We exercise, we try to eat healthy, we meditate and follow all sorts of healthy lifestyle paths, but do we ever stop to think about our eye health and ways to promote it? Probably not, unless we’re forced to due to vision impairment. Prevention is better than cure, so let’s talk about the ways you can protect your eyes and avoid any future complications.
Limit and control your screen time
This constant exposure to screens is one of the most frequent causes of eye damage and vision impairments, if not the most frequent one. If we take a minute to count the hours spent in front of the screen on a daily basis, we would be shocked. To start off, you spend at least eight hours at the office using your work computer more or less all the time. And you’re very likely sharing the late-night Instagram scrolling habit with the rest of the millennial population – the average smartphone user looks at their phone 76 times a day. And when you add the Netflix binges and movie nights, the number of hours spent using digital devices is certainly frightening. Eye problems are caused by computer use fall under the computer vision syndrome (CVS) which includes a whole range of eye strain and discomfort. Although there are allegedly screens that cause less harm than the others, most of them emit eye-damaging blue light. It’s illogical to banish digital media from your life, but you can use phone applications like “time limit” and keep your computer screen at least 50cm from your eye. Another tip is to always have set the lighting on low and keep the top of your computer screen slightly below eye level.
Protect your eyes from the sun
Although we’re mainly concerned with the skin damage caused by sun exposure, our eyes are at risk as well. The sun releases energy in many forms, ultraviolet rays being the most harmful. Besides the obvious consequences radiation can leave on your skin, it can also damage your eyes and hurt your vision. This is because the eyelid’s skin is thin and contains fragile tissues that are vulnerable to UV light and therefore prone to damage if not properly protected. There are plenty of ways you can protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, from wearing broad-brimmed hats and sunglasses to contacts with special UV-blockers – visit a well-known optometrist in Sydney and buy the most beautiful eyewear and enjoy the very best eye care in the country. Another easy way to prevent eye damage due to UV radiation exposure is to try to spend less time in the sun and look for some shade while you’re outside.
Nourish and tend your eyes
Just as the rest of your body, you need to provide your precious eyes with the right care, too. Good eye health starts with your diet. Maintaining a diverse and healthy diet is beneficial for your overall health, including your vision. The most essential foods for vision impairments and preventing macular degeneration are ones that are rich in zinc, beta carotene, vitamin E and C, lutein, and omega-3 fats. Therefore, fill your stomach with these eye-protecting nutrients via a morning smoothie mix of green leafy veggies and citrus fruits such as carrots, broccoli, kale, oranges, and kiwis. Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish are also super-beneficial for your eye health and might help ward off age-related vision problems. Besides nourishing, your eyes need tending too. It somehow never crosses our mind to see an ophthalmologist unless there’s a problem. And even if you are responsibly visiting a general practitioner on a regular basis, they won’t be able to tell much about your eyes from a very basic eye exam. This is why you should add an eye health checkup to your mandatory annual checkups list and make sure you’re given proper treatment in case of any visual impairment or eye damage.
Everyone is at risk of eye damage, either from UV radiation or excessive screen exposure. But once your eyes start hurting or your vision blurs, the damage has already been done. However, as explained above, there are plenty of ways you can act in advance and protect your eyes from various vision impairments and problems. Take note of the tips above and stop neglecting your eye health.
