Mia
Your eyes are undoubtedly one of the most important, yet fragile, parts of your body. However, when it comes to looking after them, they often get neglected due to having very few pain receptors.
To keep your eyes in good health, there are a series of things that you can do throughout life. We’re here to take you through six simple ways to look after your eyes.
- Protect Yourself From The Sun
Spending time in the sun is important for your health. After all, the majority of your vitamin D is absorbed via sunlight! However, unfortunately, there’s a fine line between the sun being beneficial and damaging.
Looking at the sun directly can cause permanent damage to your eyes, which in a worst case scenario, could lead to blindness. This is why sunglasses with UV protection exist!
When out in the sun, always remember to wear sunglasses that protect your eyes from UV rays. Look for the following marks to make sure that they’ll protect you:
- CE mark
- British Standard BS EN ISO 12312-1:201
- Regular Eye Tests
A lot of serious eye conditions often have no symptoms. This is why it’s crucial to have regular eye tests, usually once every two years.
When at your eye test, the optician will carry out a series of examinations, assessing the quality of your sight and checking for any eye conditions. Like most health concerns, early detection is key, so regular eye tests may just save your sight.
- Give Up Smoking
If you’re looking for even more reasons to give up smoking, this is it. According to reports from the NHS, you’re far more likely to suffer from age-related macular degeneration if you smoke. If you don’t know already, age-related macular degeneration is one of the most common causes of sight loss in the UK.
- Eat Well
Vitamins work to support the normal function of your body. And, when it comes to eye health, there are quite a few vitamins that contribute to the maintenance of normal vision. Vitamin A is one of these vitamins – it is needed for normal vision (EFSA, 2009).
Luckily, most of your vitamins can be sourced through the foods you eat. This is why it’s so important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, full of leafy greens, dairy, protein, starch and low fats.
- Consider Taking Supplements
If your diet doesn’t provide enough nutrients for eye health, it’s worth considering multivitamin tablets tailored to supporting your vision. These multivitamins often contain vitamins A, B2 and zinc; all as to which contribute to the maintenance of normal vision (EFSA, 2010 & 2009) . Taking the supplement in a multivitamin form will help to ensure you’re getting every vitamin necessary.
- Keep Safety In Mind
You might already wear sunglasses, but what about safety goggles? If you work on a construction site or spend time in an area with flying debris, safety goggles are a must-have. These goggles protect your eyes from coming into contact with fine particles, which may scratch the surface of your eye and cause serious damage.
Your eyes must be protected at all costs, before it’s too late. Practise the above tips on a daily basis to encourage optimal eye health for years to come!
