Your eyes are your window to the world. There is no better way to describe the value of your eyes than in this statement. Their health should be your focus (no pun intended) to let you maintain the very precious gift of sight and be able to enjoy life to the fullest. Proper eye care is the key to preventing problems with your vision.
Ways to Prevent Vision Problems and Improve Eyesight
The following are tips from eye care experts on how to prevent problems with your vision and improve it at the same time:
- Eat food with the right nutrients for your healthy vision.
- Essential to eyesight are vitamins A, C, and E and minerals like zinc and copper.
- Sulfur, lecithin, and cysteine in foods protect your eye lens from cataract formation.
- DHA omega-3 fat provides the necessary cell membranes structural support to boost eye health.
- Avoid environmental toxins. Factors in the environment that contribute to eye damage, which should be avoided or limited, include computer screens, fluorescent lights, environmental allergens such as smoke, dust and other chemical pollutants, and chlorine in pools.
- Get enough sleep. Enough sleep allows time for your eyes to rest, recover, and repair.
- Have healthy lifestyle habits.
- Eat right and exercise to avoid obesity and diabetes, diseases at epidemic proportions currently, which can significantly impact your eyesight.
- Take care of your cardiovascular system. Blood vessels on the retina can be damaged from high blood pressure. Avoid fructose to maintain your blood pressure at optimal level.
- Maintain your blood sugar at normal level. Excessive blood sugar can take fluid from your eyes’ lens causing impairment in your ability to focus.
- Do not smoke. Smoking has been found to increase the risk of developing eye problems, such as age-related macular degeneration, cataract and damage to the optic nerve, all of which can lead to eventual blindness.
- Avoid spending too much time in front of a computer.
- Have sufficient intake of antioxidants. Antioxidant compounds neutralize free radicals in the body. They help protect your macula from the damaging effects of the sun. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two of the antioxidants which are of particular benefit to the eyes. They are found in eggs, kale, spinach, and similar leafy green vegetables. These foods, prepared and eaten in their raw form, can significantly reduce the risk of macular degeneration, an age related disorder.
Science now reveals that a new powerful antioxidant is the real and ultimate carotenoid for overall eye health and the prevention of blindness. It is astaxanthin, a much more powerful antioxidant than lutein and zeaxanthin. It has been found that it can help protect individuals against certain eye-related problems including cataracts, cystoids macular edema, macular degeneration, inflammatory eye diseases, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, venous occlusion, and retinal arterial occlusion.
Astaxanthin is produced by microalgae called Haematococcus pluvialis and the only two sources of the antioxidant are the microalgae and the fish and crustaceans that feed on them, such as salmon, krill, and shellfish.
In addition to all these actions that need to be taken for the prevention of vision problems, it may be worth to consider that a healthy nervous system brought about by properly aligned vertebrae is another important key to overall health, including vision. While more extensive research and study need to be made on the relationship between the spine and the optic nerves and the effect of their anomaly to one’s vision, there have been many documented cases where the patients’ vision improved following chiropractic care. These improvements are not only seen in patients with vision disorders but even in those with normal vision.
So in addition to providing your body the nutrients needed for healthy eyes from your diet, having healthy lifestyle habits and boosting antioxidants your eyes and nervous system need, getting regular chiropractic care can help in improving your eyesight and preventing vision problems.