Improve Your Eyesight

Eyesight is the sense that you rely upon the most. Since we live in a world that requires your eyes to routinely stare at small type and images on cell phones, computer screens, and televisions, it is important that you take steps to improve your eyesight. Poor eyesight diminishes the quality of life and could lead to expensive surgeries or partial blindness. There are, however, many solutions to keeping your eyesight healthy and sharp so that you can enjoy your vision for the rest of your life. Don’t ignore your eyes!

Steps

Improving Vision Naturally

1. "Feed" your eyes. Eyes are just like any other part of the body – they need nutrition to function at an optimal level. Similar to other organs, a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in sugar and fatty foods will go a long way in maintaining healthy eyes.
   • Vitamin A, C, an E, along with minerals like copper and zinc should be in your daily diet. These vitamins and minerals are essential for good vision and protection against disease. Eat strawberries, oranges, eggs, salmon, mackerel, and almonds for your vitamins, and oysters, crab, or turkey for your minerals.
   • Antioxidants such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin help protect your eyes from getting sun damage. You can find these antioxidants in dark leafy vegetables, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and carrots.
   • Garlic, onions, and caper should be in your diet to get sulfur, cysteine, and lecithin, which protect the lens of your eyes from forming cataracts.
   • Blueberries, grapes, and goji contain anti-inflammatory properties, such as anthocyanin, that will help improve your vision.
   • About 1,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per day will help prevent macular degeneration (AMD) and dry eyes. Salmon, mackerel, herring, flaxseeds, and walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
2. Exercise your eyes. Exercising your eyes daily will help you maintain healthy eyes and optimal vision. Plan to exercise your eyes when you wake up, before going to bed, or when your eyes are fatigued. Make sure your hands are clean so that you do not irritate your eyes and your mind is relaxed before starting.
   • Start simple. Roll your eyes in a circular motion clockwise ten times and then reverse it counterclockwise for another ten rolls.
   • Place your thumb (or a pen) six inches away from your nose and stare at it for five seconds. Then, five seconds on an object immediately behind your thumb. Try to do this ten times for about a total of two minutes. This is something else you can do at your desk quickly at work.
   • Rub your palms together for heat and then placing them against your eyes for five to ten seconds. Repeat this procedure three times to keep your eyes warm.
   • Massage your temples, forehead, and just below your eyes by using your thumb knuckles in a small circular motion for about twenty times in each area.
3. Rest and relax your eyes. Since you use your eyes every waking moment give them lots of rest and relaxation by taking breaks throughout the day and getting enough sleep every night to fully rest, repair, and recover your vision. A lack of sleep will weaken your vision health.
   • Shut down for about three to five minutes. Close your eyes and lean your head back while trying to clear your mind of thoughts.
   • Focus on an object that is twenty feet away for twenty seconds. This is the same test you are administered to check for 20/20 vision.
   • Try resting your eyes for at least ten minutes for every fifty minutes you spend in front of a computer screen, television set, or reading a book. Take a quick nap if necessary.

