Have you ever thought about the fact that you should protect your vision? Even if you are seasoned and experienced a long life, there is still things you can do to protect your vision. One great way to start is with eating right
Eating Right – It all starts with your diet.
It’s more than just eating your carrots. nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E might help ward off age-related vision problems like macular degeneration and cataracts.
- Dark leafy greens – (kale, spinach,broccoli, Brussel sprouts) lower the risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts.
- Orange fruit and vegetables – Beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A that gives these foods their orange hue, helps the retina and other parts of the eye to function smoothly. (Orange Pepper, sweet potato, carrots)
- Organic Pasteurized egg yolk – reduce your macular degeneration risk
- Fatty Fish: Tuna, salmon, mackerel, anchovies and trout are rich in DHA, a fatty acid found in your retina.
- Nuts and Seeds – Sunflower seeds, Almonds, peanut butter.
Let some fresh sun light in.
Spending time outdoors offers exposure to multiple types of light, including ultraviolet B rays (UVB, which leads to the production of vitamin D) and visible bright light – two additional “nutrients” to feed your vision health. Research shows that people with nearsightedness have lower blood levels of vitamin D.
Things that could damage your vision:
- Rubbing your eyes
- Not getting enough sleep
- Not drinking enough water – dehydration causes you not to produce adequate amount of tears to keep your eyes hydrated.
- Not wearing sunglasses
- Staring at your smartphone
- Looking at any type of screen right before you go to bed
- Smoking – It makes you more likely to get cataracts, damage to your optic nerve, and macular degeneration.
- Overusing eye drops.
- For the ladies, mis-using eye makeup.
Vision Myths – Just so we are clear. (pun intended)
- Squinting being bad for vision – Squinting won’t hurt your eyes; it actually enhances your focus as your pupil gets smaller with the decreased amount of light. However, if you find yourself squinting frequently, it might be a sign that you need glasses or contacts to correct a refractive error (such as near-sightedness or far-sightedness).
- Sitting too close to the TV – There’s no evidence that sitting too close to the TV will damage the eyes; however, it may be a sign of nearsightedness
- If you cross your eyes , they’ll stay that way – Contrary to the old saying, your eyes will not stay that way if you cross them. If you or your child can’t control an eye from crossing, schedule an exam with an eye doctor.
- UV rays are only harmful in the summer sun – This is an important myth to bust! Radiation from the sun beams down regardless of the weather, and your eyes are exposed to UV rays 365 days a year. Keep your eyes protected with glasses that block UV.
- I only need to visit my eye doctor if something seems wrong – You should have a comprehensive eye exam every year, even if your eyes feel fine. Annual eye exams help protect your vision and provide insight into overall health. Diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and multiple sclerosis can be discovered during an eye exam.
Source Cred: webmd.com
I advise you to do your own research. Everyone’s body is different. I’m not a doctor or nutritionist. I’m just sharing my findings.
Are their other ways to protect your vision that I left out? Want to share them with the community? Let me know. Join the Capturing Light Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/capturinglightcommunity/.