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There’s a lot you can do to keep your eyes healthy and protect your vision.
Get a comprehensive dilated eye exam
Getting a dilated eye exam is simple and painless — and it’s the single best thing you can do for your eye health!
Even if your eyes feel healthy, you could have a problem and not know it. That’s because many eye diseases don’t have any symptoms or warning signs.
Aug 29, 2018 These fatty acids help keep your retinas healthy and stop age-related eyesight deterioration. (Including white vegetables in your diet is beneficial) Say No DO: avoid sugary foods as they are bad news for your eyes. The more sugar you eat, the worse your eyesight will become. DON'T: smoke. It has been linked to an increased risk of developing. Certain vitamins and minerals found in food may play a role in preventing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. These include the.
A dilated eye exam is the only way to check for many eye diseases early on, when they’re easier to treat.
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Find out if you’re at risk for eye diseases
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Getting older increases your risk of some eye diseases. You might also have a higher risk of some eye diseases if you:
- Are overweight or obese
- Have a family history of eye disease
- Are African American, Hispanic, or Native American
Other health conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure, can also increase your risk of some eye diseases. For example, people with diabetes are at risk for diabetic retinopathy — an eye condition that can cause vision loss and blindness.
If you’re worried you might be at risk for some eye diseases, talk to your doctor. You may be able to take steps to lower your risk.
Know your family’s health history. Talk with your family members to find out if they’ve had any eye problems. Some eye diseases and conditions run in families, like age-related macular degeneration or glaucoma. Be sure to tell your eye doctor if any eye diseases run in your family.
Take care of your health
Protecting your overall health can go a long way toward keeping your eyes healthy! It’s important to make healthy choices and take good care of yourself.
Keep in mind that healthy habits like eating well and being active can lower your risk for diseases and conditions that can lead to eye or vision problems, like diabetes or high blood pressure. Follow these tips for healthy vision:
Eat healthy foods. Be sure to have plenty of dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens. Eating fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids — like salmon, tuna, and halibut — is good for your eyes, too.
Get active. Being physically active helps you stay healthy. It can also lower your risk of health conditions that can cause eye health or vision problems — like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Quit smoking. Smoking isn’t just bad for your lungs — it can hurt your eyes, too! Smoking increases your risk of diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts — and it can harm the optic nerve. If you’re ready to quit, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free support. You can also check out the resources on Smokefree.gov
Protect your eyes
Every day, you can take simple steps to keep your eyes healthy. Use these tips to protect your eyes from things that can harm them:
Wear sunglasses. Protect your eyes from the sun by wearing sunglasses — even on cloudy days! Be sure to look for sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation.
Wear protective eyewear. Safety glasses and goggles are designed to protect your eyes during certain activities, like playing sports, doing construction work, or doing home repairs. You can buy them from most eye care providers and some sporting goods stores. Get tips to protect your kids' eyes when they play sports
Give your eyes a rest. Looking at a computer for a long time can tire out your eyes. Rest your eyes by taking a break every 20 minutes to look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
If you wear contacts, take steps to prevent eye infections. Always wash your hands before you put your contact lenses in or take them out. Be sure to disinfect your contact lenses and replace them regularly. Learn more about caring for contact lenses
- Also available in Portable Document Format (PDF)
Eating more fruits and vegetables can help protect against eye disease and help your overall health. * Research supports this.1-10 To keep your eyes healthy, you should eat foods rich in certain vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals are called antioxidants. Antioxidants help keep our cells and tissues healthy. The following foods may help stop or slow certain eye diseases.
Foods Rich in Antioxidants for Eye Health | Antioxidants Related to Eye Health |
---|---|
Eggs, kale, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, corn, garden peas and Brussels sprouts. | Lutein & Zeaxanthin |
Red berries, kiwi, red and green bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, and juices made from guava, grapefruit, and orange. | Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) |
Vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, avocados, wheat germ, and whole grains. | Vitamin E |
Carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, eggs, and green leafy vegetables. | Vitamin A & Beta Carotene |
Salmon, sardines, flax seeds, soybeans, and walnuts. | Essential Fatty Acids |
Red meat, poultry, oysters and other seafood, nuts, dried beans, soy foods, milk and other dairy products, whole grains, and fortified breakfast cereals. | Zinc |
Visit an eye care professional for regular eye exams. This will help you learn about and get treated for vision problems as early as possible.
*WARNING: Talk with your health care provider before changing your diet or taking vitamin supplements. Some people have health conditions or take medicines that could be affected by a change in diet or vitamin supplements.
Prepared by the Vision Health Integration and Preservation Program, a collaboration of Healthy Eyes Alliance (formerly Prevent Blindness Tri-State) and the New York State Department of Health.
Research References
- (2001). 'A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc for age-related macular degeneration and vision loss: AREDS report no. 8' Arch Ophthalmol 119(10): 1417-36.
- Richer, S., W. Stiles, et al (2004).'Double-masked, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of lutein and antioxidant supplementation in the intervention of atrophobic age-relatedmacular degeneration: the Veterans LAST study (Lutein Antioxidant Supplementation Trial).' Optometry 75(4): 216-30.
- Stringham, J. M.and B. Hammond (2008). 'Macular Pigment and Visual Performance Under Glare Conditions.' Optometry & Vision Science 85(2): 82-88.
- Cho E. et al. (2001). 'Prospective study of dietary fat and the risk of age-related macular degeneration.' Am. J. Clin.Nutr. 73: 209-218.
- ConnorW. E., et al. (1992). 'Essential fatty acids: the importance of n-3 fatty acids in the retina and brain.'Nutr Rev 50(4): 21-29.
- Grahn, B. H., P. G.Paterson, et al. (2001). 'Zinc and the eye.' Journal of the American College of Nutrition 20(2 Suppl): 106-118.
- Meyer, B. J. et al. (2003). 'Dietary intakes and food sources of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.' Lipids 38(4): 391-8.
- Christen, W. G., S. Lieu et al. (2008)'Dietary carotenoids, vitamins C and E, and risk of cataract in women: a prospective study.' Archives of Ophthalmology 126(1): 102-9.
- Seddon,J. M., et al. (1994). 'Dietary carotenoids, vitamins A, C, and E, and advanced age-related macular degeneration. Eye Disease Case-Control StudyGroup.' Jama 272(18): 1413-20.
- Age-Related Disease Study Research Group (2007). 'The Relationship of Dietary Carotenoid and Vitamin A, E and C Intake with Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Case- Control Study. AREDS Report No. 22.' Arch Ophthalmol 125(9):1225-1232.