Essential eye care

Our vision is a wonderful gift which most people may take for granted. The only time we think about it, is when our vision starts to deteriorate. Being aware of the importance of your eyesight deteriorating eyesight due to aging, diseases, or lifestyle problems. Imagine not being able to see everyday things normally, like your children, enjoy nature, or even watch television.

If you have deteriorating eyesight, you may not enjoy life to the fullest, hence it is important to take preventive care before it happens. Eye-care expert said that it is important to check your eyes regularly because you may now know if you have have problems, until you do so.

By going for regular checkups, we can monitor if there are any changes or imbalance in your vision, weakness in eye focus, and whether the prescription has changed. Having a good pair of glasses is important for good vision and comfort rather than just looking good. If the prescription is not right, it is possible to function on a daily basis. Below are some ways to care for your eyes:

1. Wear a good pair of sunglasses.

Frequent exposure to sunlight, especially during midday, can cause damage to the eyes in the long run. That is why, whenever you are driving or walking under the sun, you should always wear sunglasses with good UVA and UVB p to keep your eyes from being exposed to too much sun.

A good pair of sunglasses will give you maximum UV protection and obviously looks good as well. When you go to a proper shop, they will recommend a right pair of sunglasses for you either for work, sports, or driving.

2. Get the proper nutrients.

There are a lot of good food sources to help you maintain good eyesight. Vitamin A, C and E do immense good for your eyes. Consume fruits like orange, kiwi, and grapes which contain antioxidants to boost your night vision.

Eat green vegetables like spinach, green peas, and lettuce to improve your eyesight. Foods such as nuts, seeds, pepper, eggs, fish and other poultry products also add the necessary nutrition to improve your eye health. Minerals and nutrients help protect your eyes from damages and get rid of age-related problems.

3. Drink plenty of water.

Waste products and toxins that are not properly eliminated can affect your eyes indirectly. If you love your eyes, you must make sure your body is able to get rid of the toxins and waste products effectively from the things you eat and other environmental factors. Drink at least eight to 12 glasses of water everyday for successful waste elimination.

4. Get enough sleep.

You may have a different sleeping schedule for work or study. But you should have enough time to rest your eyes. You may need more than five hours sleep to generally make your eyes function well. If you eyes are tired, no matter how good or bad your glasses, you won't get a proper vision because you are tired. It is also important to rest well before getting your eyes checked.

5. Eye exercise.

Exercising your eyes can supply enough oxygen and can make them function better. Exercise your eyes by focusing on a pencil tip about a foot away, while keeping one eye closed. Focus on the pencil tip and on another object repeatedly. This will make your eyes muscle stronger.

Also roll your eyes clockwise, then counter-clockwise. Repeat five times, blinking in between each time. Strengthening the eye muscles may delay reading problems, and improve short-sightedness. Another popular eye exercise is called Union Jack where you look from side-to-side, up and down, left to right, and far and near.

6. Have your eyes checked regularly.

This is necessary especially if you feel some discomfort of irritation in you eyes that have persisted for weeks. Be sure to let the ophthalmologist examine your eyes completely and let him know the activities that may cause these eye problems. Visiting an eye doctor should be a part of any natural eye care regimen.

It is important to check your eyes regularly to make sure there are no changes in your prescription, and detect if there are any irregularities with either eyes. With early detection, we can take corrective measures, give the right prescription, or do further investigation before it is too late.

Also read the article how to take care of your eyes.

Taken from: News Straits Times - 12 September 2012 (article), Google (images).