Hate wearing glasses or contacts? Don’t want Lasik surgery but still want perfect vision? There are some things you can do to improve your eyes. And best of all, most of them are really simple and at your fingertips.
Can you do that one weird trick to suddenly regain your 20/20 vision?
Will eating certain foods or faithfully doing eye exercises improve your vision? Can you rub them in just the right way? Are carrots good for your eyes?
You won’t believe what the experts say…
Vision Therapy
Your eyes are very complex and sensitive organs so treat them with great care.
Your eye doctor will recommend vision therapy for conditions like astigmatism and far- or nearsightedness. They won’t help with macular degeneration or glaucoma.
Vision therapy focuses on exercises that may strengthen weak muscles or help the brain align the information coming through your eyes. You’ll also learn relaxation techniques. The catch is you have to be rigorous in your routine.
Manage Eye Strain
Modern life revolves around a tiny screen held close to your face. Eyes get tired when focused on one distance. Try focusing on an object about 20 feet away for twenty seconds at a time every 20 minutes
You can also try some eye yoga!
• Move your eyeballs up and down without blinking
• After 10 repetitions, rub the palms of your hands together and cup them over your eyes
• Repeat, moving eyes horizontally and on both diagonals.
The Pencil Exercise
Here’s a proven technique your eye doctor may show you. Hold a pencil in front of you and focus on a spot. Move the pencil toward and away from you while staying focused on the dot. Think of it as weight training for your eyes because you will notice some weak muscles!
Just like weight training, regular pencil exercise will have some terrific results. This is fun to do with kids.
But all these are too simple! Here’s something hard.
Stop Smoking
Smoking is very hard on your eyes, not to mention a lot of other body parts.
Smokers are very susceptible to developing cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and dry eye syndrome. Diabetic smokers increase the chance of getting diabetic retinopathy.
Stopping smoking might not reverse any eye damage, but it will stop it from getting worse. There are a lot of support groups out there and your doctor can help you find other treatments.
What about carrots?
Foods to Help
Turns out mom was right- carrots are good for you. They contain beta-carotene that becomes vitamin A in your body and lutein. Both of these are vitally important for healthy eyes.
Other important supplements include vitamins E, C, A, and B1; the mineral zinc; omega-3 fatty acids in both DHA and EPA form; and carotenoids like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
You can take supplements, but healthy foods are better for you! But where can I find all these?
Best Foods for Each Need
Here are the foods that contain the highest amounts of each supplement per serving. If those aren’t to your taste, there are many others!
Vitamin E – sunflower seeds and peanut butter
Vitamin A – liver and salmon
Vitamin C – red peppers and oranges
Vitamin B1 – peas and beans
zinc – beef, oysters, pork, chicken
omega-3 DHA/EPA – tuna, trout, and salmon
lutein – cooked kale and spinach
Zeaxanthin – cooked kale and spinach
Beta-carotene – carrots and sweet potatoes
Sun Glasses
No one’s wardrobe should be without sunglasses. Not only do they look cool, but they help keep your eyes healthy.
Look for sunglasses that block both UVB and UVA rays. Polarized sunglasses are great for anyone who spends time around a reflective surface – snow, water, some pavements, other cars, etc. They cut the glare.
Go for the Matrix effect and get ones that wrap around. And then remember to wear them every time you go outside.
Use Safety Eyewear
This is pretty much a no-brainer. If you are mowing the lawn, cutting wood, pounding nails, sanding, or doing almost anything that involves flying objects, wears safety glasses.
If you play sports like racquetball or handball, wear eye protection.
It is really hard to have 20/20 vision if you damage your eyes or get hit in the eye with a fast-flying ball.
But what about going without glasses altogether?
Go Without Glasses
Some people claim that getting weaker prescriptions or going without glasses can help. The science is mixed. As you age, you generally require stronger prescriptions. That means your eyes are getting weaker, right? Nope, it means your eyes are undergoing presbyopia or other normal age-related changes.
Wearing a weaker prescription won’t help your eyes either if you are having presbyopia.
But Jake Steiner says…
Conclusion
If you have a lot of extra money, spend it on weird tricks and quick fixes. If you are like most of us, you don’t have money to throw away on false promises.
If you do go for surgery, make sure you understand all the ramifications. As the ads say, Lasik isn’t for everyone!
Best tricks? Take care of your eyes. Eat healthy foods that provide all the nutrients you need. Get rest. Take a break from the computer screen. See your eye doctor regularly. Wear sunglass. Stop smoking. Those may not stop vision changes, but you’ll be a lot healthier.