One of the best ways to keep yourself looking young and to maintain the quality of life that you are used to, is to look after your eyes.
Your vision is the way that you perceive the world around you and our eyes are one of the first things that people notice about us.
Luckily, it only takes a few small lifestyle changes to keep our eyes in tip-top shape.
Pay attention to what you eat
As with any kind of wellness, keeping our eyes healthy begins with what nutrition we put into our bodies.
With the right nutrients, we can maintain good eyesight and ward off age-related vision issues like macular degeneration and diabetes.
If you want to take good care of your eyes, be sure to eat a diet that’s rich in:
- Oily fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel. Oily fish are packed with Omega-3 which is essential for good eye health.
- Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale. Dark leafy greens are full of the iron which our body needs.
- Non-meat protein sources such as eggs, nuts and beans. Protein is important for the repair and maintenance of every part of our body, including the eyes.
- Oranges and other citrus fruits. Citrus fruits are full of Vitamin C which is thought to lower your risk of developing cataracts.
Exercise
Exercise is important because it improves cardiovascular function. This means that more blood is pumped to our eyes and to the skin around our eyes, which means our eyes can function more efficiently and that our skin looks younger.
If you’re taking up sports, it’s a good idea to wear sports contact lenses that offer UV protection, as UV rays will damage your eyes over time.
Regular facials
Just like exercise, regular facials promote blood flow to the face which means that your skin, especially the delicate skin around your eyes, will look younger. Facials also help to keep your skin hydrated and ward off wrinkles.
Plus, they’re just a great way to relax and treat yourself!
Quit smoking
Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your body in general and particularly your eyes.
Smoking is thought to contribute to macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness, as well as to the development of cataracts. Not only this, but smoking will also age your skin and mean that you develop wrinkles around your eyes earlier.
Wear sunglasses
It’s important to protect your eyes and the delicate skin around your eyes from the UV rays that come from the sun. Over time they can cause damage.
Be sure to pick up a pair of sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection, ideally large glasses in a wrap-around style so that the area around your eyes is protected, too.
Take a break!
If you work at a screen, be sure to adhere to the 20-20-20 rule. That means every 20 minutes taking a break for 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away.
This helps to prevent eye strain, which can lead to fatigue and headaches.
