Natural Eye Health - How To Take Care Of Your Eyes

Like other ailments which affect us, many ailments of our eyes can also be prevented. There are ways to maintain the natural health of our eyes and prevent them from ailments.

Different diseases and conditions affect our eyes differently. The most subtle ones may affect and go without our knowledge. The more severe ones affect our vision, sometimes they cause a lot of pain and distress but sometimes they don’t.

So if we are to take good care of our eyes we have to be vigilant and get appropriate help without delay when ever there is the need.

Cleanliness is one important factor to keep disease causing organisms (germs) away from us. Touching your eyes with dirty fingers and objects can transfer diseases to your eyes. This is commonly seen in toddlers and small children. By keeping clean, such infections are prevented.

Diet is another important aspect of a healthy life. Like our bodies, our eyes are also in need of nutrients to maintain eye health. Some nutrients are good for our eyes. Eating a healthy diet with a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits ensure our eyes get all the required nutrients.

Vitamin A deficiency can cause serious eye ailments and can even lead to blindness in severe forms. This is a common problem amongst the malnourished populations of the developing countries. Fortunately, with adequate nutrition this problem can be solved and blindness can be prevented. So eating healthy is important to keep your eyes and sight healthy.

Wearing prescription glasses will reduce the strain if you have a refractive error. If you want to wear contact lenses, make sure you follow the instructions of the lens manufacturer and use them as recommended. Also, make sure you maintain the necessary hygiene for otherwise you may be faced with sigh threatening infections.

If you have undergone corrective eye surgery such as LASIK (laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis), make sure you take proper care of your eyes as advised by your doctor.

Wearing sun glasses will not only protect your eyes from ultra violet rays but also from environmental pollutants which are harmful to your eyes.

Cataract or clouding of the lens is a very common problem encountered in old age. If you have developed a cataract, you should get your eyes checked and operated to remove the cataract before it is too late. Keeping a cataract for too long can cause serious consequences. It may not always be painful but a long standing cataract can cause irreversible blindness. In fact, this is one of the commonest causes of preventable blindness in the old age.

Glaucoma is another condition common amongst the elderly. This is a condition in which one looses eye sight very gradually due to damage caused to the optic nerve (the nerve responsible for vision). If your eyes are not regularly checked for this condition, this may be completely over looked until too late. So if you are more than 60 years of age or if you have risk factors for this disease, it is imperative to get your eyes checked regularly to rule out glaucoma.

If you have anything unusual about your eyes, you should promptly get your eyes checked by an eye care practitioner.