Top 5 Tips for Maintaining Healthy Eyesight

They say that our eyes are the windows to our soul, but over time those windows can get a little foggy, especially with age. Most of the time we take our eyesight for granted – we think just because we have it that it will always be there. However, the sad truth is that if we don’t maintain our eyesight we could lose it altogether. It is important to realize that our eyesight is a privilege and we should do everything we can to take care of our eyes on a daily basis by using a variety of different methods. Usually this means taking steps, from the food we eat to even protecting our eyes in the sunlight. Here are the top 5 tips for maintaining healthy eyesight.

1. Wearing sunglasses is important, because it can protect your eyes and make you look stylish at the same time. For people with lighter eyes, like blue and green, this is especially important. The most effective sunglasses will protect against UV and UVB rays. Most sunglasses, from the classic aviator style to the wrap-around model, have different levels and percentage as to how much UV and UVB rays they block out. You want to find a pair of sunglasses that blocks out 99% to 100% of those harmful rays to not only protect your eyes, but your eyelids too, especially if your are going to be in the sun for a long time.
2. And if you want to keep that cataract specialist away, it is recommended that people eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and vitamin E. This includes the classics, like carrots and leafy greens, but also salmon, various nuts and seeds, and even oranges. Eating these types of foods having been proven to ward off degenerative diseases that cause the loss of sight.
3. Quitting smoking has also been shown to hugely reduce the damage to our eyes. Whether first hand smoke or second hand smoke, the toxic chemicals and fumes from burning cigarettes can cause a significant amount of damage to our eyes. Smoking has also been known to cause cataracts.
4. And for people that work in particularly unsafe working environments, wearing protective eyewear is incredibly important to not only keep foreign particles out of the eyes, but dangerous chemicals too. Over time, these dangerous chemicals can cause loss of vision and you might not even know that it was coming from your working conditions in the first place. It is recommended that people wear goggles or full headgear to protect their eyes to the best of their ability.
5. Lastly, for those of us that spend a majority of time in front of our computers, it is recommended to take regular breaks or get screen protectors to shield your eyes from damaging effects of the light that is emitted from our computer screens. You can also benefit from blinking, using eye drops or even wearing special glasses to put on only when you know you will be spending a lot of time in front of a computer screen.