Correcting Your Vision

1. Get an eye exam. Visit your optometrist regularly to check for visual impairments or diseases that may harm your overall eye health. If you have blurred vision, nearsightedness, or farsightedness, you might need either corrective eyewear or surgery.
   • See your doctor based on age, health, and risk of eye problems. These are factors that will determine how often you should see your eye optometrist. If you are experiencing and difficulties with eyes, visit an optometrist as soon as you can as earlier treatment leads to better results.
   • Check your visual acuity to determine if you will need prescription eyewear.
   • Get screened for glaucoma, which is damage to your optic nerve. If left untreated, it will get worse over time.
2. Wear corrective lenses. You might need glasses to improve your vision if you have either nearsightedness or farsightedness. In both cases, corrective lenses will either counteract the increased or decreased curvature of your cornea or the length of your eye.
   • Eyeglasses are the most accessible and safest rout to correct problems caused by vision impairment. You can get a range of eyeglasses: bifocals, trifocals, progressive lenses, reading and driving glasses.
   • Contact lenses are a popular choice as well. They are worn directly on your eyes and come as hard, soft, extended wear, disposable, and rigid gas permeable and bifocal.
   • The most important factors in choosing eyeglasses or contact lenses are safety and lifestyle choice.
3. Choose refractive surgery. There are several different types of surgery to choose from if you prefer not to get corrective lenses. These surgeries have become routine over the past two decades and are considered relatively safe for fully developed eyes. A doctor uses a laser to reshape the cornea.
   • A laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery removes layers from your cornea and is repositioned to help you attain your desired level of vision. It is painless, immediate, and does not require a long recovery period.
   • A laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) is a procedure that reshapes the cornea’s outer layers and changes its curvature to improve vision. Compared to LASIK surgery, LASEK surgery takes longer to recover from, may be more painful, and is more complicated in post-surgery recovery, but still a very successful procedure.
   • Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is similar to LASEK surgery, but instead of the cornea it’s the epithelium that gets reshaped. Recovery includes wearing a bandage contact lens for a few days.
   • An intraocular lens (IOL) implant is surgically implanted into the front of the eye’s lens. Implants are not a popular treatment option at this time.
   • Conductive keratoplasty (CK) uses radiofrequency energy to apply heat to the cornea. The biggest drawback to this procedure is that the results are not permanent.
   • Side effects of refractive surgery include visual side effects, under or overcorrection, dry eye, infection, cornea scarring, and vision loss.

Creating a Good Environment

1. Adjust the lighting. Keep the room you are in softly lit. Fluorescent lighting is considered bad for eyes since they give off the wrong light frequencies of color and emit radiation that makes you drowsy all day long.
   • When reading, try to keep your light source located behind you and keep the light directed on the paper or the task you are working on.
   • At work, or at a desk, use a shaded light source positioned on the desk in front of you. Again, keep the light directed towards your work and the shade will protect your eyes from direct light from the source.
   • Avoid watching television or working on the computer in the dark.
2. Improve air quality. Dry eye is caused by a lack of lubrication and moisture on the surface of your eye. Problems can range from minor irritant to serious inflammation of the tissues of the eye.
   • Use a humidifier to moisturize your house or workspace.
   • Adjust your thermostat to reduce air flow and dust particles that might irritate your eyes.
   • Move your desk or office space if it is near a vent. Request moving to a different area of the office.
   • Quit smoking because it can inflame your eyes. Consider stopping if you develop a dry eye condition.
   • Use artificial tears if necessary to keep your eyes moist and lubricated.
3. Choose the right glasses. Invest in the correct glasses or contact lenses for your specific situation. Nowadays, eyewear is made for nearly every situation so make sure to get a proper eye exam and talk to your optometrist about getting the correct prescription for the most likely environment where you will be wearing your glasses.
   • Prescription and nonprescription lenses are made for nearly all types of lifestyles. There are different types of lenses for age, sports, and indoor and outdoor wear.
   • If you work outside or have to drive long distances make sure to buy polarizing sunglasses to protect your eyes again UV light and glare. This will help prevent squinting.
   • Make sure you wear glasses for as long as you need to and keep them clean.
4. Limit computer usage. Computers are a major source of eye strain for most people. Try to limit your screen time by routinely taking breaks, exercising your eyes, and keeping them hydrated.
   • If you tend to stare when you use a computer remind yourself to blink often in order to produce tears that moisten and refresh your eyes.
   • While you are on the computer practice the 20-20-20 rule: Every twenty minutes look at something twenty feet away for at least twenty seconds.
   • Reduce glare on the screen to avoid straining your eyes. This means you should adjust lighting in front and behind you.
   • Keep the monitor positioned directly in front of you at about arm’s length away. The screen should be approximately just below your eye level. Adjust your chair if necessary.
   • Use the convenience of a paper holder so you can keep your eyes relatively on the same level as the computer screen. Reducing the amount of times your eyes have to readjust will lessen eye strain.
   • Enlarge the font size, contrast, and brightness for easier reading and browsing.
   • Keep your screen clear from dust.

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