Prolonged staring at digital screens can cause strain, fatigue and dry eyes. Limiting screen time and following the 20-20-20 rule can help prevent long-term eye damage.
Eat a diet rich in eye-healthy nutrients such as dark leafy greens, carrots and fish. Avoid foods high in fat, sugar and sodium.
Limit Screen Time
Screens are vital to daily life, but prolonged screen time can cause eye strain and dry eyes. Fortunately, ophthalmologists offer tips to help keep your eyes healthy and comfortable.
For example, you can follow the 20/20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes for 20 seconds, glance away from your screen and focus on somewhere at least 20 feet away to give your eyes a break. Blinking often is also important. You can also try adjusting the brightness of your digital devices.
Drink Plenty of Water
A dehydrated body is a major cause of eye strain, especially when spending too much time on screens. Each time you blink, the fluid surrounding your eyes performs a mini-flush, washing away dust and debris from your eye’s surface.
Water is also necessary to produce basal tears, keeping your eyes lubricated and functioning properly. You could experience blurry vision, headaches, and fatigue without these natural tears. You can avoid these symptoms by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
Eat a Well-Balanced Diet
Maintaining excellent total eye care requires eating a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, healthy whole grains, and dairy. These foods have nutrients that prevent and cure diseases like dry eyes.
Leafy greens are excellent sources of vitamin C, which supports the well-being of your eye’s blood vessels. Additionally, they contain the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which help shield your retina from damaging blue light.
You’ve heard it before, “eat your carrots!” Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene and Vitamin A, which help prevent dry eyes and promote healthy eyes.
Get Regular Eye Exams
Regular eye exams are crucial so a qualified specialist can monitor your health, allowing them to address common issues like nearsightedness or astigmatism or to quickly determine whether you may need something like a refractive lens exchange procedure.
Eating a diet high in leafy greens, staying hydrated and quitting smoking can also help protect your eyes. Getting regular eye exams by a licensed eyecare provider (an optometrist or an ophthalmologist) can also detect diseases like glaucoma before they cause symptoms and vision loss. An eye exam can also reveal other general health issues, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise can help to strengthen weak eye muscles, improving blood circulation and muscle tone. Specific activities like eye rotations, focusing on distant objects, and eye stretches can improve your overall vision.
Regular exercise is crucial for general health and to help stave off eye illness as you age. Health disorders, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity that may result in eye difficulties, can also be managed with exercise. Simple forms of exercise include swimming, running, and brisk walking.
Wear Sunglasses
Sunglasses are a fashion accessory and an essential part of eye health. Consistently using sunglasses helps shield your eyes from UV radiation that can harm your eyes and raise your risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
They also protect your eyes from the glare caused by snow, water and even dust. Polarized lenses are a great option for people who spend time outdoors, as they help minimize glare from the sun, sand and other surfaces.
Wear Contact Lenses if Needed
Follow your eye doctor’s advised replacement schedule for contact lenses if you wear them. This lowers the risk of them cutting off oxygen to your corneas, resulting in severe inflammation and potential eye damage.
Ensure you always wash your hands before handling your contacts and never sleep in them (unless approved by your optometrist). Use a proper disinfection process with a solution designed specifically for your lens type.
Keep Your Eyes Clean
Eye health is essential to our quality of life, and there are simple things you can do to keep your eyes healthy. You may encourage excellent eye health by getting adequate sleep, eating a balanced diet, and scheduling routine eye checkups with an optometrist.
Eat a diet rich in vitamins A and C, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin are good sources of vitamin A; cold-water fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids; and dark leafy greens are full of eye-friendly antioxidants.
