A clear line of sight, spots, or blurriness? Well, whatever the answer is, you need to prioritise your eyes. With the NHS estimating more than 2 million people are living with sight loss in the UK, it's a topic that needs to be discussed more often.
Spoiler alert.
Your eyesight isn't always going to stay at its prime. Factors like too much screen time, diet, lack of sleep, smoking, lack of eye protection, and age-related changes can cause it to degrade.
Some of these factors can be prevented by yourself, while others are inevitable.
Dive in with us as we uncover the secrets of harnessing your eye health below.
Factors when considering eye health
When considering your eye health, there are several factors you have to take into account, such as:
Digital devices
Did you know over three quarters of the British population suffer from headaches just from spending too much time in front of their screens? That's just one side effect of eye strain, another is deteriorating eye habits.
Too much screen time can cause you to look at your screen for prolonged periods, stopping you from even blinking- which can lead to short-sightedness and often blurry vision.
Eye protection
Prolonged exposure to UV radiation from the sun can cause various eye problems if you don't protect your eyes with sufficient sunglasses or hats to block out the rays. There's a higher risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, and other eye conditions.
Diet
A lot of research supports the consumption of nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamins C and E, which may help with eye problems. Many of these nutrients can be obtained from a healthy diet of leafy greens, fish, and vitamins. However, if you fail to have a healthy diet, again, you could be at risk of macular degeneration.
Exercise
Exercise is imperative for good eye health. Research shows that if you exercise regularly and have a slightly increased heart rate, you could be facing a significantly lower risk of glaucoma, macular degeneration, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and more. Let's face it: If you don't exercise regularly, the blood vessels in your eyes can become blocked.
Smoking
Smoking, especially heavy smoking, can increase the risk of developing cataracts. Also, if you have type 1 or 2 diabetes and smoke, you can also increase the likelihood of diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness.
Family history
Some conditions, like age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, can be more genetically predisposed. To avoid these, it's essential to know your family history and discuss it with a doctor to take preventative measures if needed.
How to maintain good eyesight?
It's not difficult to look after your eyes; just implement the following lifestyle changes:
Eat the right foods
One of the best ways of protecting your eyesight is by undertaking natural methods, i.e., your DIET! On a daily basis, you'll want to pack your plate with healthy foods high in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins E and C.
Consuming these nutrients will slow down your chance of developing cataracts or macular degeneration. So try balancing your meals with salmon, eggs, green veggies, and citrus fruits. These types of foods also decrease the likelihood of diabetes, which is often one of the biggest contributors to blindness.
Take regular screen breaks
It's 2024, which means tech and gadgets are on the rise now more than ever before. You're likely reading this post on your tablet, computer, or phone.
If you're a regular user like most of the population, you could be at risk of eyestrain, headaches, neck and shoulder pain. This means that if you don't take enough breaks from your screen, you could be facing serious eye problems. To help your eyesight, try to take regular breaks and:
- Abide by the 20-20-20 rule. Take a break every 20 minutes by looking 20 feet ahead for 20 seconds.
- Sit on an ergonomic chair and ensure your screen is at eye level
- Wear blue light glasses/contacts appropriate for screens
- Blink whenever you can!
Go for regular eye checks!
You've likely heard the saying, "You should have gone to Specsavers' and rightly so. If you get to the point of needing glasses or operations, it can be a time-consuming and costly experience. So whether it's Specsavers or any other opticians, you'll want to get eye screening at least once a year.
In a comprehensive examination, your optician will undergo the following:
- Vision testing
- A review of your health and family history of eye diseases
- A dilated eye exam checking your optic nerve and retina
- A refraction test
Everyone should get eye screenings regularly. During the screening, your doctor may recommend that you schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist if they believe you have a potential vision or eye problem.
Wear sunglasses
If you live in a sunny country or vacation regularly, you'll want to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun's rays. Opt for a polarised set of lenses that block around 99%- 100% of UVB and UVA rays whenever possible. If you wear contact lenses, try also wearing sunglasses, which provide an additional layer of protection.
Final thoughts
Let's face it, your eyes are precious, and you must do everything possible to protect them. Which means attending yearly eye checkups, having a balanced diet, taking regular screen breaks and wearing eye protection.
If you don't look after your eye health, you could be at significant risk of speeding up macular degeneration, cataracts, and, at worst, blindness.
Losing your vision can seriously degrade the quality of your life- so do everything you can to protect it.
Your eye health isn’t the only avenue to focus on, check out our article on how to maintain healthy bones.