Eye News by Sayyida Nassimizadeh
Sight is considered to be at the top of the hierarchy when it comes to our senses. A lot of us would rather lose our sense of smell or taste than lose our sense of sight, right? With that in mind, wouldn’t we be foolish to neglect our eyes! It’s not only important to set aside time to exercise, meditate or relax, but also to proactively maintain a healthy lifestyle. In particular, a healthy lifestyle for your eyes.
Here are some top tips to keep your eyes healthy
Diet is the key
Diet is key to keeping your eyes healthy. Check out my article on the best foods to keep your eyes healthy – but to quickly break it down, try to get in with all this goodness:
Leafy greens like spinach and kale work wonders! They contain natural pigments required for the back of your eyes, to ensure your vision does not deteriorate.
Enjoy fruits ! Recent research has suggested that grapes in particular have great ocular benefits, but any fruits rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants are your best bet.
Eat fish ! Particularly oily fish, mackerel, salmon and tuna. These are rich in Omega 3 and 6.at fish ! Particularly oily fish, mackerel, salmon and tuna. These are rich in Omega 3 and 6.
Shade it Up
We all look so much cooler behind a beautiful pair of sunglasses, but don’t think it’s only for vanity. UV rays damage our eyes more than we know and there is increasing evidence that it can result in eye diseases to develop later on in life. So next time your out and about don’t forget to protect your eyes with some cool shades.
Don’t touch your face
Keep your hands AWAY from your face! During the pandemic, I’m sure at some point we’ve all watched Contagion. The doctor, played by Kate Winslet remarks that ‘the average person touches their face 2,000 to 3,000 times a day, 3-5 times a minute.’ While we’re not sure where this statistic comes from, and in truth it may not be that high, we are suckers for constantly touching our mouth, nose and eyes. Researchers have found that the coronavirus can remain on surfaces from a couple of hours up to 9 days, depending on conditions (1). So, you know what that means! Touching surfaces outside and then proceeding to touch your face is a NO NO!
Give your contact lenses a break
Give your contact lenses a break! The main reason for this is again to reduce any foreign pathogens from entering your eyes (a route of infection for COVID-19), and if it must be worn then please ensure you are washing your hands thoroughly before! Extended contact lens wear time can cause your eyes to feel irritated and sore, so give it a break and embrace how good you look in glasses!
Safety Protection
If you can’t sit still and enjoy doing gardening or DIY, then make sure you do wear some form of eye protection. It’ll protect your eyes from foreign debris and dust causing irritation or maybe even an injury that could just as well save you a trip to the eye hospital!
Limit your screen time
While there are many perks to working from home, one major downside is that we are glued to our screens. Excess screen time can leave your eyes feeling tired, heavy and irritated, even after a good night’s rest! Look out for the full article on the 20-20-20 rule every 20 minutes, stop what you’re doing, look out of the window (up to 20 feet away or up to the sky) and count to 20, and then go back. This will relax your eyes and stop them feeling tired.
If you are having eye related issues, no matter how trivial, make sure you call Eye Opticians. We are available for virtual consultations and face to face eye examinations as some symptoms will require you to see an Optometrist for diagnosis and treatment or referral. Always seek help whenever you feel you need it.
Edgbaston Practice 0121 456 5676 Barnt Green Practice 0121 445 4545
