Eye health tips

It is important to look after the health of your eyes, especially if you have been diagnosed with an eye condition so that you can protect the remaining vision you have.

Eye tests

Having a regular eye test is the best way to check on the health of your eyes. It is recommended that you have an eye test at least once every two years, unless you have been advised to go more frequently by your ophthalmologist or optician.

An eye test doesn’t just check your vision, it also checks the health of your eye and can detect early signs of eye disease before any symptoms are even apparent. Conditions such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy could be more easily managed if detected and treated early enough.

But it’s not just eye conditions that can be diagnosed. Our eyes provide a window to our overall health so conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even dementia can be diagnosed through an eye test.

Healthy eating

A diet rich in vitamins A, C and E, lutein and Omega-3 will help you maintain good eye health.

Vitamins A, C and E and lutein are antioxidants. They protect our eyes from harmful oxidants which can speed up cell degeneration and may contribute to the development of aged-related macular degeneration.

Foods such as sweet potatoes, spinach, oranges, red peppers, broccoli, kale and avocadoes are rich in vitamins A, C and E. Dark leafy green vegetables and yellow vegetables such as carrots also contain lutein, as do eggs. Our bodies don’t naturally produce lutein so we have to get it from our diet.

Research has also shown that Omega-3 is good for our eyes and can help to ease the symptoms of dry eyes. Oily fish such as sardines, mackerel and salmon contain high levels of Omega-3 as do flaxseeds, linseeds and walnuts.

Smoking

Smoking increases the production of harmful free radicals which accelerate ageing and alter the body’s ability to absorb essential vitamins from food. People who smoke are up to four times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration than those who don’t.

Smoking is also linked to the development of cataracts and can make diabetes related sight loss worse. It’s never too late to give up smoking and the sooner you stop, the better.

UV rays

UV radiation from the sun can damage the  eyes’ surface tissues as well as the cornea and lens. UV rays can burn the surface of the eye much like sunburn on skin. Long term exposure to UV radiation is a significant factor for cataract development.

To protect your eyes from UV exposure it is important to wear good quality protective glasses that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation. Wraparound sunglasses offer the best protection and should be worn whenever the UV index rises above level 3 (medium). This can happen even on a cloudy day in winter so it is a good idea to check the UV forecast via the Met Office or other weather forecasting websites.