As a fully-operating generation of the 21st century, most of us commit what could be called an 'eye suicide' each day. We begin our day looking at our phones and end it by putting the same phone on a charger; not to forget the constant shuffling across screens like laptops, TV screens, iPad screens, and Kindle through the day. With the pandemic and work-from-home culture, the situation has only worsened, to say the least. Having said all this, provided the rapidly moving world we live in, it is also not a practical solution to expect one to stop or even minimize screen usage. So how does one take care of eye health day on day?

Taking care of your eye health is actually not as easy as you may always have thought. Even the simplest of things like eating foods for good eye health and adopting eye health tips in your current lifestyle can take you a long way.

And on those lines, here are the best practices to ensure and improve your eye health-

1. Eat Eye-Healthy Foods

What you eat and what you input in your body highly determines how your bodily organs would perform; eyes being no exception. In terms of boosting your eye health, it is advised to eat favourable vegetables and fruits for eye health like blueberries, apricot, and grapes, green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach), carrots, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts. In addition to fruits and vegetables, superfoods like nuts and berries should also be consumed regularly. These foods for eye health not only help maintain excellent vision but also help to improve your eyesight and fight age-related eye problems like macular degeneration.

2. Quit Smoking

If you are a smoker, you may have often been told how bad that stick is for your lungs but we come bearing some bad news: smoking is worse for your eyes. Smoking is known to be excessively harmful to the eyes and is known to increase the chances of developing cataracts. While cataract remains the most vulnerable eye diseases smokers are prone to, regular smoking can also further cause optic nerve damage, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic-related retinopathy, amongst many other fatal health problems in general.

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3. Ditch The Screen!

Screens like that of computer, TV, and iPad are what we spend most of our time of the day on and it is not hard to understand why minimizing screen usage is often advised as an eye health tip. Continued staring at a screen throughout the day can cause massive eye strain which could further result in blurry vision, dry eyes, and even severe headaches. Though it may not be possible to not look at a screen, it is advised to take a break at least every 20-30 minutes by looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds. One could also try to reduce screen brightness and ensure regular and frequent blinking in order to keep the front surface of the eye moist and hydrated.

4. Ensure Optimal Rest

Ensuring 6-hours of sleep is not necessary only for the generally efficient performance of the brain and body, but also that of the eyes. Adequate sleep of 6-8 hours is necessary to calm the otherwise overworked eye all day. It is also recommended to try to limit the time in front of a screen as much as possible at least on the weekend.

5. Hydrate!

Another very important eye health tip that cannot be stressed enough is to hydrate. Water intake does not only activate tired eyes instantly but also makes sure that the eyes are generally hydrated and moist to avoid dryness or blurriness.

Bonus eye health tip: You could also fill your mouth with water and splash water on your face with eyes wide open to experience instant tension release/ refreshment and relaxation of the face and eyes.

6.  Eye Exercises

Including even ten minutes of eye exercises in your everyday routine, to begin with, can enormously help improve not only your eye health but also your vision in the long term.

• Challenge your vision with optical illusions and memory games easily available at the click of a Google search
• Nodding your head up and down to increase the blood circulation to your neck and eyes
• Eye roll! Start by looking up; then slowly circle 10 times clockwise + 10 times counter-clockwise
• Rub your palms briskly to create heat and place them over the eyes during work breaks
• Other general eye exercises like rapid blinking, and sideways tracing of figure 8 with eyeballs could also help

7. Sun Protect

Prolonged exposure to the sun can be detrimental to eye health not only in summer but also during cold winters when we most overlook eye protection. Invest in fully protective sunglasses and use OTC  eye drops or a humidifier to ensure eye moistness during winters.

Final Thoughts: How Nutrition Affects Eye Health

While eye exercises, annual eye health checkups, minimizing screen time, wearing sunglasses, etc. are some external sources of ensuring good eye health, the best eye health tip and practice is to watch what you put in your body. Food fuels eye health and eye longevity as much as it does for other body parts. For example, committing to a balanced eye-nutrition-specific diet packed with nutrients and vitamins like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and C, and zinc can significantly minimize most eye conditions and diseases, including severe cases like age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.

If you are suffering from eye health problems, just altering your diet with the right foods for eye health can take you a long way and we at Nutrition By Loveneet know exactly how! If you are looking for a diet that includes the best foods for eye health, we can help you. Reach out to us today and do not forget to do a quick eye-roll exercise to give your eyes a break at the end of this blog!

FAQs

1. What kind of sunglasses should I wear for eye protection?

In order to ensure the best eye health, always invest in sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays to protect your eyes. It should be noted that excessive exposure to UV rays or the sun, in general, can cause long-term cataracts and macular degeneration.

2. How can I improve my eye health?

Multiple simple lifestyle changes can go a long way to sustain favourable eye health in the long term. For example, eating a balanced & healthy diet, regular eye/body exercises, optimal night's rest, eliminating smoking, and ensuring eye protection against screen and sunlight with specialized glasses.

3. What is the best food to eat for eye health?

When it comes to how to improve your eye health, step 1 is to ensure nutrition. Eat “eye health foods,” like citrus fruits, berries, kiwi, and juices made from guava, grapefruit, and orange. The best vegetables for eye health include leafy green vegetables like kale & spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash.

4. What to eat for eye health?

Apart from citrus fruits and leafy vegetables, salmon is considered to be one of the best meats for eye health. Salmon and most other fish are loaded with omega-3 fatty acid which helps maintain the eye’s protective tear film, contributes to visual development, minimizes dry eyes, and prevents cataracts.