Eyes are a gift from God, they are the part of the body that makes us realize the beauty of the world. However, with time the risks related to it are increasing due to disturbances in lifestyle and diet. Be it spending too much time on mobile computers or underlying health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, all these are hurting eye health. The leading causes of blindness and low vision in the United States are primarily diseases such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma.
World Sight Day is celebrated every year on the second Thursday of October to draw people's attention to the increasing health problems related to the eyes and to increase awareness about prevention. This year's theme is 'Love your eyes', pay attention to eye health at the workplace.
Let us know what should and what not be done to keep the eyes healthy.
A good diet is important for the eyes
To keep your eyes healthy, it is most important that your diet be healthy and nutritious. Make colorful vegetables and fruits a part of your daily diet. Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E can help ward off age-related vision problems like macular degeneration and cataracts. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and collards, fatty fish, eggs, nuts, beans, etc. are beneficial for eye health.
Complete abstinence from smoking
Smoking is not only harmful to the lungs, but it can also hurt the health of the eyes. Studies have found smoking to increase the risk of cataracts, optic nerve damage, and macular degeneration. Such risks can be reduced by quitting smoking. Doctors say, quitting smoking is within your control which can help keep your vision healthy in the long run.
Reduce screen time
People who spend too much time on screens are at risk of developing a variety of eye-related diseases over time. Blue light emitted from screens like mobile-computer or television can be very harmful to the eyes. The American Optometric Association recommends the 20/20/20 rule to reduce such risks. In this, it is advised to look carefully at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. It is also very important to keep blinking the eyelids.
Get your eyes checked regularly
Health experts say regular eye exams are needed for everyone, even young children. This is important to identify any problem occurring in your eyes and correct it in time. Doctors say that everyone should get their eyes checked at least once a year, if there is a family history of eye diseases then get them checked twice a year.
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