Your eyes are one of the most complex and incredible organs in your body. Many of us don’t think twice about all of the intricate processes that are occurring inside our eyes and brain at any one moment.
Many of us take our sight for granted. It’s not until our eyesight begins to deteriorate as we age that we realise how much of a blessing it is to have full vision.
Most adults start to notice changes in their vision around the age of 40. Often, these changes are minor and tend to result in farsightedness due to the lens of the eye becoming less able to focus properly.
Worsening vision is a natural part of ageing that you can’t completely prevent. But there are plenty of things that you can do to optimize your eye health as you age.
The earlier you begin making positive lifestyle changes, the longer you will retain great vision. If you have any concerns about your eyesight, it’s important to visit the Eye Center of Utah where professional eye doctors will check your eyes and provide treatment if necessary.
Here are some easy ways to keep your eyes healthy to maximize your vision, even as you get older.
Protect Your Eyes
Most of us know to cover our skin with SPF when the weather is hot but we often forget about protecting our eyes. When you are out in the sun, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and don’t forget to protect your kid’s eyes too!
Focus On Vitamin A
Vitamin A is one of the most important micronutrients for supporting healthy eyes and vision. It contains something called beta carotene, which is a provitamin A carotenoid, meaning it can get converted into an active form of vitamin A in the eyes.
Research shows that eating lots of vitamin A-rich foods can support eye health and vision. Vitamin A also acts as an antioxidant to reduce oxidative stress and damage to the eyes.
You can find lots of beta-carotene in orange, yellow, and red foods, such as carrots, red and yellow peppers, and pumpkin.
Train Your Eyes
You might be wondering how you can train your eyes. It’s not like you can go to the gym and lift weights to improve your vision like you can to increase your muscle size!
However, you can perform a few simple eye exercises to improve the strength of the muscles around your eyes. Vision relies on the proper contraction and relaxation of different muscles within the eye socket. By strengthening the muscles, you can improve your vision and focus.
Take your eyes through their full range of motion by moving them from side to side, up and down, and around. You shouldn’t feel pain during any of these movements.
Next, try and focus on something close by and then switch to an object in the distance. Do this a few times to improve your eye strength and ability to focus and refocus on various objects.