The Importance Of Eye Care And Looking After Your Sight

Looking after your health should include taking care of your eyes. Most people are unaware that what you eat and lack of exercise can affect not just your weight and blood pressure, but can also affect your eyesight. This is the sense that most folk fear losing the most. Eye care can help reduce the incidence of eye conditions like AMD (age related macular degeneration) and cataracts. Both of these conditions can lead to loss of sight and eventual blindness.

Most of us know that we need to eat a balanced diet to keep our bodies in good condition. There are nutrients in fruits and vegetables which are especially beneficial to the eyes. The antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin found in avocadoes, blueberries and spinach, amongst many fruits and vegetables, are helpful in protecting against AMD. This condition causes a slow deterioration of sight, and eventual blindness if left untreated in the early stages. Vitamins A and C are important in reducing the risk of cataracts and AMD developing. A good supply of omega-3 fatty acids (found in oily fish) in the diet are essential for preserving your eyesight for longer.

Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Your body requires water to function. Not drinking enough water can lead to, amongst other things, dehydration which can leave your poor eyes dry and irritated. If you are working out, or if the weather is very hot, try to drink more.

Maintaining a healthy body weight can also help to maintain your eyesight. Obesity can increase the chance of developing AMD. Carrying extra weight can lead to damaged blood vessels. This damage can result in diabetes or glaucoma.

The liver can be affected by drinking too much alcohol. There is a reduction in the level of the antioxidant glutathione which can help to protect the eyes against disease.

Exercise will help your eyesight because it increases the amount of oxygen to the optic nerve, helping to lower pressure in the eye. Increased eye pressure can cause ocular hypertension and glaucoma. Exercise including swimming, cycling and walking is an aid to controlling the progression of diabetes. If left unchecked it can lead to diabetic retinopathy (damage to the retina). Spend about half an hour at least five times a week exercising. Make sure you check with your doctor before starting any new exercise regime.

If you haven't already done so, give up smoking. It can cause damage to your eyesight as well as all of the other nasty problems smoking is responsible for causing. It can increase the chance of developing AMD. The good news is that as soon as you quit smoking the risks decline. The blood vessels behind the eyes are damaged by the chemicals in cigarettes, leading to sight loss. The development of cataracts can also be linked to smoking.

It's not too late to make the right healthy choices. You can preserve your vision and even reverse the damage by cutting out cigarettes and too much alcohol, exercising regularly and choosing a healthy diet. We should all care about eye care.