Our eyes suffer a lot in modern times, and the reasons are infinite: spending too much time in front of the computer, pollution, not enough rest, high levels of stress we have to deal with daily, imbalanced diets and so on. Unfortunately, we don't protect our eyes as much as we should, and we tend to neglect our eyesight, taking it for granted and blaming age or prolonged screen time whenever we start having problems.
From genetic vulnerabilities to the contemporary computer vision syndrome we all suffer from, eyesight issues affect billions of people worldwide. The more severe fact is that eyesight problems usually lead to many other health issues, and headaches are just the tip of the iceberg. Today we will focus on a series of natural remedies that improve our eyesight on long-term, so we don't end up wearing contacts or glasses or let subsequent illnesses affect our lives.
1. A Proper Diet with Vitamins and Minerals
It is not just about eating carrots and having perfect eyesight; it is about balancing our diets with the right amount of vitamins A, C, and E, among others. Make room for vegetables, fruits and nuts in your diet and protect your eyes, improve your eyesight and strengthen your general health.
Create your own ultimate super foods list and make sure you get the correct nutrients in a healthy manner. They will not only work on your eyesight but also on your heart, brain, circulatory system, digestion, liver, and bones as well.
2. A Proper Diet Including Fish Oil
You may be all for foods containing antioxidants (Beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin protect the eye macula), vitamins and minerals, but you shouldn't forget about fish oil or DHA. You can eat as much fish as you like, but consider introducing in your diet high quality, organic and mercury-free fish oil supplements which will strengthen your eyes cell membranes.
3. Drink as Much Water as You Can
This may sound like a cliché, but drinking water is not only healthy for your internal organs, your circulatory system, and your weight, but also for your eyes. Dry eyes are vulnerable to subsequent problems, so keep your eyesight in check by hydrating properly and giving your eyes the water they need to stay strong and healthy.
4. Rest Your Eyes on an Hourly Basis
You and your eyes need the proper rest - and this is a problem that people spending hours in front of their computers tend to neglect. For each 50 minutes spent in front of a screen, rest your eyes for 10 minutes. Close your eyes and cup them with your hands, making sure no light reaches to them. Sit and relax, breathe deep and try to eliminate stressful thoughts.
5. The 10-10-10 Eye Resting Exercise
This is an eye-resting variant you can practice at the office or at home without raising eyebrows about you sleeping on the job or while doing chores. Simply look in the distance at 10 feet away for 10 seconds every 10 minutes. You can stare at a wall or focus on a 10-feet distance point with your eyes open pretending that you're thinking hard about something, but this is a good way of actually resting your eyes properly, fast and easy.
6. Get a Good Night's Sleep
As ordinary as it sounds, getting 7 to 8 hours of good sleep each night improves and preserves your eyesight for a long time. Try to sleep with your windows uncovered in the bedroom as the morning light will wake you up naturally and allow your eyes to open in a healthy, rested manner. Getting a good night's sleep is mandatory to preserve and enhance your body and nervous system' health, so take sleeping seriously.
7. Perform Eye Exercises
Practicing eye exercises is probably the key to improving your eyesight and preserve their health and ability to become resilient to stress. We have talked about the best eye exercises before, but specialists can't emphasize enough on their importance: practice them daily and practice them according to the rules, and you will see (!) how many benefits you can obtain easily. You can:
- Do eye warm-up exercises: rub your hands to get warm and place them on your eyes for 5 seconds, repeating the process three times.
- Do some eye-rolling: roll your eyes slowly clockwise for ten times and counter-clockwise for ten times.
- Focus: keep a pencil at arm's length and focus your vision on it, then get it closer to your face until it is about 6 inches away from your nose, then move it back at arm's length always focusing on it; repeat the procedure ten times.
- Massage your temples and the space around your eyes.
8. Acupuncture and Acupressure
These alternative medicine practices have been proven worthy of trying when it comes to improving your eyesight and reducing the strain life causes to your eyes. While there are plenty of do-it-yourself eye acupressure and acupuncture techniques, it is recommended you see a specialist. A few sessions will make you feel better, see better and delay the terrible moment of choosing the right eyeglasses frames.
9. Ginkgo Biloba Supplements
Gingko Biloba is a great supplement for your overall health, but when it comes to your eyes, it is a great addition that works by improving circulation and eye blood flow. As a corollary, it will protect you better against glaucoma and macular degeneration. Keeping your intra-ocular tension in check, you will be able to benefit from improved eyesight and lower your risk of developing eye diseases. Keep in mind to always consult your doctor before taking herbal supplements, especially if you suffer from diabetes or other health issues.
10. Sports and Exercises
It may come as another cliché, and you might wonder what physical exercises have to do with eyesight. There are long-term medical studies that looked into the connection between sports and athletic activities and vision and they discovered that regular exercise can reduce the risk of macular degeneration by 70%. More modern research connected improved eyesight with yoga practice and even running or jogging. The logic behind this is simple: physical exercise increases blood flow at your retina and optic nerve levels and proper blood flow means proper health.
