Tips On How to Maintain Good Eyesight

May is Healthy Vision Month, established by the National Eye Institute to boost awareness about eye health and undetected vision problems. Follow these tips to sharpen your own vision so you can see your way to a future of longevity.
The eyes are considered as the windows of our soul. It is one of the most important parts of our body.  Without our eyes, we cannot see the beauty of God’s creation. That is why it is important that we know how to take care of our eyes. Below are some of the simple tips that will sharpen our vision in longevity.

1.      Eat for bright eyesight

Our eyes will function well through the food that we eat. It needs multiple food nutrients to function clearly. Consider the following foods.

a.       Vitamin A, C, E and minerals like copper and zinc. They are the most essential vitamins to maintain good eyesight.

b.      Antioxidants which includes beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. They will help protect the macula from sun damage.  Dark and leafy green vegetables, egg yuolks, yellow peppers, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and carrots are good source of antioxidants.

c.       Foods rich in sulfur, cysteine and lecithin are responsible for the protection of the lens of our eye from cataract formation. Garlic, onions, shallots and capers are excellent source of sulfur.

d.      Our eyes also need DHA, it is a fatty acid formula found in coldwater fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel and cod. DHA provides structural support to cell membranes in order to boost eye sight.

e.       Drinking 8 glasses of water a day helps prevent dehydration and dryness of our eyes thus, it helps lubricate our eyes.

2.      Exercise your eyes

Just like our body, our eyes also need some exercises. These exercises are so simple and it can be done first thing in the morning, before bedtime or any time whenever your eyes feel fatigued. In this exercise, we should use our hands, just be sure that they are clean and you are in a relax mood. Performing this in a daily basis will improve your eye sight in just a month.

a.       Warm your eyes. If you want to warmth your eyes, just rub your palms together to create heat, and then place them against your eyes for five seconds. Repeat this three times.

b.      Roll your eyes. Start by looking up and then slowly circle10 times clockwise and 10 times counterclockwise.

c.       Focus. Hold a pen at arm's length, focus your eyes on it, and slowly bring the pen closer until it's about six inches away from your nose. Then slowly move it back, keeping your eyes focused on the pen, 10 times in all.

d.      Massage your temples. Using your thumb knuckles, massage your temples in small circles, 20 times in one direction and 20 in the other. Repeat the same actions above the mid-point of the eyebrows at the forehead, then below the eyes on both sides of the bridge of the nose.

e. Take a mini-nap. Our eyes need rest from a whole day use, that is why even a short time, you need to close it in order to relax.  Put your head back, close your eyes, and relax for three minutes.
3. Limit Environmental Toxins
External factors can contribute to eye damage and will result to poor eye sight even at the younger age. We should be aware that the following habits that we are doing can eventually contribute to eye damage. These include fluorescent lights, computer screens, environmental allergens, chlorine in swimming pools, air conditioning and heating, reading in dim lighting, and constant rubbing of the eyes. Do not smoke and limit your exposure to cigarette smoke as it may increase optic pressure. Remember to wear sunglasses to protect your precious eyes from UV exposure.
4. R & R for your eyes
Getting enough sleep is essential for eye health. Sleep time allows your eyes to fully rest, repair, and recover. Insufficient sleep may weaken your vision, so aim for eight hours sound sleep every night. Give your eyes a break once an hour during your workday: rest your eyes 10 minutes for every 50 minutes spent reading or in front of the computer. If your eyes feel overly tired, lie down and place cooling cucumber slices over your eyelids.