Our eyes are one of our most precious assets. Without them, we would not be able to see the beauty of our world or communicate our feelings and emotions. It is vital that we look after them properly to protect our vision. Here are some ways to do just that.
Wear The Appropriate Eyewear
The sun’s UV rays are very damaging to our eyes as the blue light from the solar spectrum can cause damage to the eyelid, cornea, lens, and retina and lead to cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. It is essential to wear sunglasses whenever the sun is bright, and ones that are wraparound or large in size are best as they block out most of the suns’ rays. Large glasses also cover a large area of skin around the eyes. This area is most susceptible to the development of skin cancer.
Being in snowy conditions can cause damage to the eyes as the glare from the sun bouncing off the bright snow can cause snow blindness and burn the corneas. Windy weather conditions can make debris fly into the eyes and damage them, so it is best to wear some sort of protective eyewear when you can.
If you have a job that requires you to wear safety glasses, you should do so at all times. If you need glasses for reading and don’t want to wear your reading glasses and plastic protective eyewear, look at purchasing bifocal safety glasses that will make it easy for you to read and protect your vision at the same time.
Eat a Healthy Diet
What we eat has a significant impact on our health, so to keep our eyes in tip-top condition, we must eat a balanced diet. It has been discovered that foods rich in antioxidants, omega -3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamins C and E can help prevent retinal damage. An antioxidant essential for eye health is lutein, which is found in green leafy vegetables, eggs, wheat, and corn. Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can damage the eyes, as can a lack of exercise. A person needs a good diet and plenty of exercises to keep fit and healthy and stop narrowing of the arteries, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Get Them Checked Regularly
Everyone should get their eyes checked at least every two years – more often if they have eye issues. Regular eye examinations can help prevent loss of sight, detect eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. Eye tests can also find if a person has high blood pressure, diabetes, and a disease called Intracranial Hypertension or Pseudotumour Cerebri. This condition presents as raised fluid pressure around the brain and can cause papilledema, or swelling of the optic nerve.
Deteriorating eyesight can reduce a person’s quality of life as they cannot read, watch television, see things clearly, and they may be in danger of falling more readily.
