The eyes are the windows to your soul. They communicate a person’s emotions and thoughts. Therefore, it is necessary to keep your eyes healthy. Otherwise, it will limit your access to people and the world around you.
Caring for your eyes and keeping them healthy is not difficult. However, it requires consistency. Here are a few tips to get you on your way to healthy eyes.
Eat a balanced diet full of nutrients. These include zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, and omega-3 acids. These nutrients will help you keep away age-related vision problems like cataracts and macular degeneration.
Fill your plate with fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean meat. Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that help lubricate the eye. These omega-3 fatty acids also reduce the risk of high eye pressure. Elevated eye pressure can lead to glaucoma.
Smoking makes you more likely to suffer from cataracts. It damages your optical nerve and puts you at risk of macular degeneration. Your body cannot control blood pressure and cholesterol, putting you at risk of getting diseases like diabetes. Diabetes can put you at risk of getting diabetic retinopathy.
When you quit smoking, you lower your chances of getting the eye diseases above. These eye diseases can lead to vision loss. Hence, you also reduce your chances of going blind.
Take a break from your computer and all digital screens. If you must work on your computer for long periods, look away from the screen every 20 minutes. Focus on an object that is 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It will help your eyes rest and exercise your eye muscles.
The sun is a good source of vitamin D. It also releases harmful UV rays that can hurt your eyes. The right pair of sunglasses will protect your eyes from these rays. UV rays put you at risk of getting cataracts and macular degeneration.
A good pair of sunglasses will block at least 99 percent of UVA and UVB rays. If possible, get wraparound lenses to protect your eyes from the side. UV protection is the ultimate goal. Polarization will only help reduce glare. It is not necessary, but it provides extra protection. Therefore, always aim to get sunglasses with UV protection.
To protect your eyesight, get a comprehensive eye exam at Parkside Eye Care every year. These are not for adults only, but even young children. They will help you know if there are problems with your vision. Eye exams also assist with the early detection of eye diseases that may lead to vision loss. You can start treatment early and slow down the progression of age-related eye diseases.
Doctors can also detect other issues with your overall health by looking at your eyes. It will keep you safe from complications. These complications can lower your quality of life or hinder you from engaging in daily activities.
Take care of your eyes, and be intentional and consistent when doing it.
For more information on keeping your eyes healthy, visit Parkside Eye Care at our office in Cary, North Carolina. You can call (919) 883-9987 today to schedule an appointment.