A friend’s mom recently came in her for annual eye exam. She complained about blurry vision.
She had stopped using her cell phone and iPad because she thought electronic devices was the reason for her bad vision. On top of that, she had deep concerns that something was “wrong” with the health of her eyes.
So you can imagine she was shocked when I told her she had healthy eyes. She proceeded to ask, “But why am I seeing so blurry?”
“It’s because your glasses prescription has changed and you need new glasses with an updated prescription to see better,” I said.
Then she posed an interesting question to me, “So my assumption is wrong? My bad vision doesn’t mean I have unhealthy eyes?”
Yup. That is a false assumption.
Bad vision does not mean unhealthy eyes. These are two completely different concepts. Let me explain.
Bad vision, like nearsightedness, astigmatism or farsightedness, is correctable with glasses, contact lenses or even LASIK surgery. These vision problems do not correlate with unhealthy eyes.
Eye health problems are related to eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration.
Unhealthy eyes can certainly be the reason for bad vision and could sometimes be permanent. Scary.
So how do we keep our precious eyes healthy?
Good question, it’s actually very simple. Here are 3 tips for healthy eyes in 2020.
1. eat well
“You are what you eat.”
It’s true. Our body, including our eyes, are a reflection of what we put into our stomachs.
For example, diabetes (specifically type 2) is a body condition in which there is improper regulation of the movement in sugar. Complications of diabetes can affect major organs such as your heart, blood vessels and of course your eyes.
Personally, I have come across many cases where patients had significant vision loss due to diabetic complications to their eyes. Unfortunately, for most, the vision loss was permanent.
To avoid such eye health complications, eating healthy is the first step.
Consider eating foods with high fiber content such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid consistently eating foods with high sugar, fat and calories.
Changing our diet is hard. Food is cultural, it’s also habitual.
But for healthy eyes, and more importantly, a healthy body that holds up well against time, it’s definitely an investment worth making.
Tip #1 was written with Bright Vision Optometry’s very own eyewear stylist, Michael in mind.
Michael has been eating vegan (brusselin’) since the start of 2020.
2. sleep well
“Sleep is the best meditation.”
One of the most underrated factor for healthy eyes is sleep.
Good sleep is a key player in our general health and well being. Sleep helps our bodies including our eyes, repair, regenerate and recover.
Numerous studies have shown the importance of good sleep including benefits such as lower weight gain risk, better calorie regulation, greater athletic performance and lower risk of heart disease.
But what does good sleep mean?
It can be generally defined as sleeping 7 or more hours without waking in the middle of the night.
For good sleep, create a routine where you are sleeping around the same time each night. Consider exercise (see tip #3) as a sleep aid.
Tip #2 was written in dedication to my wife Elaine. Shout out to her ultra-consistent 8 hours of sleep per night.
3. exercise consistently
“When mind, body and spirit are in harmony, happiness is the natural result.”
Anybody and everybody can benefit from consistent exercise.
The benefits of regular exercise have been proven and it include the following; enhance mood, help maintain weight loss, boosts energy, promotes better sleep (see tip #2) and combats health conditions such as high blood pressure, depression and diabetes. If you ask me, all of these benefits promote healthy eyes.
Reducing your overall stress is important for your health and well being.
Physical exercise is just one part of the equation. The mind and the spirit could also benefit from exercises of their own.
Consider setting a weekly routine for regular exercise.
Join a community such as a running or walking club for accountability. Take classes such as yoga or start with meditation.
“The hardest thing about exercise is to start doing it. once you are doing exercise regularly, the hardest thing is to stop it.”
Tip #3 was written as motivation for myself. Go play some basketball dude, stop being a lazy bum.
Maintaining healthy eyes is just that simple.
In short, by setting good habits and routines for healthy living, you are protecting your eyes from degradation and aging.
Eat well, sleep well and exercise consistently will not only help with your eyes, but also your general well-being and happiness.
If you are still reading all the way down to here, a big THANK YOU for reading this whole blog.
Thank you for everything, Mr. Bryant.
call or text Bright Vision Optometry: (909)627-1111
schedule your next appointment online: CLICK HERE
the content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. please seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding your medical or vision conditions.
Bright Vision Optometry is a family-owned & operated optometry office located in Chino Hills, CA 91709
