Sightsavers suggests preventative tips for maintaining eye health

* Partner Post

Let's be honest with ourselves. Most of us don't pay enough attention to our eye health. It is sad but true. For many of us, we may go to the eye doctor here and there but that doesn't contribute to the long-term health of our eyes like daily practices do. Some of these practices are very easy to implement into our lifestyles. If you fail to do some of the most simple healthy practices for your eyes, you may end up with macular degeneration, cataracts, or trachoma. All of these things can lead to blindness but a lot of it can be prevented. In this article, I am going to be going over some simple things that you can implement into your lifestyle to guarantee great vision and healthy eyes as you age.

1. Have a nutritious diet

As the great philosopher said, "Let food be thy medicine". This saying has been known for centuries but few still know the importance of diet and the role it plays in our overall health and well being. As far as eye health is concerned, I would focus on eating a diversified diet full of vegetables, meats, fruits, and nuts. I would especially eat things like carrots and green leafy vegetables as these foods have many micronutrients that benefit the eyes. Two other powerful nutrients that I would recommend taking in supplement form would be lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients keep the cells in your eyes healthy. In the end, a well-balanced diet really protects you against blindness and other health concerns.

2. Limit the screen time

For most Americans, we are constantly looking at screens. Whether it is our phones at home, our monitors at work, or our televisions at night, they all can put tremendous strain on the eye. Over time, it can also increase blurry vision, headaches, and trouble focusing the eyes. If it is mandatory to stay in front of a screen, turn the brightness down and take breaks throughout the day. If it is the evening, I would recommend turning on the blue light filter which filters out blue light radiation. This radiation can mess with your melatonin levels. All in all, I would just put the devices up after a certain time. Instead of watching TV at night, read a book or play a game with friends. This will positively impact your eye health.

3. Wear sunglasses

Every day we walk outside, we are presented with the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Not only can the rays negatively affect our skin health but our eye health as well. This is why it is so important to wear sunglasses when you are outside. Even wear them in the winter or when it is cloudy out. When you are shopping for sunglasses, choose some that block our 99% to 100% of the rays. If you are going to be driving a lot, I would recommend polarized sunglasses as these reduce glare.

All in all, I really hope you can implement these three tips into your lifestyle and benefit from them. For more information, check out Sightsavers.org as the site provides helpful information regarding eye health.