We all know for healthy eyes that we should brush and floss them at least twice daily and rinse with a quality antiseptic, oh wait, that’s a different article. The point being is that most people are aware of what to do to keep their teeth healthy and strong, but few are aware of healthy practices for their eyes.
Let’s look at the facts. You get thirty two teeth but you only get two eyes, and if you don’t take care of them you can’t just get surgery and have them replaced with fakes that work just as well as you can with teeth. And although the first eye transplant was performed in 1969, the eye didn’t work.
It wasn’t until recently, in 2000 actually, that a Russian ophthalmologic surgeon claims to have performed an eye transplant that restored partial sight to the patient. This claim however, has been met with much criticism. Then in August of 2012 in Australia, the first “bionic” eye transplant was performed with about the same results that the Russian doctor proclaimed.
The moral of this story is the same advice that your mother has always told you, you only get two eyes, take care of them. So, how do you take care of them? That”s a good question; let’s see if I can answer that for you. As with just about everything health related, the main factor is proper nutrition. Eating foods that contain Beta-carotene are good for your eyesight as well as your eyes in general. Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A in your retina.
Foods high in beta carotene are generally identified by an orange color, typically the more orange the better. Foods such as but not limited to, carrots, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, kale, and butter nut squash, are all excellent sources for Beta-carotene and should be made a regular part of your diet.
Vitamin A supplements may also be used to augment your diet if you have trouble eating the foods, or enough of them, that contain Beta-carotene. Another dietary factor to be aware of for your eye health is to not eat too many foods high in cholesterol. Foods high in cholesterol may lead to other health issues as well, but pertaining to the eye, cholesterol can cause plaque buildup in your arteries and this build up not only leads to issues such as high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke, but may also cause blindness.
The way high cholesterol may cause blindness is that it can block the arteries that provide the blood supply to your eye and the optic nerve. This will cause a condition known as macular degeneration and will lead to blindness.
Yet another issue to be aware of for your eye health is to wear proper eye protection while outdoors or while performing work that could cause objects to be thrown into your eye. The Suns ultra violet rays are very damaging to your eyes; did you know that your eyes can actually become sunburned? Wearing proper sunglasses that protect against both UV A and UV B rays is recommended.
While performing chores at home or at work, or while participating in favorite recreational activities, that could result in objects becoming lodged in your eye(s), you should wear OSHA approved eye protection to protect them. You should have an eyewash station near your work area.
While participating in activities away from home or work such as fishing, camping or shooting sports, or golf, baseball, or other ball sports, it is a good idea to keep a bottle of sterile eye wash or a similar product on hand for an emergency, and always keep eye wash in your first aid kit. It”s also a good idea to keep eye drops around for moistening and lubricating dry, irritated eyes.
