5 Ways to Decrease Your Risk of Developing Eye Disease

Can you imagine losing your vision?

While vision loss and eye disease are prevalent around the world, most people can’t imagine what their life would be like if they couldn’t see. While most developed nations have a lower risk of vision loss,  many people in countries such as the United States still suffer from eye disease that can be prevented. While many serious eye diseases such as Macular Degeneration may not be entirely avoidable, there are also studies that have shown that the risk of age related eye disease can be cut down by making proper lifestyle choices and practicing disciplined nutrition.

Five Ways to Decrease The Risk Of Eye Disease

• Eat Healthy, Eat Green: It’s no secret that healthy eating promotes an energy rich and disease free lifestyle. Foods such as Broccoli, Spinach, and Blueberries are saturated in the vitamins and minerals that your eyes need to stay healthy and ward off age related eye disease. Not only do nutrients help to decrease the risk of various eye diseases, they also may slow the progression of various age related eye diseases. If you have a difficult time eating lots of greens, you may want to consider taking a vision supplement featuring Lutein as a primary ingredient. According to a scientific study on Lutein, the popular supplement has been shown to benefit visual acuity in those suffering from AMD, while also being linked with a wide array of benefits to clear and healthy vision.

• Protect Your Eyes From excessive UV exposure: If it’s bright and sunny outside, make sure to wear a pair of polarized sunglasses to prevent your eyes from damaging radiation. UV radiation damages the eyes in the same way that it can cause sunburn, and considering the importance of your vision to daily life, it’s imperative to protect your eyes from deterioration. If you wear contact lenses, consider shopping for lenses with built in UV protection such as Acuvue’s Oasys lenses, which block over 97% of UV rays that would otherwise damage your cornea.

• Exercise Frequently, and Watch Your Weight: In developed countries, one of the leading causes of vision loss is diabetes, which is strongly associated with a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. Diabetes typically causes slow and gradual vision loss as one ages by constricting the blood vessels in the eye, forcing the eye to grow new intrusive blood vessels that restrict and block vision. It’s especially important for youngsters to

• Get Outside and Enjoy Nature: This may sound entirely unrelated to vision health, yet being outdoors may be more relevant than most would realize. A recent study found that children who frequently spent time outside had a greatly reduced risk of developing presbyopia (nearsightedness). Many speculate that mild exposure to sunlight is actually beneficial to vision, and spending too much time indoors in front of computers and televisions can contribute to the development of nearsightedness.

• Don’t Take Safety Equipment For Granted: Thousands of injuries occur every year due to people disregarding the importance of safety equipment. Long story short, accidents happen even to the most graceful people, and it’s worth it to wear safety goggles if it means preventing life-long vision loss. If you’re in the lab, shop, shooting range, or anywhere else that may require protective equipment, know that those requirements are in place to protect your health!