Everything you must know about eye health and nutrition
If you were to rate the quality of your vision on a scale of 1-10, where would you place it? Whatever the answer is, don’t worry; not everyone has good vision. As you age, it’s normal to notice changes to your vision, and it’s predicted that 2.7 million people will experience some form of sight loss in the UK.
To prevent yourself from joining this statistic, it’s important to focus on eye health and nutrition. Learn practical tips and tricks for good eye health and nutrition below.
8 tips to help you have healthy eyes
Good eye health is all down to the habits you undergo in your daily life. In short, if you have healthy habits, you have healthy eyes. It’s simply a combination of focusing on eye health and nutrition.
Here are 8 practical tips we recommend you do to preserve and maintain good eye health:
1.Don’t smoke
We all know how detrimental smoking can be to our lungs, but do you know how much it can affect your eyesight? The toxins and chemicals in tobacco can cause significant damage to parts of your eye, contributing to diseases and vision problems. Smoking can be a major risk factor for a lot of diseases, in particular, increasing your risk of dry eyes, macular degeneration, optic nerve damage, and cataracts.
2.Have a healthy diet
Yes, there’s such a thing as eye health and nutrition combined. A major key to good eye health is having a healthy diet, they go hand in hand.
To have a well-balanced diet, try to have nutrients that contain omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, vitamins C and E, and lutein, as these can help fight off vision problems like cataracts and macular degeneration. Along with obesity and type II diabetes, which can cause blindness in adults. In short, try to add these foods to your diet:
- Salmon, tuna, and oily fish
- Eggs, nuts, beans, tofu
- Oranges and citrus fruits
- Green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli and spinach
3.Take breaks from your screen
We live in a day and age when we cannot escape screens on our phones, laptops, tablets, and more. We depend on them so much for work, reconnecting with friends and family, and for entertainment.
To preserve your eye health, though, it’s important to limit your interaction with and exposure to screens by taking frequent breaks. Whenever possible, try to take breaks every 20 minutes and not use screen time 2 hours before you go to sleep.
4.Have good hand hygiene
Always keep your hands clean. Wash them thoroughly after bathroom visits, before food, and whenever you’ve been out to prevent the spread of infection and dirt. Try to avoid touching your eyes or rubbing them. Rubbing can contribute to structural damage known as keratoconus, which can lead to conditions such as myopia or glaucoma.
5. Wear sunglasses
Another key trick to healthy eyes is wearing sunglasses! The right pair of sunglasses can help protect your eyes against the sun’s UV rays. Too much exposure can increase your chances of cataracts and macular degeneration.
Top Tip: To select the right pair of sunglasses that block your eyes, opt for polarised lenses, as they can reduce glare and help provide an extra layer of protection. Select a pair of glasses that blocks 99%- 100% of UVA and UVB rays. Moreover, if you wear contact lenses, try to find ones that offer UV protection and wear sunglasses to add an extra layer of protection.
6.Go for regular eye checkups
On average, you should visit your opticians every two years to have your eyesight checked. However, if you have a family history of eye disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes, you might need to go more frequently. Similarly, if you wear contact lenses, have conditions like myopia or diabetes, or suffer from cognitive impairment, you might need to visit more often.
7. Be conscious about your makeup application and removal
If you regularly wear makeup or moisturises, then be mindful. Never share our eye makeup, contact lenses, or eye drops. Whenever possible, try to throw eye makeup after three months, especially if you have liquids or creams, as bacteria can easily grow on them. Also, before you sleep, remove your makeup using a mild cleanser and warm water.
8. Exercise
Being active can reduce your risk of health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, which can directly impact your vision. Aerobic workouts such as cardio cycling, jogging, walking, and more can help increase blood flow to your optic nerve and retina, supporting eye health.
Teas to help with eyesight
Remember earlier when we mentioned diet is also important? You should try incorporating some herbs to add to your diet. At NutraTea, we have some teas that have a conscious blend of herbs that can help support good eye health:
NutraVision
NutraVision is an herbal tea that contains bilberry, a plant that helps encourage blood flow to your eye. It also has an eyebright, which primarily supports the functions, vision, and health of your retina. Alongside Bilberry, there’s also orange pepper in this tea, which is high in antioxidants, providing support for your eyes and protection against free radicals. NutraVision is a great allrounder tea to add to your daily routine to provide nourishment for your eyes.
Turmeric & Cinnamon
While this is less of an allrounder tea like NutraVision, you can’t go wrong by adding Turmeric & Cinnamon to your routine. Turmeric is a popular spice used in Indian cuisine and Ayurvedic medicine due to its antioxidant properties. One powerful antioxidant it has is curcumin, which helps protect your eyes from oxidative stress and damage, reducing the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts. Turmeric & Cinnamon also contain anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce inflammation and chances of dry eyes.
Pine Needle & Rose Hip
Pine Needle and Rose Hip tea is also beneficial tea for eye health. Pine needles are high in vitamin A, which helps support vision. Rose hip helps your body’s natural defences and has anti-inflammatory properties, reducing puffiness around your eyes.
Final thoughts
Overall, there are many ways you can look after your eye health, and most of them are within your control! To try to maintain healthy eyesight, focus on your lifestyle habits and always go for regular checkups. Whenever possible, try not to smoke, have excessive screen time, and have a healthy diet.
Want to know more about eye health? Check out our article about garlic supplements and how play an important role in eye health.
