William Shakespeare famously said, “The eyes are the windows to the soul” but the truth is that a closer look at the human eye can also reveal a great deal about our overall health. It makes real sense to take the right steps to protect your vision for the future and boost your general health at the same time.
Here are some top tips to help you get started…
Feast your Eyes!
Studies show that certain foods can be beneficial to your vision as well as your overall health. Eating greens such as broccoli and spinach as well as oily fish, for example tuna or mackerel, are all recommended.
Get Tested
Regular eye test are essential and optometrists recommend that everyone has an eye test about every two years. People over 40 may need sight tests more frequently.
Watch the Sun
Protecting your peepers from the sun is vital. Never look at the sun directly and ensure your sunglasses have the CE mark on them to give you the right level of ultraviolet protection.
Don’t Smoke
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the UK’s leading cause of blindness and one in five cases is caused by tobacco consumption. Smokers are twice as likely as non smokers to contract a disease that will result in sight loss and are also at increased risk of other eye conditions such as nuclear cataracts; thyroid eye disease; dry eye and poor colour vision.
Get Moving
Regular exercise is a great way to boost overall health and wellbeing and, according to the Royal Society of Ophthalmologists, there is evidence that suggests that regular exercise can help preserve vision, particularly when combined with a healthy diet and avoiding smoking. Exercise may also reduce the risk of sight loss from narrowing or hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Keep an Eye on Your Drinks
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to serious health conditions which can have a detrimental effect on your eye health. Try and stick to the government recommended limits.
The good news is that following this simple advice is not only beneficial to your eyes but also to your overall physical health and wellbeing.