Starting from 21st September is National Eye Health Week. This week is used to promote the importance of regular eye examinations and keeping your eyes healthy.
Having an eye examination is only one element of keeping an eye on your eye health. Your lifestyle can also have an impact on the health of the eyes, along with conditions that develop with age and family history. There are some things you can do daily to help boost your eye health such as eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and protection from UV.
Nutrition
‘You are what you eat’ is absolutely true! Your diet can have an impact on your vision. A poor diet that is low in vitamins and high in fatty foods can put your sight at risk. However, there are numerous fruits and vegetables that contain the vitamins and nutrients needed to help boost your eye health and protect your vision. These include:
- Leafy green vegetables such as spinach and kale
- Oily fish
- Eggs
- Nuts and seeds
- Blueberries and grapes
- Orange coloured fruit and vegetables
Exercise
Regular exercise and movement are important for your overall health, especially now many jobs are sedentary. Exercise is also beneficial for your eye health as it can help preserve your vision. Exercise and a healthy diet can help reduce factors that can potentially lead to sight loss such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and the narrowing and hardening of the arteries.
UV Protection
Protecting your eyes from harmful UV radiation is incredibly important. UV is always present, not just on sunny days so it is recommended that your eyewear protects against UV. When choosing a pair of sunglasses, make sure they meet the British Standards for protection or carry the CE mark. This will provide your eyes and surrounding areas with the best level of UV protection.
Smoking
Smoking is one of the most controllable factors associated with macular degeneration and can contribute to the development of cataracts. By stopping smoking, you not only benefit the health of your lungs and other organs but reduce the risk of these eye conditions developing.
Eye Examinations
Attending an eye examination at the recommended intervals is especially important. At an eye examination at Bush, we not only check your vision and prescription but also the health of the eyes using our high-quality technology. The Optomap and OCT allow our optometrists to see the retina and macular in incredible detail, giving them a detailed insight into the health of your eyes. Common eye conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy can be detected at their earliest stages using these methods. The earlier these conditions are detected; the quicker treatment can be given resulting in a lower risk of sight loss. Your scans will be saved and can be used as a comparison at your next eye examination to assess whether there have been any changes to your eye health.
For more information regarding eye examinations, Optomap and OCT or your eye health please contact us.
