Eye problems are one of the largest problems seen today. Even tiny tots are seen wearing big thick glasses to see! All of this has increased so much because of the lifestyle we live today. In the present age, we are so caught up in our smartphones that we don’t realize our eyes being over exposed to them. Moreover, we have a lifestyle of utter stress, where we don’t get enough sleep and always have our minds working. To add to that, we have diets that include foods like burgers, fries, pizzas, and what not! How do you expect our eyes to stay healthy then?
How are lifestyle and eyesight connected?
An unhealthy lifestyle generally leads to conditions like diabetes and heart diseases; we all know that. But, do you know that lifestyle also affects our eyesight!? Deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the diet results in various kinds of eye disorders. Research also indicates that unhealthy diet, increased weight, excess smoking and alcohol, all result in reduced eyesight. Thus, maintaining a healthy lifestyle will not only keep you fit, but will also take care of your eyes.
How to keep the eyes healthy?
In order to keep our eyes healthy, there are very simple, yet important, lifestyle changes that we can adapt.
Improve your diet – Get away from all that bread and white flour that you are having every day. Switch to foods rich in vitamins. Vitamin A and Vitamin C are very good for eye health. The foods that contain these vitamins are spinach, broccoli, carrots, orange, papaya, red pepper, and sweet potato. Also, fish is a good source of Omega-3, which is again good for the eyes.
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Break free from the digital worlds – If you are keeping your eyes too exposed to the digital screens, beware! These are the devices that are harming your eyes the most. Keep away as much as you can from your laptops and smartphones. And, if you really have to, adopt the 20-20-20 rule. This is the rule in which you must look at something that is 20 feet away, for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes that you look at the screen. This will provide relief to the eyes.
Keep your eyes protected – Too much sun exposure and pollution also affect the eyes. So, whenever you are out, sun or not, make sure you wear protective eye gear. It could be sunglasses during the day, and zero number glasses during the night. You can also opt for UV-protected sun-block glasses to be absolutely sure.
Get enough sleep – Your sleep patterns affect your eyes a lot. Lack of sleep can impact your eyes negatively. Get enough sleep to keep your eyes rested so that they perform better and for longer.
Perform eye exercises – Just like exercise is important to keep the body fit, eye exercises also help to keep the eyes healthy. Warming your eyes through rubbing, focusing your eyes, muscle exercises – all such exercises can strengthen your eyes and better your eyesight.
Avoid smoking – Too much smoking can be hazardous for the eyes. Tobacco increases the risk of eye diseases. So, avoid any kind of tobacco intake; whether it is cigarettes or chewing tobacco.
Regular eye checkup – Even after all that you do, you should have regular eye exams scheduled. You may think you have good eye health, but a checkup will help you know if you actually have a disease. Probably, you can catch a disease at the initial stage, and get it eliminated right away, even before it starts affecting your eyes! Arohi Eye Hospital is the best eye specialist in Oshiwara Mumbai where you can book your eye checkup appointment immediately.
Dr. Shradha Goel
Dr. Shradha Goel, Chief Surgeon at Arohi Eye Hospital, is a renowned Phaco-LASIK surgeon with over 10,000 surgeries to her credit. She earned her MBBS from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, and a Master’s in Ophthalmology from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. As a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Dr. Goel specialises in LASIK, refractive errors, and cataract treatments.