The Best Tips For Healthy Eyes

As we make our way into 2019, we think of all the New Year resolution promises we made. Undoubtedly health and diet make the list for the majority of us. So, let’s kick right into the new year from a different angle. Let’s look at your most precious sense – your vision. Almost everyone would agree on the importance of our eye sight. Just how do we go about looking after our eyes?

Quit Smoking

If you are a smoker, we hope this one made your list separately. We can go on and on about how bad smoking is for your body. But what we really need to know is how bad smoking is for your eyes. While we all know smoking can cause lung cancer, what we really need to know is how it damages your eyes. It must be alarming to know that smoking causes blindness from macular degeneration. So, time to give smoking the flick?

Sun Protection

Here’s a tip that will have you looking good and seeing great. Pop down to your optometrist and grab a pair of sunglasses. UV light from the sun is known to cause cataracts and macular degeneration. Not only should a pair of sunglasses be dark to cut back glare, but ensure they are of good quality to offer UV protection as well.

Eat Well

Another tip that might already be on the list is to give your diet a health check. We don’t mean just to eat carrots for your night vision. Increasingly the advice is to eat foods high in antioxidants such as colorful fruits and vegetables. It doesn’t have to be as boring as spinach. Raspberries, blackberries and strawberries are fantastic and delicious choices. We hear that an orange a day keeps macular degeneration away!

Dry Eyes

The latest evidence suggests eating Omega 3 oils helps with dry eyes. These we can obtain from eating fish, seeds and nuts. So next time instead of reaching for that bottle of eye drops, maybe grab a tin of tuna instead. Try and switch out the lollies and chocolate bars with nuts. Walnuts are a great source of Omega 3 oils. Especially if you’re just not that into fish. Another fantastic tip for the green smoothie lover is to add chia seeds. They will add the slightest texture, but chia seeds are very high in Omega 3 oils. Give it a go and make some small changes to fight dry eye.

Good Lighting

Don’t slave away in the dark. Especially if you’re working on the computer. Your eyes are quite good at letting in just the right amount of light depending on the lighting conditions. Using a computer monitor in a dark room creates a large contrast. It’ll likely lead to tired eyes and headaches. Secondly, you will find reading is much easier with good lighting.

Maintaining Great Eyes

On top of the tips above, try incorporating this into your daily routine. Invest in a great face towel, 100% cotton preferably. Now what you should do is give your eye lids a good clean every morning with warm water. We want to make sure all the crusting is removed whenever we wake up. Keeping the area around the eyes clean will reduce the risk of eye infections. Even more so this applies for any make up on the eye lids or surrounds. In this case, make up should always be removed before sleeping. Lastly, check the packaging for any eye make up you might use. Pay particular attention to the best before date. The new year is a great time to throw out anything more than six months old.

Above all, have your eyes tested regularly by a recommended optometrist. It is always best to have problems detected sooner rather than later. The advice of a professional with your eye health in their best interests is the best advice you can receive.

Don’t wait any longer, get into gear and incorporate these tips into your new year plan. Look after your eye sight with this easy and effective guide. You have plenty more to see and enjoy in the years to come. Your future self will thank you later.

Elizabeth Morgan is a freelance lifestyle writer with interests in health and wellbeing.