Your eyes are the window to your mental health, beauty, and general well-being. They are wonderful yet vulnerable organs that can be damaged if not treated with care. You need to protect your eyes from UV light, dust, pollen, and other environmental allergy-inducing elements. Below are the best life hacks to keep your eyes healthy.
Stay hydrated
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day keeps your eyes moist and lubricated. This reduces the risk of dry eye syndrome. To keep healthy, you should drink at least eight glasses of water daily. Water flushes out toxins from your body, which reduces eye strain and prevents dry eyes.
Eat healthy foods
Eating healthy improves overall health and keeps your vision in top shape by preventing eye diseases such as cataracts or macular degeneration. To improve eye health, take plenty of food that is good for your eye health. The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends observing diet and nutrition for healthy eyes. These include foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, beta carotene, lutein, and essential fatty acids. These are foods like; carrots, green leafy vegetables, eggs, and flax seeds.
Take breaks from your phone or computer screen
The blue light emitted from smartphones and tablets cause eye strain with prolonged use. To avoid this, take regular breaks from staring at your phone or computer. You should take at least a 20-second break every 20 minutes to give your eyes a rest from the screen, which helps reduce eye strain.
Increased use of technology worldwide has led to an increase in the number of people with eye health-related issues. To avoid eye strain and other vision problems practice tips that protect your eyes from the screen effects. When possible, turn off your phone’s backlight and dim the light in the room where you’re working.
Don’t forget your eye health during the winter
During winter, UV light can damage cells in the retina that control vision and lead to macular degeneration. If you’re going outside during the winter, ensure you wear sunglasses with UV protection rated at least 100% UV.
If you have dry eyes or allergies that cause redness, use over-the-counter artificial tears or as directed by your doctor. In winter, it’s darker outside, and you should get enough vitamin D to improve your eye health. Vitamin D helps with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that damages vision over time due to the deterioration of macular cells.
Wear sunglasses
Whenever you’re outside in the sun, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays that can damage your eyes and even cause permanent damage if not treated. The best type of sunglasses is those made with polycarbonate lenses, as they block out 100% UV rays without distorting color perception. You should avoid glasses made with flimsy plastic frames because they don’t offer much protection from sunlight exposure.
The ability to see is one of the basic human needs. To keep your eyes healthy you should see an eye care professional. With advancements in technology and service delivery in the eye health sector, you can now book an appointment with an Optician on Wheels, who visits you at your home or nearest locality and offers all eye-related products and services.
Adam Mulligan did his degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He is interested in mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
