Personal Eye Care
One of the greatest enemies of our eyes is the sun. Just like the skin, eyes are damaged by UV rays coming from the sun, whether it is overcast or a clear and sunny day. Sunglasses should always be warn in daylight hours when you are outside and you need to be sure that the sunglasses you choose offer UV ray protection. There are many sunglasses sold which are just tinted glass and do not really protect your eyes, they simply offer shade from the brightness. Check the label on your sunglasses before you buy them and be sure to wear them.
Life Style and Eyes
Keep in mind that an athlete may still require protection against injuries during contact sports, no matter which type of vision correction he chooses. If there is any risk of being hit by a fast-moving ball or other object (as in racquetball, squash, hockey, etc.), eye protection is highly-recommended, whether you are wearing contacts or not. A polycarbonate eyeguard will not distort vision.
Computer Use and Eyes
Instead of starring on the silver screen, or slugging home runs out of Fenway Park , a great number of people spend the majority of their workday in front of a computer screen. By one estimate, nearly 90 percent of those people working at a video display terminal (VDT) experienced some form of vision problem as a result.
How do you tell if your symptoms are related to your computer use?
VDT-related symptoms occur some time after you start work. As the workday progresses, your symptoms will become more acute. What are the symptoms that are related to computer use?
- Difficulty focusing after working at a computer, with blurry or double vision
- Eyestrain or eye fatigue
- Headaches or backaches
- Dry and/or irritated eyes
- Neck stiffness or discomfort
- After-images when looking away from the screen
- Sensitivity to lighting
- Muscle spasms
Are there environmental factors that could affect your symptoms?
- Bright lights in your peripheral field of vision could add to discomfort or reduced visual performance.
- Reflected light on your computer screen can decrease the contrast of screen characters and possibly force you to assume an awkward position to see around the glare.
The location of your screen could cause awkward positioning.
To determine the cause of your symptoms, you should visit your eye care professional. Before going to your appointment, however, take note of the environment in which your symptoms occur and at what times they are greatest. This will aid your doctor greatly in the diagnosis.
If computer eyestrain is the diagnosis, there are simple methods to ease the discomfort:
- don’t focus on a single object for a prolonged period of time;
- improve the lighting around your monitor;
- blink often;
- frequently close your eyes, then look far into the distance (down a hallway or out a
- window) every 15-20 minutes to relax them;
- sit at least 18-28 inches away from the screen;
- tilt the monitor slightly below eye level; and
- keep your screen dust-free to minimize visual interference.
Vitamins & Herbs For Healthy Eyes
For Red Irritated Eyes:
Eyebright Solution:
- 2 tablespoons eyebright herb (Euphrasia)
- 2 cups of hot water
- 2 cotton balls
- Steep the herb in water for 3 minutes or until cooled. Strain. Dip a cotton ball into the liquid and wipe eyes. Reduces redness.
Improves Night Vision
Mix together 30 drops of Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) with 8 ounces water, drink 3 times a day. Or drink 2 glasses of blueberry juice a day.
Improve Weak Eyes
Drink a glass of carrot juice daily
Relieve Eyestrain:
Place slices of cucumber over closed eyes for 15 minutes. Its cooling and refreshing to the eyes.
Reduce Swelling or Puffiness:
Use green tea that has steeped for five minutes and cooled. Wipe the eyes with this solution several times a day.
Drinking tea helps to deter cataracts.
Vitamins and Minerals For Eyes:
Vitamin A : Improves night vision. Food Source for vitamin A is dark green leafy vegetables, carrots, spinach, broccoli, eggs, cheese and butter are also great sources.
Vitamin B complex is good to reduce redness in eyes and can help eyes that are sensitive to light. Food Sources for vitamins B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cobalamin): pastas, breads, milk, dark green vegetables, mushrooms, tuna, nuts, avocados, bananas, liver.
Carotene allows the formation of visual purple in the eyes, which helps improve weak eyes. A good source of carotene is: carrots, broccoli, cabbage and peas.
