1. Wear Sunglasses
Sunglasses aren’t just for looking cool. Wearing shades is one of the most important steps you can take when it comes to improving your eyes. You want sunglasses that block out UVA and UVB radiation from sunlight.
Sunglasses help protect your eyes from conditions that stem from eye damage. These include cataracts, macular degeneration, and pterygium—a growth of tissue over the white part of the eye.
2. Consume a Variety of Vegetables
Eating carrots is good for your eyes. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, an essential nutrient for vision. However, vitamin A isn’t the only vitamin that promotes healthy eye function. Make sure that you include foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, copper, and zinc in your diet.
As you get older, macular degeneration can become your biggest challenge. Antioxidants can help reduce macular degeneration. As such, eat foods such as eggs, pumpkins, carrots, dark leafy greens, and sweet potatoes.
Fish is also great for your eyes. Coldwater fish such as mackerel, wild salmon, and cod are rich in DHA, a fatty acid that strengthens cell membranes, including those in your eyes.
3. Avoid smoking
Apart from being unhealthy for many reasons, smoking can contribute to blindness. Smoking can increase your chances of developing cataracts and can cause age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Additionally, smoking can reduce the number of antioxidants that are beneficial to your eyes.
4. Stay fit
Yes, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can help your eyes, not just your waistline. Type 2 diabetes, which is more common in people who are overweight or obese, can cause damage to the tiny blood vessels in the eyes.
5. Follow the 20-20-20 rule
Your eyes work hard during the day and need a break now and then. The strain can be especially intense if you work at a computer for long stretches at a time. To ease the strain, follow the 20-20-20 rule.
That means every 20 minutes, you should stop staring at your computer and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Rina Mistry
Optometrist