We have always listened to or read this phrase, “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.” For centuries, different cultures and tribes have always promoted eye health. Eyes are the most integral part of the human body. If we cannot see correctly, we cannot carry out our simple daily tasks. More than twenty million people in the US have vision loss. We usually do not bother much unless we start facing troubles with our vision. Eye issues are common and can happen at any age. Even a kid as young as few years can have impaired vision, and with age, these problems become inevitable.
The environment we work in, the food we eat, and how we take care of our eyes affect our eyesight. Our life is more reliant on gadgets than it was before. Our studies, work, and even our leisure activities are revolving around devices and increased screen time. We cannot drop our gadgets, but we can practice some preventive measures to keep our eyes healthy and away from damage. Genes also play a significant role in our overall health, but we can delay the onset of such problems.
Have you been feeling puffiness around your eyes? Or noticed some heaviness recently? We may ignore it as an oversleeping symptom, but it can also be a medical issue that may require a visit to an ophthalmologist. The puffiness is due to the excessive skin that makes our eyes droopy or appearing double eyelids. Your doctor might suggest blepharoplasty to remove the excessive skin. The common issues that exist are farsightedness, cataract, nearsightedness, glaucoma, and age-related muscular degeneration. Are you looking for ways to overcome common eye issues and have healthy eyes? Here is what you can do.
1. Improve your diet
If we ask you to count the healthy foods that you eat, what will be your answer? You might come up with a small number of healthy meals that you consume in a day. Many of us have 9 hours of jobs that require them to sit continuously in front of a screen. Facing the screen for a long time can strain our eyes. Even if we are not working, we cannot take our eyes off of our mobiles. These long screen exposures can damage our eyes. Including the essential minerals and vitamins necessary for our eyes can reduce the chances of eye problems. Eating vitamin A, C, and E rich foods can help our eyes to function better and improve eye health overall. You can add carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, and other foods rich in these vitamins to give a healthy nutrient boost to your eyes.
2. Use sunglasses
We all know that rays from the sun have different wavelengths, and if you work out in the open fields under the sun, you might need to take precautions. The ultraviolet rays from the sun can damage our eyes. The UV blocking sunglasses can help us delay cataract formation as the rays can alter the retinal appearance. Sun rays are known for causing skin cancer. Using sunglasses that can protect your eyes from the sun can also reduce the chances of wrinkles and cancerous cell development around our eyes.
3. Quit smoking
The common perception about smoking is that it can cause mouth cancers or damage our lungs. Not many of us are wary of the effect of tobacco on our eyes. The cigarette not only contain nicotine or tobacco, but it also has some cyanide in it. When we light a cigarette, the smoke we inhale has cyanide residues that reach our bloodstream and destroy our retinal cells. People who smoke are at advanced risk of evolving cataracts than those who do not smoke. It can also induce dry eyes symptoms along with increasing the risk of macular degeneration. The term macular degeneration refers to an incurable condition that destroys the vision and center of the eye.
4. Avoid using gadgets
It is an inevitable circumstance that we cannot quit using gadgets. From using computers at our workplaces to our mobiles, our screen time is more than the recommended limit. Exposing our eyes repetitively to bright light and not giving them rest can lead to dry eyes. Giving your eyes ample rest during your screen time can prevent the severity of eye problems. It is vital to take twenty minutes pause after an hour of using the screen. It will reduce the effect of light on our eyes, and it will also help our vision. People often develop dry eyes due to long hours of staring at the screen.
5. Have a regular eye examination
Besides taking preventive measures for your eyes and following every step with caution, have your doctor’s insight. Scheduling your eye examination with your ophthalmologist can keep you updated about your eye’s condition, and it can also alert you if any signs can cause issues later in life. People in their 40s shall have a baseline eye exam, and those nearing 50 or 60s shall have an eye exam every two to four years to keep a tab on their vision.
Conclusion
Eyes are vital organs of our bodies; we cannot function without any organ if it stops working. Health issues can occur at any age, and often they are more severe than one can imagine, but we can always take care of ourselves. Practicing some healthy habits like changing our diet patterns, improving our sleep, and taking all other precautionary measures can delay the onset of eye-related health issues and prevent vision loss.
