People call the eyes the window to the soul. Capable of showing the truth about our inner thoughts and emotions, our eyes help us communicate and see the world around us. However, to keep them working as they should, it’s important to look after them properly.
To help you keep your eyes in ship-shape condition, we’ve put together our handy tips for keeping your eyes healthy.
Be aware of your overall health
Before we move onto some more eye-specific tips, firstly it’s important to recognise that eye health should come as part of an overall health strategy.
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Eat healthy food
As well as keeping your whole body healthy, eating a healthy balanced diet should be your number one priority if you’re hoping to keep your eyes in excellent condition. Although an apple a day keeps the doctor away, the NHS recommend at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day.
For extra eye-power, try to incorporate a range of foods including those rich in Omega 3. These fatty acids are rich in nutrients and may even help to counteract or prevent dry eyes, macular degeneration or cataracts.
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Don’t smoke
According to the latest statistics, 6.9 million people in the UK smoke cigarettes. Although it’s well documented that there are risks associated with smoking, many people don’t know that smoking can affect your eyesight.
To maintain eye health, ditch the cigarettes!
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Get active
According to the NHS, adults should aim to do at least 150 minutes of exercise each day. As well as keeping your heart healthy, exercise increases blood flow to your optic nerve and retina, meaning that your eye health can be improved with a sweaty workout.
Protecting your eyes
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Get regular eye tests
As well as looking after your eyes by looking after your general health, you should also be getting regular eye tests. Getting eye tests every two years means your optician can identify any problems before it’s too late, so you can treat any problems quickly.
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Wear the correct safety equipment
If you’re working with heavy machinery (or just doing a spot of DIY!), you should take care to wear the right PPE equipment. Whether that’s welding masks, safety goggles or safety glasses – they go a long way in ensuring foreign objects don’t get into your eyes. Also ensure that a first aid kit is on site for those rare instances where dust or a foreign particle may end up in your eye. Acting quickly and rinsing the eye with eye wash can reduce the risk of further injury.
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Give your eyes a rest if you are looking at a screen for long periods of time
If you’re working the 9-5, you may find yourself with square eyes. Although it’s recommended to take a break every 20 minutes from a screen – many of us don’t!
In conclusion
Although most of us don’t think twice about our eye health, it’s important to keep them in optimum condition –you’ll only get one pair after all!
The good news is that by following a few simple tips, you can ensure your eyes remain in tip-top condition for years to come.
