Eye Wellness Tips – Because I Can't Massage Your Eyes!

by Laura

Tension from long hours in front of a computer all day can tire you or even give you headaches, but it won't affect acuity.

That was the message in a recent roundup of tips and myth-busters on eye health.

First, let us list factors that DO affect eye health.

1- Smoking. By far the number one factor affecting the eyes. Smoking can be a direct contributing factor to diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts. Smoking has been estimated to be related to 20 percent of new cases of blindness in people over 50 years of age.

2- Medications. Your doctor may or may not discuss the risks drug interaction with eye health, so you may have to buttonhole your doc or a nurse to get that information. On the other hand, a positive benefit has been found in taking supplements of vitamins A, E and C, and omega-6 fatty acids.

3- Pregnancy can have short-term effects on eyes, such as blurry vision or dry eyes. Fluid retention can affect the shape and thickness of the cornea of the eye.

4- Aging. As we get older the eyes' acuity can change for the better or for worse. Far-sighted people may gain near-normal vision. But others can suffer changes directly related to age, called presbyopia.

5- UV exposure. Women especially should wear sunglasses when going outdoors, because they are twice as likely to develop macular degeneration as men. Yet we do need some ultraviolet light on a daily basis, which can be satisfied with as little as ten minutes a day of being outdoors.

6- Lack of sleep. It isn't just that it gets harder to peel your eyes open when you burn the candle at both ends. Your eyes really do need to rest just as much as your body does, so do yourself a favor and get your beauty sleep.

NOT a factor in eye disease was watching excessive television or using a computer for many hours a day. Sorry, mom, but you cannot use that threat on your kids anymore. And anyway, they are not likely to give up their smart phones, computers, iPads, or YouTube.