Happy National Eye Health Month, everyone! To most people, maintaining good eye health simply means eating a large amount of carrots and making sure to visit your local optometrist, but there are in fact many other ways to ensure healthy eyesight. Some of them might even surprise you.
How to Keep Eyes Healthy in a Digital World
For the majority of people, their days are filled with devices that can and will cause eye strain. By simply learning a few small habits and implementing them daily, this strain can be avoided.
- Always be sure there is adequate lighting when using computers and handheld devices. Not only is too little light a bad idea, but too much light will also cause discomfort for your eyes. Avoid glares by keeping lights to the side as opposed to in front of or behind you.
- After prolonged periods of staring at an object close to you, your eyes might get a tad worn out from so much near focusing. One good way to manage this fatigue is to follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look up and out to a spot 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This will relax your eyes and stretch their focusing muscles.
- It might seem like a no brainer to some, but a lot of us forget to blink while intent on something in front of us – as much as five times less often according to studies. Our eyes need the lubrication provided by blinking so as to not dry out. Now, you could always try to concentrate on blinking more often, but that would probably be counterproductive. Instead, after doing the 20-20-20 exercise, blink extra slowly (as if falling asleep) 20 times.
Are There Any Foods That Improve Eye Health?
Absolutely! In fact, one supplement that has been quite popular in the health world lately is also incredibly beneficial for eye health as well. Omega-3 fatty acids provide the fatty acids our eyes crave while also fighting off a host of diseases, including macular degeneration. If you get your omega-3 fatty acids from flax seeds you will also be providing your eyes with lutein, a caretenoid which protects against sun damage.
Other sources high in lutein include spinach, kale and most green, leafy vegetables. Sulfur-containing foods, like eggs, onions, garlic and capers, help keep the lens of the eye healthy as well as protecting against cataract formation. And if you're interested in improving your night vision, blueberries and grapes in any form (yes, even wine) is all you'll need.
Exercise Will Improve Eye Health
Not only will an active lifestyle benefit your physique it can also improve the overall health of your eyes. It is known to reduce the irregularities in the blood and the type of inflammation that cause AMD (age-related macular degeneration).
There are also specific exercises done with the eyes which are claimed to improve sight to the point of not even needing corrective lenses anymore. One basic exercise is to place a stamp or small sticker on a window and stand a foot away from it. Now focus on the image then look off into the distance and focus on that. Continue alternating points of focus for 100 rounds making sure to keep your eyes as relaxed as possible throughout the exercise.
Do I Need to Protect My Eyes From the Sun?
Surprisingly, enough sunlight is one of the most beneficial things we can expose our eyes to. Our eyes are designed to let light in, and full-spectrum sunlight is the healthiest form of it. Truthfully, by "protecting" our bodies and eyes with chemical-laden sunscreens and dark sunglasses we're effectively weakening them.
John Ott has written some very interesting literature on the subject. There are even people out there who call themselves sun-gazers. The name says it all. Simply get out and look straight at the sun within an hour of sunrise or sunset and they claim you'll be doing your body – and your eyes – a whole lot of good.
Sources:
WebMD.com, "Regular Exercise May Reduce Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration" (accessed January 7, 2011).
EyeDoctorGuide.com, "Flax Seeds and Your Eyes" (accessed January 7, 2011).
AllAboutVision.com,"Computer Eye Strain: 10 Steps for Relief (accessed January 7, 2011).
Bewell.com, "Top 10 Foods for Healthy Vision" (accessed January 7, 2011).
Second-opinions.co.uk, "Full Spectrum Sunlight and Inner Health" (accessed January 7, 2011).
Rebecca Luerssen - Reading and writing have always been loves of mine, and I have a habit of losing myself when absorbed with written words. I am a ...
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