eye-healthy nutrients, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, Vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and more can also promote healthy eyes.
5. Eat a healthy diet
A healthy diet is essential for eye health. You’ve probably heard that eating carrots is good for your eyes, but dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale, and fruits like berries and squash are also vision-friendly. These foods contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients have been shown to decrease the risk of chronic eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Make sure your diet includes fish, which contains omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids can help prevent dry eyes. Zinc is another nutrient that promotes eye health. It’s also important to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to problems like involuntary twitching and blurred vision. Finally, it’s a good idea to know your family history, as many eye diseases are inherited. Managing chronic health conditions like diabetes can also improve your eye health.
6. Get regular exercise
We all know that regular exercise improves our heart health, helps us maintain a healthy weight and strengthens our bones. What’s less well-known is that it also benefits our eyesight and reduces the risk of eye diseases like glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts.
Cardio exercises such as walking, running, swimming, cycling and dancing can help to keep your eyes healthy by reducing the pressure on the optic nerves in the retina. They can also improve blood flow to the eyes, which is essential for preventing damage from wet age-related macular degeneration.
The best way to get the most benefit from these exercise is to vary your workouts. This will increase your chances of continuing to do them, which is better for your eye health than staying in one rut. Just 20 minutes of aerobic exercise four times a week will be enough to make a difference.
7. Get a good night’s sleep
We’ve all heard that getting a good night’s sleep is important for your health, but did you know it’s also vital for your eyes? A lack of sleep can lead to a variety of eye conditions, including dry eyes, ocular infections, and even ischemic optic neuropathy.
Your eyes need a break from all of the demands of daily life. When you sleep, your eyes receive increased blood flow to the optic nerves to replenish them. This helps keep your vision sharp and prevents damage to the optic nerve.
During sleep, your eyes get rid of old proteins and cells and repair damaged tissues and cells. In addition, sleep also helps prevent those involuntary spasms known as twitching. It’s best to get a regular sleep routine so your body is ready for rest when you go to bed each night.
8. Stay away from screens
Staring at a screen all day is harmful to your eyes and can lead to eye strain. While giving up computers entirely is probably not realistic, there are many things you can do to help protect your eyes.
For example, try to keep your screen brightness similar to the room lighting and use a matte screen protector to reduce glare. It’s also important to blink frequently, as staring at a screen can cause dry eyes. You can also use a humidifier to add moisture to the air in your work environment and wear artificial tears to keep your eyes lubricated.
It’s also important to be aware of your family’s history with eye health, as many eye diseases and conditions are hereditary. By taking these simple steps, you can preserve your vision for as long as possible.
9. Take frequent breaks
Staring at screens for long periods of time causes eye fatigue and dry eyes. To avoid this, make it a point to blink frequently and take frequent breaks throughout the day. If you have trouble remembering to do this, try using an app that will remind you to take a break every 20 minutes.
Blinking helps to keep the eyes hydrated, which can help reduce symptoms of eye strain like headaches, dry eyes and blurred vision. You should also limit screen time and wear polarized sunglasses to protect your eyes from the damaging effects of UV rays.
Eating a balanced diet is also important for eye health. Foods that are high in antioxidants, like dark leafy greens, berries, salmon and avocados can help preserve your eyesight. You should also consume plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids, zinc and lutein.
10. See your eye doctor regularly
The eyes are a window to your overall health, and it’s important that you visit an ophthalmologist at regular intervals. A complete, medical eye exam can help you spot diseases and conditions like glaucoma that may be silent or have no symptoms until they’re quite advanced.
You probably know that eating a healthy diet is good for your eyes, and it’s essential to wear sunglasses when going out in the sun. You may not know, however, that incorporating a variety of leafy greens and fruits rich in antioxidants into your diet can prevent cataracts and slow aging of the eyes.
You probably get your annual physical and regularly visit the dentist, but did you know that an eye exam should also be on your schedule? Depending on your age and health history, you should see an ophthalmologist every one to two years.
