Eye Care

How to Take Care of Your Eyes Diet and regular upkeep are two important factors in taking care of your eyes. Eye exercises can restore your sight. Your eyes are the window to the world. It's important that you take care of them. 1. Eat lots of fruits and veggies! Carrots, loaded with beta carotene are especially helpful in maintaining healthy eyes. That's because beta carotene is an antioxidant that reduces the risk of mauler degeneration. Broccoli, bell peppers, and Brussels sprouts are also great for your eyes, containing lots of vitamin C. Okay, they're not the greatest tasting vegetables in the world (or maybe you love them, in which case good for you!) so dip them in hummus or other yummy yogurt spreads to make them palatable. Wild salmon and sardines are also healthy options for your eyes. That's because they contain omega-3 fats, which are the good fats for your body. These omega-3s protect tiny blood vessels in the eyes. Sweet potatoes and spinach round out the healthy options for maintaining good eyes. Both contain beta carotene, and spinach contains lots of vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Make the sweet spuds into home-fries with a bit of olive oil, and make spinach into a tasty side or a delectable dip. 2. Use allergen-reducing eye drops sparingly. Using an allergen-reducing eye drop during allergy season to 'get the red out' and sooth itchiness may help on a limited basis, but chronic daily use can actually make the problem worse. Allergen-reducing eye drops work by constricting the blood flow to the cornea, thereby depriving it of oxygen. So while your eyes don't feel inflamed and itchy anymore, they're actually not getting any oxygen from blood. That's not ideal. Using redness-relieving eye drops chronically will cause more redness in your eyes. Your body gets so accustomed to the chemicals in the eye drops that they no longer work effectively. 3. Use cucumber on your eyelids. Press cold cucumber slices gently against eyelids 10 minutes before going to sleep at night to prevent puffiness. Cucumbers contain ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, which prevent water retention. These compounds help explain why cucumbers are used throughout the world to treat inflammation and dermatitis. Green tea bag may also help prevent puffiness if applied to the eyes. Soak the tea bag in cold water for a few minutes and place over eyes for 15-20 minutes. The tannins in the tea should help reduce inflammation. 4. Try not to spend so much time looking at your computer screen. (As a matter of fact, now would be a good time to give your eyes a break, since you're not doing anything too important.) While science hasn't yet proven that looking at computer screens causes permanent eye damage, it may cause eye strain and dry eyes. The glare from computer screens causes muscle fatigue in the eyes, either from being too bright or too dark. People blink less when they're looking at a screen, causing drier eyes. Make a conscious effort to blink every 30 seconds when you're sitting down and looking at your computer screen to combat dry eyes. 5. Exercise your eyes, and also be sure to relax them. Try focusing your eyes on objects that are near to you, then objects that are far away. Repeat this process multiple times. Sit down, place your elbows on your hips, close your eyes and bring your closed eyes down, resting them on your palms. Keep your palms covering your eyes for 10 seconds. Open your eyes and repeat as necessary. Stretch your arm out and place your thumb in the hitchhiker position. Focus your vision on your thumb while you slowly bring your outstretched arm closer to your body, until your thumb is about five inches from your face. Slowly zoom the thumb back to its original position, focusing on it with your eyes all the while.