Tips on How To Keep Eyes Healthy!

Your eyes are an important part of your health. There are many things you can do to keep them healthy and make sure you are seeing your best. Follow these simple steps for maintaining healthy eyes well into your golden years.

• Regular checkup: Get your eyes regularly checked once a year after the age of 40 years as it helps to detect age-related ocular changes like macular degeneration (the part of the retina that processes light deteriorates), cataracts (the lens of your eye becomes cloudy) and glaucoma (pressure in the eye damages the optic nerve). 
• Eat Well: Eat healthy diet, include food rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Lutein, Zinc, etc. which includes all green, yellow and red vegetables, fruits and fish as it is rich in omega-3 fatty acid. All these food prevents early degeneration in eyes and also delays the onset of cataract. To get them, fill your plate with:
  • Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collards
  • Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish
  • Eggs, nuts, beans, and other nonmeat protein sources
  • Oranges and other citrus fruits or juices
  • Oysters and pork

A well-balanced diet also helps you stay at a healthy weight. That lowers your odds of obesity and related diseases like type 2 diabetes, which is the leading cause of blindness in adults.

• First Eye Exam: Children should have their first eye exam between the ages of 6 and 12 months as it is important to detect visual problems as it is vital to ensure your child has the visual skills that that will have the ability to learn in school.
• Healthy Lifestyle: Maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent any eye damage due to diabetes, hypertension, etc.  
• Quit Smoking: Quit smoking or don’t start as it is known that smoking increases the rate of macular degeneration and early cataract formation. It makes you more likely to get cataracts, damage to your optic nerve, and macular degeneration. If you've tried to kick the habit before only to start again, keep at it. The more times you try to quit, the more likely you are to succeed. Ask your doctor for help.
• Wear Sunglasses: Always wear your corrected prescription as advised by your doctor Wear sunglasses/shades whenever you go out in sunlight as you need to protect your eyes from harmful UV radiation from the sun. The right pair of shades will help protect your eyes from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. Too much UV exposure boosts your chances of cataracts and macular degeneration. Choose a pair that blocks 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB rays.
• Use Safety Eyewear: Use safety glasses while playing games like hockey, racquet ball to prevent eye injury. If you use hazardous or airborne materials on the job or at home, wear safety glasses or protective goggles. Look Away From the Computer Screen: Staring at a computer or phone screen for too long can cause:
  • Eyestrain
  • Blurry vision
  • Trouble focusing at a distance
  • Dry eyes
  • Headaches
  • Neck, back, and shoulder pain
• Follow the Rule: If you are an avid screen reader/computer user follow the rule of 20/20/20 i.e. look at 20 feet distance, after every 20 minutes for 20 second. This will help your eyes to take rest and also improve the blinking rate for lubrication. 
• To protect your eyes:
  • Make sure your glasses or contacts prescription is up to date and good for looking at a computer screen.
  • If your eye strain won’t go away, talk to your doctor about computer glasses.
  • Try to avoid glare from windows and lights. Use an anti-glare screen if needed.
  • If your eyes are dry, blink more.
  • Drink plenty of water to prevent dryness in your eyes. 
  • Wash your hands regularly and avoid touching eyes as much as possible to prevent eye infections and lumps (stye) in the lids. 
  • Don’t use any self-medication as some drops may contain steroid, and after long use of it can lead to cataract, glaucoma and infection in the eye. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a ophthalmologist.