How to Maintain Good Eye Health

Simple Tips for Healthy Eyes

• Visit an eye doctor and have a complete eye examination every couple of years if you are over age 40.
• Wear sunglasses treated with ultraviolet protection when outdoors.
• Quit smoking or never start.
• Wear eye protection when working in industrial situations or using power tools and when playing sports.
• Maintain a healthy weight, eat proper nutrition and get exercise to help prevent diabetes and diabetes-related eye disorders and blindness.
• Consume certain foods and drinks that may help prevent eye disease.
• Ask your doctor about vitamin and dietary supplements that research has shown may prevent or even reverse eye disease.
• Get adequate sleep every night so your eyes are rested and not strained.
• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration that can damage eyes.
• Avoid rubbing your eyes if your eyes itch or feel tired.
• Clean your hands and your contact lensesproperly.
• Look Away From the Computer Screen.

Attension Computer Users

What is computer vision syndromes?

With so many of us using computers at work, computer eye strain has become a major job-related complaint. Studies show that eye strain and other bothersome visual symptoms occur in 50 to 90 percent of computer workers. Most of our work is done on computers and If you spend a lot of time each day in front of a computer, you are likely to experience symptoms of computer vision syndrome (CVS).

The most common symptoms associated with Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) are -

• Eyestrain
• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Dry eyes
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Redness in the eye
• Fatigue
• Irritated Eye
• Double vision some times
• Difficulty refocusing the eye

These symptoms may be caused by:

• Poor lighting
• Glare on the computer screen
• Improper viewing distances
• Poor seating posture
• Uncorrected vision problems
• Uncorrected vision problems

Here are some techniques to minimize the impact of CVS and help to make you relax, reduce eye strain -

• 20-20-20 Rule - The computer screen is bright and therefore, if you don’t blink your eyes as often as you should while working at the computer for long hours, you can have dry eyes sometimes even followed by redness. To help you deal with this problem, the 20-20-20 rule suggests that after every 20 minutes, the computer user should take a break for at least 20 seconds and look at objects that are 20 feet away.
• Minimize glare - Glare on walls and finished surfaces, as well as reflections on your computer screen also can cause computer eye strain. Consider installing an anti-glare screen on your monitor.If you wear glasses, purchase lenses with anti-reflective (AR) coating. AR coating reduces glare by minimizing the amount of light reflecting off the front and back surfaces of your eyeglass lenses.
• Adjust Light Intensity -Eye strain mostly caused by excessively bright light either from outdoor sunlight coming in through a window or from harsh interior lighting. When you use a computer, your ambient lighting should be about half as bright as that typically found in most offices.
• Make sure to Blink the eye repeatedly - Blinking is very important when working at a computer; blinking moistens your eyes to prevent dryness and irritation. Tears coating the eye evaporate more rapidly during long non-blinking phases and this can cause dry eyes. Also, the air in many office environments is dry, which can increase how quickly your tears evaporate. So If you experience dry eye symptoms, ask your eye doctor about artificial tears for use during the day.
• Have a walk and take frequent breaks - To reduce your risk for computer vision syndrome and neck, back and shoulder pain, take frequent breaks during your computer work day and have a walk after every half n hour just for 2-3 minutes.
• Seating position -- Chairs should be comfortably padded and conform to the body. Chair should be adjusted so your feet rest flat on the floor. If your chair has arms, they should be adjusted to provide arm support while you are typing. Your wrists shouldn't rest on the keyboard when typing.
• Get a comprehensive eye exam -Having a routine comprehensive eye exam is the most important thing you can do to prevent computer vision problems. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), computer users should have an eye exam before they start working on a computer and once a year thereafter. During your exam, be sure to tell your eye doctor how often you use a computer at work and at home.

Eye Care - Protective Glasses & Sunglasses

UV radiation can hurt your eyes just like it does your skin. Effects add up and can cause any severe problems. Whenever you’re outside -- even on cloudy days -- wear sunglasses or contacts that block 99% to 100% of UV-A and UV-B rays. Protective lenses don’t have to be expensive, just check the label. Hats block exposure, too. Snow, water, sand, and concrete all can reflect UV rays. Many times half of all eye injuries happen at home, not on a job site. Use safety glasses whenever a project might explore flying or splash hazardous chemicals. Protective eyewear may prevent 90% of sports-related eye injuries. Lenses should be made of polycarbonate plastic -- which is 10 times more impact resistant than other materials.

Eye Care with Eating Habits

This is medically proven fact that antioxidants and other important nutrients may reduce your various eye problems. It is always better to keep your body healthy naturally then doing the same by taking medicines.

