It is no secret that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can increase your life, reduce health issues and improve your overall quality of life. Doctors recommend eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as exercising regularly to keep your body in tip-top shape. Do you ever stop to consider the health of your eyes though?

Unfortunately, more often than not we focus our attention on maintaining the rest of our body, but we often neglect our eyes.

Reducing eye strain

If your find yourself experiencing frequent headaches, this could very well be as a result of strained eyes. Today, we spend countless hours in front of smartphones, tablet computers, computer screens and TVs. Although we may not realise it, these things can cause serious strain to our eyes, even over a short period of time.

Both artificial and natural bright light can also strain the eyes. Whilst removing these things from our life entirely is unrealistic, there are ways to reduce the strain from your eyes whilst still engaging in everyday activities.

Reducing the light

There are a number of ways to reduce the amount of bright light that your eyes are exposed to. Something as simple as using dimmer switches on the lights in your home can be a quick and easy solution. You can also reduce the glare that your monitor gives off by simply closing any blinds that are allowing bright light in. If you find that your eyes are feeling strained or tired whilst you are working or watching television, give them a break by simply closing them for a few minutes to allow them to rest. When outdoors, wear sunglasses to guard your eyes against bright light and glare (even in the winter months).

There are also steps you can take to soothe your tired, strained, or achy eyes, and one way is by applying a cool compress to them for 5 minutes at a time (you can do this as often as you feel necessary).

Do this by simply wetting a clean cloth in cool water and then applying it to your eyes. You can also add a small amount of rose water or lavender to add additional soothing properties to your compress. DO NOT follow the age old solution of placing cucumbers on your eyes! Although they may feel quite soothing whilst they are on, you run the risk of bacterial contamination.

Eye-friendly foods

A variety of foods can contribute to the health of our eyes. Just like the rest of our body, our eyes thrive when they are fed certain vitamin, mineral and nutrient rich foods. Most of us are aware of the benefits to the eyes that carrots bring, but they aren't the only food that can help with eye health. Leafy greens, for example, are packed with lutein and zeaxanthin, which are powerful antioxidants that can lower the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts. Eggs and almonds also contain these antioxidants.  Citrus and berries are not only delicious, they also contain very high levels of vitamin C which is known to reduce degenerative eye issues such as cataracts and macular degeneration. While by including fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, and anchovies in your diet, you can help to prevent dry eye syndrome. This is because they contain high levels of DHA, a fatty acid found in the eyes.

Don’t ignore the symptoms

Sore, strained, or itchy eyes should not be ignored. When you are experiencing any level of discomfort with your eyes, it will usually mean that there is an underlying problem. Of course, not all of these problems are serious, but they should be addressed all the same.

If you are experiencing eye discomfort and the symptoms persist for more than a week, you should discuss these issues with your doctor or optometrist to rule out anything serious.

If unsure, it is always recommended that you talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the type of over the counter or prescription eye remedy which is best for you, before you begin using it.

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