Five Ways to Avoid Going Blind The majority of people take their ability to see for granted and never consider the possibility of going blind. Diabetes, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts are just a few of the conditions that can cause blindness. We have broken down the various ways to avoid eye damage and vision loss below.
1. A well-balanced diet high in nutrients from leafy greens, vitamin A, vitamin C, and omega-3 fatty acids is an important preventative measure that most people overlook. Bioflavonoids, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamin D are other important nutrients that have been shown to improve and safeguard your vision. Fortunately, many of these nutrients can be found in everyday foods like fish, seeds, nuts, carrots, spinach, and broccoli. One thing to keep in mind is that eating a healthy, well-balanced diet helps us avoid diseases like Type 2 diabetes, the leading cause of adult blindness, in addition to getting the nutrients we need. At least once a year, you should get a dilated eye exam if you have Type 2 diabetes and have been living with it for at least five years!
2. Cloudy with a Chance of UV Damage Sunglasses—but not just any sunglasses—can help prevent macular degeneration. The best course of action is to protect completely. Although cloudy days may appear to be a safe bet, UV damage from reflected sunlight can still occur.
3. Sunscreen protects more than just your skin. Most of the time, wearing sunscreen can help prevent skin cancers like carcinoma and melanoma, which can form in or around the eyes or eyelids and cause serious damage to the integrity of the eyes. Using sunscreens on the face can significantly lower your risk of developing any of these conditions that impair vision. When you’re out for a long time, it’s critical to apply sunscreen regularly. Also, we can’t stress enough how important it is to use these products safely and correctly because even though they can help protect your vision, getting them in your eye can cause problems of its own! If this ever happens, flush your eyes with clean water right away, and please contact an eye doctor if irritation and vision loss persist.
4. Screens for computers, tablets, and smartphones In this day and age of computers and the Internet, we almost entirely rely on tablets, smartphones, and other devices to do our work or have fun. Due to the constant exposure, our eyes become increasingly strained and damaged. The average American spends nine hours a day staring at a screen, but they are unaware of how crucial it is to disconnect and look elsewhere. To help keep our vision clear, we should focus on something about 20 feet away from us for 20 seconds every 20 minutes, according to the 20-20-20 rule. This is just one of many helpful methods that we can use every day to help reduce eye strain and stress.
5. Eye Exams Another way to aid in the early prevention of eye degeneration is to schedule regular eye exams. While dilated eye exams are not a common option, they are highly recommended to see deeper into the eye to catch diseases early. Optometrists and ophthalmologists can now detect diseases and problems earlier than ever before by having you read a chart or using a powerful lens to better examine your eyes.
