Caring for your eyes is a vital part of taking care of your overall health. After all, you only get a pair in a lifetime, so keeping your eyes healthy is of utmost importance.
Some eye problems progress slowly and subtly, and if you aren’t careful, your vision could be affected. Common eye problems include blurred vision, halos, blind spots, and floaters. These problems can be from damage to the eye itself, a condition like diabetes, or medication.
We have to watch what we eat and how long we spend staring at our screens — whether it’s for work or to unwind. Neglecting to get proper rest can also have a negative impact on our well-being.
But by following a holistic regimen that includes nutrition, exercise, and limited exposure to digital screens, we can keep our vision healthy and enjoy the world’s beauty.
The Best Foods for Eye Health
How well you eat affects how well you see. When it comes to your eye health, food and nutrition play a pivotal role in illness prevention and maintaining your eyesight as you age. A diet rich in antioxidants, minerals, and other essential nutrients may reduce your risk of cataracts, blindness, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.
The potent antioxidants found in lutein and zeaxanthin can delay age-related vision problems, protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays, and lead to better vision. A healthy diet will also keep your eyes healthy and keep diseases that affect eyesight under control, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol.
You can find these powerful nutrients in:
- Red bell peppers
- Oranges
- Key limes
- Leafy greens
- Walnuts
- Chickpeas
Follow Dr. Sebi's Nutritional Guide to make sure you're getting all the nutrients that will benefit your eyes and prevent diseases!
Screen Time for Eye Health
Limit Screen Time for Adults and Kids
There is a direct link between spending less time in front of screens and improved mental health. The time spent away from electronic devices and spent with family or friends is known to have positive mental effects on our well-being, reducing depression and anxiety.
Restricting screen time is more complex for kids since technology has been a part of their lives since birth. Excessive screen exposure can lead to many health problems, including obesity, eye strain, poor sleep, and poor performance at school.
Filtering Blue Light
Most of us spend hours every day in front of screens. These devices emit blue light, which has adverse effects on our health. Exposure to blue light before sleep can disrupt your sleep/wake cycle and circadian rhythm, leading to depression, weight gain, and heart disease.
Limiting the time we spend in front of our devices can protect us from eye strain, dryness, and blurry vision.
Take Regular Breaks While Doing Computer Work.
When you're working on both a tablet or a screen, your eye muscles have to focus the entire time, and just like any muscle in your body, they can get fatigued.
To stop digital eye strain, we recommend the 20-20-20 rule: For every 20 minutes of work looking at a screen, take a 20-second break looking at something 20 feet away. That's a break three times an hour.
This is extra important when it comes to caring for your eyes if you already notice early warning signs of eye strain, which include headaches, dry eyes, or eye fatigue.
Other Tips for Healthy Eyes
Don't Smoke
Smoking has long been known to cause heart disease and lung cancer; however, many people don't realize that smoking can also lead to vision loss. Smoking increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and dry eye syndrome.
Need another reason to quit smoking? Heavy smokers (15 cigarettes/day or more) have up to three times the risk of cataracts as nonsmokers. If you've decided to quit smoking, Dr. Sebi's Viento can help you combat the cravings, while also keeping your eyes healthy, energizing and revitalizing you.
Wear Sunglasses Outside
Sunglasses are a great fashion accessory, but their most important job is to keep your eyes healthy by protecting them from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. Some of the sun's effects on the eyes include cataracts, a clouding of the eye's lens that can blur vision. Always wear glasses with UV protection when you're outside, even when it's cloudy.
Drink Plenty of Water
Your eye is surrounded by fluid, which protects the eye by washing away debris and dust every time you blink. Staying well-hydrated is very important to maintain a healthy balance of fluid in the eye. Dr. Sebi recommended drinking a gallon of spring water every day to maintain optimal health and care for your eyes.
Do Yoga for Your Eyes
Certain yoga exercises can help restore, calm, and reduce the stress on your eyes. Here are some moves that will leave your eyes feeling better.
- Palming: Rub your hands together, place them over your eyes with your fingertips resting on your forehead and slightly cup your hands, so you are not putting pressure directly on your eyes. Close your eyes tightly and breathe deeply for a few seconds. Enjoy the warmth from your hands and the dark, calming feeling.
- Eye-Rolling: Start with a straight spine and an aligned neck. Relax your breathing and face muscles. Focus your eyes toward the ceiling and move them slowly clockwise as if tracing a circle. Repeat three times, then close and relax your eyes. Do this three more times counterclockwise.
- Distance Gazing: Focus your gaze on a distant object — look outside your window if you are home. Relax your eyes and facial muscles, and breathe deeply for a few moments. Shift your gaze between faraway objects, then rest your eyes and relax.
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