The eyes are one of the most important organs in the body, allowing you to perceive the world around you. Eye health is essential not only for clear vision but also for your overall health. In this guide, you’ll learn essential tips to improve Eyesight and see well for a lifetime.
TIPS FOR MAINTAINING VISION HEALTH
1. Eat a Balanced Diet for Eye Health
The most important nutrients that help our vision are vitamins A, B, C and E, and minerals such as selenium, zinc, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium or copper, pigments such as lutein and zeaxanthin and fats, acids such as omega 3, olive oil and folic acid.
When added to our diet, they protect us from the sun’s UV rays, care for the cornea, nourish the nerves and the optic nerve, prevent the aging of retinal cells, prevent degenerative and chronic diseases, and offer many other benefits.
VITAMIN A
Vitamin A, also known as retinol, belongs to the carotenoid family, along with beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin. These foods are important for their antioxidant effect.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids. Foods such as milk, cheese, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, butter, spinach, pumpkin, cantaloupe, eggs, peaches, mangoes, peas, grapes, spinach or healthy fruits and vegetables; The darker the color of the fruit or vegetable, the higher the vitamin content. Berries, especially blueberries, are a good source of vitamin A.
VITAMIN B
Vitamin B complex, especially vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folic acid help protect the eyes against degenerative diseases. Lack of vitamin B can increase sensitivity, ocular inflammation and the risk of macular degeneration.
Vitamin B can be found in meat, beans, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, cereals, eggs and yeast.
VITAMIN C
Vitamin C also helps reduce the risk of developing diseases such as macular degeneration or glaucoma, and acts as a protective shield against fungal infections and ulcers.
VITAMIN D
Many studies have shown that sunshine vitamins can help protect retinal function, prevent age-related brain damage and protect the eyes from inflammation.
VITAMIN E
Vitamin E has antioxidant activity that may reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure. It can also prevent poor vision and strengthen eye muscles.
OMEGA 3
Omega-3 fatty acids are an excellent source of ocular health. In particular, they help prevent dry eyes and degenerative eye diseases such as retinopathy and age-related retinal degeneration. Numerous studies have shown that DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), from the omega-3 system, contributes to the proper functioning of the retina.
2. PROTECT YOUR EYES FROM UV RAYS
If we expose ourselves to the sun in a moderate way, we will obtain benefits such as:
The synthesis of vitamin D.
The stimulation of metabolic and circulatory processes…
If we abuse it, the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation will begin to appear.
As we have already mentioned, ultraviolet rays can damage the cells of our organism.
In the case of the skin, in the short term, they cause burns which, in the long term, can lead to skin cancer.
The same damage caused by ultraviolet light to the skin can be extrapolated to the eyes. Direct and continuous exposure to this type of radiation can cause various eye problems, including eyelid cancer or different types of eye tumors.
Sunglasses are the best tool to protect your eyes from the sun. It protects eyes, eyelids and surrounding skin. They should be used especially if you are near the equator, in the mountains, by the sea or on surfaces such as water, sand or snow, since sunlight reflects and therefore increases radiation. It is important to choose glasses with adequate filters that meet the quality standards required to perform the chosen activity. It is also very important to choose the right size of glasses that provide good protection both to our eyes and to adjacent areas such as the eyelids and the upper part of the cheekbones.
3. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Obesity can increase your risk of developing diabetes and other systemic diseases that can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy weight and prevent these eye diseases.
This disease occurs because high sugar levels damage the blood vessels in the retina. These blood clots can swell and leak. They can also seal and prevent bleeding. Sometimes, new abnormal blood vessels develop. All of these changes can cause vision loss.
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that can cause blindness in people with diabetes. It affects the blood vessels in the retina (the layer of sensitive tissue at the back of the eye).
If you have diabetes, it is important to have a complete eye exam at least once a year. Diabetic retinopathy may not have symptoms at first, but early detection can help protect your vision.
The changes that occur in diabetic retinopathy do not usually affect the central part of the retina (macula), so they do not cause a decrease in visual acuity, which the patient does not see. That is, the vision is thanks to the central part of the retina called macula, when there is diabetic retinopathy, may begin affecting the retina but not the macula, so the patient does not notice anything in the visual field or vision in general.
When the macula is affected, the patient’s vision worsens and the image becomes distorted.
Diabetic retinopathy can develop over many years without being diagnosed and can be present during diabetes. That is why monitoring and scheduling is the only way to detect and treat problems early.
Diabetes Diabetes is not always preventable. However, regular eye exams, proper control of blood sugar and blood pressure, and early intervention for vision problems can help prevent serious vision loss.
4. Quit Smoking
Smoking is harmful to every part of your body, including your eyes. It increases your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and optic nerve damage. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to protect your vision.
Smoking is already the most common preventable cause of death worldwide. Society is well aware of the effects tobacco smoke has on the body (cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and even cancer), but it is also known to affect the eyes and can cause vision loss. The toxins you inhale when you smoke enter your bloodstream and spread throughout your body, even reaching your eyes. This can lead to a variety of eye problems, such as cataracts, dry eyes, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, optic nerve problems, thyroid orbitopathy and uveitis wich are diseases that affects the retina and if they are not treated in time, can affect the vision permanently. Moreover, smoking does not only affect the body internally. Cigarette smoke can also affect the tissues around the eyes. Eye bags and eyelid symptoms such as swelling and irritation, yellowing of the eyes due to smoke hitting the lenses and other skin conditions that can affect the eyes can occur.
5. Get regular eye exams
Regular eye exams are essential to catch vision problems early. Eye exams can detect problems like glaucoma, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration before they cause serious damage. it is recommended to have an eye examination once a year.
6. Follow the 20-20-20 rule
Staring at a screen for long periods of time can cause digital eye strain.
If you spend too much time in front of screens such as computers, cellphones etc yo have to look every 20 minutes to a distant object at 20 feet during the period of 20 seconds. This procedure will alleviate the symptoms of eyestrain.
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