Maintain Good Eyesight

 

Sight is a primary sense. Don’t take it for granted. In fact. you should adopt the following 6 tips on maintaining good eyesight.

1. Eat for good vision

Good vision starts with what you put on your plate. Foods rich in lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C and E as well as zinc will help you ward off age-related vision problems like cataracts and macular degeneration. Which foods contain these nutrients? Well, the list includes;

• green and leafy vegetables like spinach, collard, and kale
• tuna, salmon and other types of oily fish
• eggs, beans, nuts plus a host of other non-meat proteins
• oranges, tangerines, and other citrus fruits
• pork and oysters

All in all, eat a well-balanced diet. This not only helps you maintain good health but also, keeps you free of obesity-related diseases like type-2 diabetes which is a leading cause of blindness in adults.

2. Do not smoke

Smoking is dangerous not only to your lungs but also to your eyesight. The behavior makes you much more susceptible to optic nerve damage, macular degeneration, and development of cataracts. If you are a smoker, try to stop. As much as it is hard to quit, keep trying. The more times you keep trying, the more likely you are to succeed.

3. Put on sunglasses

Wearing the right type of sunglasses will protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. Too much exposure to UVA and UBB rays increases the chance of a macular degeneration and development of cataracts. Go for sunglasses that offer 99% to 100% protection from harmful sun rays. Some of the options available include sunglasses, polarized lenses, and wraparound lenses.

4. Consider safety eye-wear

Are you a sports enthusiast keen on cycling, playing hockey, lacrosse or beach volleyball? Does your work involve dealing with hazardous/ airborne materials like flying debris? if the answer is yes, consider wearing protective eyewear like goggles or helmets with protective face marks. This way, you shield your eyes from objects that would otherwise cause injury.

5. Take a break from the TV/ computer screen

Watching too much television of staring at a computer monitor for too long can lead to eyestrain, dry eyes, blurry vision, neck, back and even shoulder pain, headaches and trouble focusing on distant objects. If you must, take the following precautionary measures;

• put on anti-glare glasses
• position the PC such that your eyes sit level with the top of the monitor
• install an anti-glare screen
• every 20 or so minutes, rest your eyes by looking at an object positioned 20 feet away from you, for about 20 seconds.
• take 15-minute breaks after every 2 hours

6. Make an appointment with your ‘eye doctor’

Everyone (including children) should have their eyes checked by an optometrist regularly. This helps diagnose eye diseases like glaucoma which hardly have any symptoms. Early detection of such symptoms makes it easy for the conditions to be treated. You can expect them to carry a number of tests.

These are foods and habits for better eye sight. Ignore them at your own peril.