Specific antioxidants can have additional benefits as well; for example, vitamin A,vitamin C and Omega-3 essential fatty acids appear to help the eye in a variety of ways from eye related diseases.

There are so many fruits and vegetables which keep our eye healthy and here are some of them but make sure to consult doctor before applying these tips as every person have a different body types.

• Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, butternut squash are rich in Beta-carotene.
• Tea, red wine, citrus fruits, bilberries, blueberries, cherries, legumes, soy are rich in Bioflavonoids (Flavonoids).
• Spinach, kale, turnip greens, collard greens, squash are rich in Lutein and Zeaxanthin.
• Cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring; fish oil supplements, freshly ground walnuts are rich source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
• Seafood (shrimp, crab, salmon, halibut), Brazil nuts, enriched noodles, brown rice are rich source of Selenium.
• Beef or chicken liver; eggs, butter, milk is rich source of Vitamin A.
• Sweet peppers (red or green), kale, strawberries, broccoli, oranges, cantaloupe are rich in Vitamin C.
• The best source of vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun stimulates production of vitamin D in human skin, and just a few minutes of exposure to sunlight each day (without sunscreen) will insure your body is producing adequate amounts of vitamin D.
• Almonds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts are rich in Vitamin E.
• Oysters, beef, Dungeness crab, turkey (dark meat) are rich source of Zinc.

Contact Lenses - Infection and Eye Care

Take care of your eyes by taking care of your contacts. Always wash your hands before handling lenses. Use only cleaners and drops approved by your eye doctor. Clean, rinse, and dry the case each time you remove the lenses, and replace it every two to three months. Don’t wear lenses when you're swimming or using cleaning products like bleach. Don’t leave daily wear lenses in while you sleep, even for a nap. And don’t wear lenses longer than recommended.

Poor lens care - failure to clean the lenses properly may lead to the accumulation of protein and deposits on the lens. These can cause irritation of the cornea and impaired visual acuity. Bacteria, protozoa and fungi can form a film over the lens and the fungal filaments may invade the lens itself. Deposits on, or damage to, the lens surface may also occur due to other substances which they may come in contact with, such as hairspray, make-up, smoke and hand cream. It is important to ensure that the patient is using the lenses correctly so as to prevent future deposit formation. It has been shown that about 80% of contact lens (CL) wearers are unaware of the risks associated with wear and specifically with poor CL hygiene. This has prompted some to suggest obtaining a formal consent before CLs are prescribed, with a clear explanation of the care and the risks.

Important advice for contact lensesusers - Ask Yourself

• Do my eyes feel good with my lenses (no discomfort)?
• Do my eyes look good (no redness)?
• Do I see well (no unusual blurring with either eyes?

If your answer is no for any of the above question then you have to leave the lenses off and get immediate advice. Patients will have been taught lens care by their CL provider. CL care varies according to the type of lens worn.

 

Throw Away Old Eye Drops & Old Eye Makeup

 

Bacteria grow easily in liquid or creamy eye makeup and also in expired medicines. Throw out products after expiry date. Also check the lable on medicines and cosmetics before purchasing and applying them to you eyes. If you develop an infection, immediately get rid of all your eye makeup and see a doctor. If you tend to have allergic reactions, try only one new product at a time. Never share cosmetics and don't use store samples. Clean your face thoroughly before and after using makeup, and don’t apply cosmetics inside lash lines.

 

 

High Blood Pressure and Eye Disease

Along with causing heart and kidney problems, untreated high blood pressure can also affect your eyesight and lead to eye disease. Hypertension can cause damage to the blood vessels in the retina, the area at the back of the eye where images focus. This eye disease is known as hypertensive retinopathy. The damage can be serious if hypertension is not treated.

A person typically won't experience symptoms of hypertensive retinopathy; it is usually discovered during a routine eye exam. However, symptoms might include headaches and vision problems.

An eye care professional can diagnose hypertensive retinopathy. Using an ophthalmoscope, an instrument that projects light to examine the back of the eyeball, the doctor will look for signs of retinopathy that include:

• Narrowing of blood vessels
• Fluid oozing from the blood vessels
• Spots on the retina known as cotton wool spots and exudates
• Swelling of the macula (the central area of the retina) and optic nerve
• Bleeding in the back of the eye

To prevent hypertensive retinopathy, keep your blood pressure under control by reaching and maintaining your optimal weight, sticking with a diet recommended by your physician, exercising regularly, and faithfully taking your high blood pressure medications as prescribed. In addition, see your doctor on a regular basis for follow-up care. gh blood pressure medications as prescribed. In addition, see your doctor on a regular basis for follow-up care.

Hyper tenshion and human body functions are described in diagram