Posted by Among all the senses, sight is one that people value the most. We capture reality with its colours, shapes, and relationships between objects and their distances thanks to our eyes, and the images are constantly processed in the brain, taking up a significant amount of space in our memories.
The eyes are a highly appreciated organ, and therefore, we must take care of them. Of course, whenever a person thinks that he may suffer a serious affectation, he should immediately go to an ophthalmology consultation. But the following recommendations as per doctors at God Service Eye Clinic are aimed at self-care, from home.
Follow a healthy diet.
For eyesight, it is advisable to eat foods rich in:
- vitamin A (vegetables: carrot, broccoli, spinach, cabbage; dairy; fruit: apricot, melon);
- vitamin C (orange, kiwi, pineapple, strawberries);
- vitamin E (walnuts, spinach, broccoli);
- antioxidants;
- Omega-3 (salmon, tuna, grouper, walnuts), as they help maintain good visual acuity and delay the cellular ageing process.
On the other hand, it is important to avoid being overweight, today it is known that it is the origin of multiple diseases such as diabetes, and high blood pressure,…. but even cancer is linked to being overweight. To the extent that the organism becomes ill, the eyes also do so, especially in some cases such as diabetes.
Do exercise
If we talk about eye care, the practice of exercise is vital for general health and we cannot stop recommending being in shape and avoiding excess weight, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol levels, diseases that can affect the eyes.
Take care of environmental factors that affect the eyes
Environmental factors greatly affect the eyes. That is why it is convenient that you take care of the room where you are going to stay longer.
Avoid air conditioning, heating, wind, and dry or smoky environments, as they are causes of dry eyes.
If you find yourself in a dry environment, either because of the climate of the area where you live or because of the ventilation system used in the area where you do your work (heating or air conditioning), you may find a humidifier useful.
The use of high-quality filters at home can also be useful in cities where the level of pollution is high.
Follow the 20-20-20 rule to avoid eyestrain
This is a simple rule that helps us to self-care for our eyes to prevent visual fatigue associated with excessive work up close. You cannot forget this rule this year 2020!
One of the most important eye care is that every 20 minutes of work that involves maintaining focus on the same point (computer screen, tablet, mobile phone, paper, …), you have to stop for 20 seconds to look at 20 feet, which is about 3 meters away. If you are at home and cannot look that far away, try to look out the window or to the farthest area possible.
In these moments in which we find ourselves constantly glued to a screen, be it the television, computer, tablet or mobile, it is important to make scheduled stops for various reasons:
- The concentration maintained on the task we are performing decreases the rate of blinking so that we do not lose any detail. This, which a priori may seem beneficial to us since we perceive more information, favours dry eyes and the symptoms of visual fatigue.
- Blinking is the tool that our eye has to extend the tear it produces. Therefore, every time you make a stop, try to blink several times to improve the hydration of your eye and visual comfort. If you still notice dryness, you can use artificial tears.
- Focusing on one point for a long time can tire the focusing eye muscles. Varying the fixation point, each time you make a stop will help your eye muscles to exercise and stretch to minimize fatigue.
Perform eye massages
If you have tension overload and eye fatigue, try gently massaging around your eyes, pressing the small muscles around them. Immediately you will begin to notice some relaxation.
You can also lightly massage the eyeballs with a finger, using very slow and gentle movements. If you also accompany these massages with a slow breathing rhythm, it will help you in your personal relaxation.
Taking care of the eyelids to improve tear quality
Dry eye is one of the main eye problems that is increasingly affecting the population. The care and hygiene of the eyelids and eyelashes helps the tears that our eye produces to hydrate itself to have the best possible quality.
Applying heat while we wash our eyelids helps to release the oils and excess fat that accumulates in the tear-producing glands. We can use warm water and neutral soap or directly apply a warm cloth to the closed eye before washing our face as we usually do. If you find it very uncomfortable, there are also products specifically dedicated to this care, which your trusted professional can recommend.
Precautions with glasses and contact lenses
If you have a vision problem and need glasses, wear them. It is possible that if you do not do it, in addition to not seeing well, you will notice that you get more tired. Nor will it cause you any more significant problems if you don’t wear your glasses.
If you go outside during sunny times of the day, protect yourself from ultraviolet (UV) rays by wearing sunglasses that block 99 to 100 per cent of the radiation. This will reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration (which occurs when the macula, a part of the retina, begins to be damaged).
If you use contact lenses, try to maintain hygiene: clean your case periodically; and, when you handle them, wash your hands beforehand. Always replace the lenses at the stipulated time.
If you practice certain sports or hobbies (DIY, gardening, sports, construction or repairs), protect your eyes with special glasses so that particles do not enter that can injure or infect your eye. Depending on the activity you do, you will need one degree or another of protection. Be aware that in certain cases, glasses can break and cause further injury.
Tobacco is harmful to the eyes
Smoking is harmful to your health in general and it is also harmful to your eyes. It can damage the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, and may be linked to uveitis (inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye wall).
In addition, tobacco favours various age-related eye diseases, such as macular degeneration and cataracts, increases risk factors for glaucoma (which affects the optic nerve) and harms people who suffer from dry eye disease. Blindness is a risk factor for all of these conditions.
In spite of everything, if you cannot quit smoking, do not smoke inside your house, go out to the terrace or a window to avoid contact with the smoke with your eyes and not harm other members of the family.