Tips for Optimum Eye Health

Check out our top tips for maintaining optimum eye health:

1. Eat for Good Vision

What you eat has a huge impact on your overall health, particularly eye health.  Nutrients essential for healthy eyes and vision are omega-3 fatty acids, Lutein, Zinc, and Vitamins C and E.  These nutrients are important for good vision and reduce the risk of eye diseases such as age-related vision problems, glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts. It’s also really important to eat a healthy diet because it reduces the risks of type 2 diabetes, which is a leading cause of eye disease in adults.

• Increase all green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, lettuce and mustard greens, which are a good source of Lutein.
• Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel provide Omega 3 fatty acids. Flax seed oil is a good vegetarian source of omega 3.
• Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and limes provide vitamin C
• Nuts and seeds are a good source of zinc and vitamin E. 
• Fruits rich in flavonoids support the blood vessels and help protect our eyes – particularly blueberries, bilberries, raspberries, cherries and blackberries.
   

2. Quit Smoking

Smoking not only affects respiratory health, cigarette smoke also damages the delicate blood vessels in the eyes and increases the changes of cataracts, optic nerve damage, and macular degeneration.
 

3. Wear Sunglasses

Protect your eyes from UV light. Sun glare and sun damage can increase your risk of cataracts and other eye conditions earlier in life. Wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays – this is really important for those that work outside, enjoy leisure activities such as water sports, running and cycling.
 

4. Take a break from the Computer

Staring at a computer screen for long periods of time can cause eyestrain, blurry vision, difficulty focusing at a distance and dry eyes.  Protect your eyes by using an anti-glare screen and blink regularly to lubricate your eyes.  Resting your eyes frequently, perhaps every hour and focusing on a distant object, along with relaxing your eyes, also helps.
 

5. Visit an Optometrist Regularly

Having regular eye exams is important because it can detect some eye diseases such as glaucoma early on that have no symptoms. Finding these diseases in their early stages means they're easier to treat. Ensuring that you get the correct lens for your eyes will also reduce the risk of eyestrain and further damage.
 

6. Amazing Herbs and nutrients for Eye Health

Bilberry is used for a wide range of eye conditions including poor day and night vision. In fact, Bilberry’s amazing effect was noted by British Air Force Pilots, during World War 2, when they found that from eating Bilberry jam daily, their night vision dramatically improved. Bilberry provides Anthocyanosides a potent antioxidant that helps to strengthen the collagen structures of the retina and prevent free radical damage. It is also useful for treating other eye diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and even diabetic retinopathy. 

Bilberry may also be effective in relieving eye fatigue of almost any kind, particularly eye fatigue caused by reading, driving and long periods spent on the computer; again due to the Anthocyanoside content of Bilberry.

Studies have also shown that Ginkgo helps to improve the blood supply to the eyes because it improves circulation in the body. 

Lutein (found in egg yolks, marigolds and some fruit and vege’s) is one of the most abundant & protective compounds found in eye tissue. It benefits the integrity of the macula and is one of the most important preventative agents against degenerative conditions of the eye.

Zinc – not only helps with night blindness (as it’s required for optimal function of the optic nerve) but helps with degeneration of the macula and may even help to prevent loss of vision in ARMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration). 

Vitamin C – does so much. It helps with blood shot eyes, ARMD, cataracts, conjunctivitis, dry eyes, glaucoma, eye inflammation and protects the lens from oxidative damage.

Vitamin A, E and selenium - also important nutrients in healthy eyes.  Their strong antioxidant action helps with all degenerative eye conditions caused by free radical damage.

Omega 3 – Omega-3 Fatty Acids concentrate in the cell membranes of the retina of the eyes and are involved in the conversion of light entering the eyes into nerve impulses involving sight – without it your eyes can’t function!
 

7. Common eye complaints

Eye inflammation can occur as a result of a few nutritional deficiencies. Eye Inflammation; particularly ‘burning eyes’ may occur as a symptom of Iron deficiency and can also occur as a result of Vitamin A and a Vitamin B2 deficiency. 

Bilberry can reduce eye inflammation because it stabilises the capillaries of the eyes and reduces their permeability if leaking capillaries are the cause of the eye inflammation; again this is due to the activity of Anthocyanosides present in Bilberry.

Bloodshot eyes may occur as a result of Lysine deficiency: Vitamin A, Vitamin B2; Vitamin C and Bioflavonoid deficiency.

Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins (OPCs) are the active ingredient in grape seed extract, which can help to prevent bloodshot eyes by increasing the strength of the capillaries and preventing the leakage that occurs in bloodshot eyes.

A fantastic product that contains many of the ingredients mentioned above, is Good Health’s Premium Vision.