Protecting your eyesight is one of the most important things you can do to help maintain your quality of life. Some type of sight-threatening eye problem affects one in six adults age 45 and older. And the risk for vision loss only increases with age.
7 Scientifically Proven Ways To Protect Your Eyesight
In fact, a recent American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) report estimates that more than 43 million Americans will develop age-related eye diseases by 2020. Since the leading causes of blindness and low vision in the United States are primarily age-related diseases such as macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, protecting your eyesight as you age is an essential part of your health care.
Proven Ways To Improve Eyesight Naturally
Eat carrots
Remember when mom would nag you to eat your carrots because they
improved your eyesight? I always thought it meant it would eventually
give me night vision. Well, it doesn’t quite work that way, but carrots
are certainly good for your eyesight.
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a carotenoid pigment which is an
essential precursor for vitamin A. Deficiencies in vitamin A are the
leading causes of blindness in the developing world. Lack of vitamin A
can also lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, and Xerophthalmia (a
disease characterized by dry eyes, swollen eyelids, and corneal ulcers).
Carrots contain lutein, an important antioxidant. Lutein-rich foods
are known to increase the density of pigment in the macula, the
yellow-shaped oval area in the center of the retina. As pigment density
increases, the retina is protected more, and the risk for macular
degeneration decreases. Check out an awesome carrot smoothie recipe
here.
Follow the 20/20/20 rule : How to improve vision
Optometrists usually recommend for patients with strained eyes to
start this activity at work. If you stare at screens or read for much of
your day, every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds at a time, look 20 feet away
from you. WorkSafe at Oregon State University recommends this as it
keeps the eye tissues flexible and oxygenated. You should allow your
eyes and facial muscles to relax.
Get your greens in
Your dark, leafy greens that is. We mean kale, spinach and collard
greens, among others, AKA the healthiest foods on the planet. These
veggies receive a ton of praise for all their health benefits, and
eyesight is certainly no exception.
Lutein, also a key nutrient in carrots, absorbs blue light as part of
their mechanism to capture energy from sunlight through photosynthesis.
We recommend that to take in all the benefits of your greens; you
consume them along with a fat such as cashew milk, olive oil or avocado.
For some smoothie inspiration, check out one of our delicious green
smoothie recipes.
Incorporate high arginine foods
So, what’s arginine, you ask? You’ll find it highest in sources of
white meat; turkey, chicken, and pork. But for the vegans and
vegetarians, you can also find high amounts of arginine in pumpkin
seeds, lentils, chickpeas, and peanuts.
Arginine contains nitric oxide, which has been shown to increase
vasodilation and improve contractility in the area that drains fluid
from the eye, creating a decrease in pressure in the eye, which actually
can reduce the chances of glaucoma.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the United
States, being defined as damage to the optic nerve caused by high
levels of intraocular pressure. So the high levels of pumpkin and turkey
being consumed this time of year could be reducing your risk of
glaucoma! Arginine can also improve liver function.
Get outside
Before you get settled into playing video games twelve hours a day,
it’s important to remember that allowing our eyes plenty of time to
adjust to far distances and daylight can reduce straining in the muscles
around the eye. A 2014 study showed that for each additional hour
children spent outdoors per week, their risk of being nearsighted
dropped by about two percent.
Another study in October 2016 from the University of Waterloo found
that children who spend just one extra hour a week outside lower their
risk of developing nearsightedness by 15 percent, a new study from the
University of Waterloo has found. These studies focus on vision
development in children, but the studies also demonstrate that also too
much exposure to UV light could damage the retina, spending a healthy
amount of time outdoors could help to maintain good vision in adults.
Exercise your eyes!
Although there isn’t much scientific backing to prove these exercises
do improve your eyesight, many claim it can ease the strain your eyes
undergo every day. Follow the eye movements in order from the table, and
let us know if any of them worked to alleviate tension in or around
your eyes.
Drink Water to Improve Eyesight
The number one piece of health advice you just can’t get away from.
Staying hydrated is without a doubt the most important way of ensuring
your mind and body function at their best. Drinking pure water will
prevent your eyes from drying out by maintaining a moist environment.
According to America’s Best, optometrists say that the number one eye
complaint they hear is related to dry eye and its symptoms. That
lubrication allows your eyes to do everything from producing tears to
focusing. Your eyes are one part of the body that should always have
fluid present.
Without proper hydration, your eyes lack the fluids they need to
clean out debris (with tears), to blink comfortably, and even to see
without straining. Your eyes are happiest when there is plenty of liquid
in there to keep things clean and operating properly.
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