Eyes - Take Care Of Them

Saturday 21 March 2009

To maintain your eyes in the best possible shape, just follow this simple advice.

First, and most importantly of all, have your eyes tested regularly.

Secondly, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Eating foods that contain the right vitamins and minerals is essential in keeping your eyes healthy in the long-term. Eating the proper foods can also help to lower the risk of developing certain eye diseases. Vitamins A, C and E are well-known antioxidants which can help prevent certain eye problems such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Good sources of antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables particularly in the raw form since many are lost through cooking.

Vitamin A is essential to the proper functioning of the retina and in preventing night blindness. It is not only found in foods like liver and eggs but also in many fruits such as apricots and peaches and vegetables such as carrots and spinach. Nowadays, most types of milk are also fortified with vitamin A.

Vitamin C is an all-encompassing vitamin, strengthening not only our bones and muscles but also our teeth and eyes. It can be found in strawberries and citrus fruits like oranges as well as in broccoli and green peppers.

Another important antioxidant that does it all is Vitamin E. It has long been associated with eye care and the prevention and delaying of cataracts. The best sources of Vitamin E can be found in various nuts, fortified cereals and green leafy vegetables.

Eye exercises have been found to help prevent eye strain. Simple things such as taking frequent breaks away from the computer screen or, if this is not possible, just looking away from the screen and focusing on different objects at varying distances, all help to improve the focus of your eyes.

A very soothing way to help relax your eyes is to place a sliced piece of cucumber or cold teabags on them while you rest. Alternatively, placing your palms over your eyes for a few minutes of total darkness is very beneficial.

Protection of your eyes is very much common sense but so often overlooked. Over-exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause a number of eye problems so in sunny weather it is always advisable to wear sunglasses or tinted lenses. When driving or working for long periods on the computer the use of antiglare glasses is further recommended as are safety goggles which should be worn for certain sports and should always be worn when undertaking DIY or gardening to avoid injuries caused by flying objects.

Another tip for maintaining healthy eyes is to ensure that if you have been wearing eye make-up that you totally remove it before going to bed. Also, don't forget to throw out any old mascara after three months. If it is kept for any longer than this, it can begin to harbour germs which could then be transferred into your eyes.

Maintaining healthy eyes is vitally important and by following these simple rules, they should always sparkle. To learn more about enhancing your eyes with make-up, a visit to an image consultant would be well worthwhile.