Our eyes are one of our most important features. They are what allow us to see all of the beauty that the world has to offer, what allows us to express ourselves when words can’t do it, and they are often the first thing that people will notice when they are attracted to us.
If you want to look after your eyes and keep them as healthy as possible as you get older, there are a few things you should start doing.
Eat a balanced diet
Like every part of our bodies, our eyes need the right blend of vitamins and minerals to keep them healthy and functioning as they should be.
If you want to ensure that your eyes are healthy and your vision stays as sharp as possible, paying attention to your diet is a great place to start. Some of the best foods for eye health are:
- Fish. Oily fish, in particular, are full of Omega-3 oils, which are important for your vision and are even thought to protect your eyes from becoming dry if you spend long periods of time working at a computer. Just some of the types of oily fish you can try are tuna, salmon, trout, and mackerel.
- Nuts. Nuts are quite often high in Vitamin E, which is important for protecting our eyes from damage. Not all nuts are the same in terms of nutritional value, but some of the best varieties in terms of Vitamin E are cashews, Brazil nuts, and walnuts. Try to opt for nuts that haven’t been too heavily salted.
- Citrus fruits. Fruits like lemons, oranges, and grapefruits are high in Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that is essential to help protect your eyes as they age.
Protect them from UV rays
UV rays from the sun can cause damage to your eyes over a period of time. This damage can lead to macular degeneration, which causes fading and blurred vision, and it can also lead to cataracts. Cataracts are protein masses on the surface of the eye that increases in size over time, compromising vision and eventually causing blindness.
If you want to protect your eyes from UV rays it’s essential that you always wear sunglasses that offer protection from both UVA and UVB rays when you are in the sun. This is particularly important on days when the sun is very bright, or if you are near water as this will reflect the light and cause greater glare.
You can also protect your eyes by opting for UV contact lenses, which offer protection from the sun, and by always wearing a hat with a brim or peak.
Don’t smoke
Smoking is one of the worst things that you can do when it comes to your health in general and your eye health in particular.
Smoking has been linked to a lot of eye problems like glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and dry eye syndrome.