Step1
·
Eat
lots of fruits and veggies! Carrots, loaded with beta carotene are especially
helpful in maintaining healthy eyes. That's because beta carotene is an
antioxidant that reduces the risk of macular degeneration.
·
Broccoli,
bell peppers, and brussels sprouts are also great for your eyes, containing
lots of vitamin C. Okay, they're not the greatest tasting vegetables in the
world (or maybe you love them, in which case good for you!) so dip them in
hummus or other yummy yogurt spreads to make them palatable.
·
Wild
salmon and sardines are also healthy options for your eyes. That's because they
contain omega-3 fats, which are the good fats for your body. These omega-3s
protect tiny blood vessels in the eyes.
·
Sweet
potatoes and spinach round out the healthy options for maintaining good eyes.
Both contain beta carotene, and spinach contains lots of vitamin C, lutein, and
zeaxanthin. Make the sweet spuds into home-fries with a bit of olive oil, and
make spinach into a tasty side or a delectable dip.
Step 2
·
Avoid wearing contact
lenses for more than 19 hours. This can cause permanent
sight damage as well as extreme discomfort to your eyes. Don't wear glasses too
long either. Especially 3-D glasses!
·
Never
sleep with your contact lenses in unless specifically instructed to do so.Your
eyes need regular supplies of oxygen, and lenses block the flow of oxygen to
the eyes, especially during sleep. So doctors recommend a normal period of
break for your eyes during the night.
·
Avoid
wearing your contact lenses when swimming. Your lenses could easily slip off
your ideas when they come in contact with the surface area of the water. If you
are wearing goggles, your contact lenses may be used while swimming.
Step 3
·
Use
allergen-reducing eye drops sparingly. Using an
allergen-reducing eye drop during allergy season to 'get the red out' and sooth
itchiness may help on a limited basis, but chronic daily use can actually make
the problem worse.
·
Allergen-reducing
eye drops work by constricting the blood flow to the cornea, thereby depriving
it of oxygen. So while your eyes don't feel inflamed and itchy anymore, they're
actually not getting any oxygen from blood. That's not ideal.
·
Using
redness-relieving eye drops chronically will cause more redness in your eyes.
Your body gets so accustomed to the chemicals in the eye drops that they no
longer work effectively.
·
Read
the labels of eye drops carefully; many drops cannot be used while wearing
contacts.
Step 4
·
Use
cucumber on your eyelids. Press cold cucumber slices gently against
eyelids 10 minutes before going to sleep at night to prevent puffiness.
·
Cucumbers
contain asorbic acid and caffeic acid, which prevent water retention. These
compounds help explain why cucumbers are used throughout the world to treat
inflammation and dermatitis.
·
Green
tea bag may also help prevent puffiness if applied to the eyes. Soak the tea
bag in cold water for a few minutes and place over eyes for 15-20 minutes. The
tannins in the tea should help reduce inflammation.
Step 5
·
Wear
UV protective sunglasses. Get polarized lenses, NOT just darker lenses.
The lenses that only make the world darker will just make your pupils dilate
and don't do a thing to stop the UV rays.
·
Prolonged
exposure to UV rays can harm your eyesight, protection in youth can help
prevent loss of eyesight in later years. Exposure to UV rays has been linked to
cataracts, macular degeneration, pingueculae and pterygia, harmful conditions
for the eyes.
·
Since
the damage to eyes from UV rays builds up over a lifetime, it's important to
shield children from harmful rays. Make sure your children wear hats and
protective glasses when they are out in the sunlight for prolonged periods.
·
Be
sure to wear sunglasses even if you're in the shade. Even though shade lessens
UV and HEV exposure significantly, you're still exposing your eyes to UV rays
reflected off of buildings and other structures.
Step 6
·
Try
not to spend so much time looking at your computer screen. (As
a matter of fact, now would be a good time to give your eyes a break, since
you're not doing anything too important.)
·
While
science hasn't yet proven that looking at computer screens causes permanent eye
damage, it may cause eye strain and dry eyes. The glare from computer screens
causes muscle fatigue in the eyes, either from being too bright or too dark.
·
People
blink less when they're looking at a screen, causing drier eyes. Make a
conscious effort to blink every 30 seconds when you're sitting down and looking
at your computer screen to combat dry eyes.
Step 7
·
Wear
goggles when appropriate. Be sure to wear goggles or other eye protective
wear when working with chemicals or any place with harmful airborne
particulates.
·
Minimize
the transmission of harmful particulate matter into eye region.
Step 8
·
Exercise your
eyes, and also be sure to relax them.
·
Try
focusing your eyes on objects that are near to you, then objects that are far
away. Repeat this process multiple times.
·
Sit
down, place your elbows on your hips, close your eyes and bring your closed
eyes down, resting them on your palms. Keep your palms covering your eyes for
10 seconds. Open your eyes and repeat as necessary.
·
Stretch
your arm out and place your thumb in the hitchhiker position. Focus your vision
on your thumb while you slowly bring your outstretched arm closer to your body,
until your thumb is about five inches from your face. Slowly zoom the thumb
back to its original position, focusing on it with your eyes all the while.
Step 9
·
Do
not read in dim light. Reading in dim light can cause eye strain but will
not damage your eyes. If your eyes feel tired, stop for a while and take a
break.
Step 10
·
Do
not look at a bright light directly. Never focus your eyes on the sun
directly, as it can damage your eyes.
