Best Ways to Protect Your Eyesight

Whether we wear prescription lenses or simply get eye strain after a day on the computer, most of us would like to improve and protect our eyesight, but what really works to protect your vision naturally?

Virginia Ko, O.D., an optometrist with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, shares these top ways to protect and improve your eyesight, no matter your age.

Shade Your Eyes

“Protecting your eyes from UV rays is the most important thing you can do to protect vision,” Dr. Ko says. Problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and color blindness are linked to your genetics. Eye conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration have a genetic component, but they are also caused by damage from UV rays. “You can’t choose your parents,” Dr. Ko tells her patients. “But you can protect your eyes from sunlight.”

Look for sunglasses that meet ANSI Z80.3 standards (American National Standards Institute) or have UV400 protection. They block at least 99% of UVA and UVB rays.

Choose Healthy Foods for Your Eyes and Body

Studies show that certain antioxidants – vitamins C, E, lutein, and zeaxanthin – may help prevent or slow the progression of cataracts. Antioxidants also slow the progression of macular degeneration in some people. Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in leafy green vegetables and eggs. Vitamin C is abundant in citrus fruits and strawberries, as well as green peppers and tomatoes. It’s difficult to get a lot of vitamin E from food, but good sources include vegetable oils, almonds and sunflower seeds. “It never hurts to eat leafy greens!” advises Dr. Ko.

Pay Attention to Your Focus

Eye exercises can’t improve your lens prescription, but they may improve your ability to focus. They help children who have “lazy eye” or difficulty moving their eyes together the most. But they may also be useful for adults who have difficulty changing their focus from up-close to far-away, or for people who have “convergence insufficiency,” difficulty focusing on a nearby object. If you want to try an eye exercise to improve focus, Dr. Ko suggests you do some “pencil pushups.”

1. Hold a pencil, with the tip facing up, at arm’s length in front of your face. Focus your eyes on the tip of the pencil.
2. Slowly bring the pencil toward your nose, focusing on the pencil tip all the time.
3. When you see two pencils (double vision), hold the pencil still and focus on it for 10 seconds.
4. Move the pencil slowly back to it’s original position. Repeat the process for one minute, then rest your eyes for one minute.

Do three sets of pencil pushups. Each set should include moving and focusing on the pencil for one minute, then resting your eyes for one minute.

Repeat the three sets two to four times a day, or as directed by your doctor.

Give Your Eyes a Rest

For most people, resting your eyes is far more important than exercising your eyes, Dr. Ko says.

“Your blink rate decreases when you’re on the computer a lot,” she explains. “That makes your eyes drier, which in turn makes your eyes tired.”

People who spend many hours staring at a screen can develop “computer vision syndrome,” which causes eyestrain, blurred vision, headaches, and neck or shoulder pain.

There’s a simple fix, Dr. Ko says, but it takes discipline to try it. Follow the 20-20-20 rule.

• Look 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes that you’re on the computer.

If you want to try this, consider downloading an app to your smart phone that will remind you to look away from the screen every 20 minutes.

Practice Eyesight Safety

The simplest acts can injure our eyes or cause an infection. A particle can fly into your eye while you mow the lawn or saw a piece of wood. Bacteria can grow in your eye makeup.

“I have two key safety tips for my patients,” Dr. Ko says.

• Wear safety goggles when playing high-impact sports, or doing any chores that involve flying bits of debris or chemicals, such as yard work, sawing, sanding, drilling, painting, or even cleaning the oven.
• For women, change your eye makeup every three months and never share eye makeup with someone else.

Don’t Forget to Get Regular Eye Exams

Early detection can prevent serious problems, so be sure to go to your eye doctor for regular exams, especially if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of eye diseases such as glaucoma or macular degeneration.

“Most people want to know how to improve their prescription, and in truth, there’s no way to do that naturally,” Dr. Ko says. “But there’s a lot you can do protect your vision, which is much more important to a healthy life.”

(courtesy:  PAMF Health Blog)