The eyes are one of the most important sense organs and without them, it would really difficult to perceive the world around you. Today, you do more with your eyes than ever before which increases the chances of eye fatigue and age-related eye problems.
As you get older, your eyesight becomes poorer and you might have to use prescription glasses or contact lenses for you to see the text on your phone or read restaurant menus.
But, there are ways you could improve your eyesight naturally. If you’re not yet having vision problems, you should still follow these tips as they would help you maintain good eyesight as you grow older.
6 Proven Ways To Improve Your Eyesight Naturally
1. Consume Eye-helpful Vitamins and Nutrients
Eat foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E to improve your eyesight naturally. Other nutrients you should consume are copper and zinc. These vitamins and nutrients are essential for vision as they promote healthy eye function.
Also, you should consume foods rich in antioxidants, including lutein, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin. As you grow older, macular degeneration is a common medical condition that comes with aging. This condition results in blurred vision or vision loss. Consuming more antioxidants could reduce macular degeneration.
You can get all these nutrients from foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, eggs, onions, fish, spinach, papaya, and apricot.
2. Get Enough Sleep
Your eyes are most affected when you don’t get enough sleep. If you require your eyes for intense visual activities, then you should get at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep to complement the hardwork you put your eyes through.
While sleeping is necessary, resting or giving your eyes a break is also important. Staring at the computer screen for too long or reading a book for long periods without stopping could be detrimental. Always take a break while reading or working to give your eyes some rest.
3. Exercise Your Eyes
Just like every other body part, your eyes need exercise too. The eyes have several muscles which when exercised could help them maintain proper vision even when you get older. There are several eye exercises you can fit into your workout session that will help keep your eyes in good shape.
Rolling your eyes, circling your eyes, and massaging your temples are some eye exercises that work.
To improve your focus, hold a pen at arm’s length and focus your eyes on it. Slowly, bring the pen closer till it’s just 6 inches away from your nose. Then slowly, move it back to the original position.
These exercises should be done in the morning, whenever your eyes feel fatigued, and before retiring to bed.
4. Quit Smoking
Smoking is known to cause a number of health problems like lung and heart diseases, but it could also affect your eyes. Smokers have a high risk of developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
In addition, smoking can reduce the beneficial effects of antioxidants on your eyes. Luckily, by quitting smoking early you can reverse any harm that may have occurred to your eyes.
5. Protect Your Eyes
If you’re a sportsperson, you should wear protective eyewear at all times. Also, if you come in contact with intense light or you perform experiments regularly, keeping your eyes safe should be your number one priority.
By wearing protective eyewear, you keep your eyes safe from chemicals, and sharp objects. If you’re a sportsperson, your protective eyewear would guard your eyes against a stray elbow and any other potentially eye-damaging accident that would occur on the field.
6. Follow the 20-20-20 Rule
The 20-20-20 rule aims to help your eyes relax. It is very important that you practice \ this rule as often as you can, especially if you put your eyes through a lot of work during the day.
You can ease the strain on your eyes by following the 20-20-20 rule. This rule simply means for every 20 minutes, you should stop whatever work you’re doing and focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Final Thoughts
The tips above can help you maintain proper eye vision even as you age. Always eat right, get enough sleep, and live a healthy lifestyle as they are the best ways to improve your eyesight naturally.
