Common causes of declining vision include cataracts, eye trauma, glaucoma, and retinal damage. There are several ways to improve your decreasing vision. Here are a few.
1. Avoid Smoking
You might know that smoking causes lung cancer and heart disease; you might not realize that it also affects your eyes. Smoking increases the risk of cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. Note that all these conditions can lead to vision loss. To help quit smoking, reduce the number of cigarettes you take daily.
2. Limit Your Screen Time
Using your tabs and smartphones, playing games, and watching your favorite TV shows have become a routine. When focusing on these digital devices, you don’t blink frequently. This leads to fast disruption and evaporation of the film of tears. The thin-film fluid is responsible for protecting the surface of the eye.
Additionally, spending too much time on the screen causes eye strain and blurry vision. You must take frequent electronic device breaks to prevent hurting your eyes. To help with this, you can apply the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes you spend looking at a digital device, try looking at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This period gives your eye muscles a chance to relax.
3. Have Regular Eye Exams
Unfortunately, many people wait until they have eyesight issues to get eye exams. On some occasions, it might be too late to reverse the condition. Eye checkups guarantee early detection of an eye problem before it becomes severe. Note that some ocular diseases can be difficult to cure or irreversible at a later stage.
During regular eye checkups, your doctor will examine your retina, lens, and optic nerve. Some of the conditions that can be detected during your eye exam are cataracts. It’s a condition that causes the eye lens to become opaque, leading to blurry vision.
To help restore your vision, you might have to undergo surgery with Orlando cataract surgeons. Note that each patient recovers differently after the surgery. Thus, your vision could take up to two weeks to adjust and settle.
4. Wear Protective EyeWear
Besides the UV rays damaging the skin, prolonged sunlight exposure can cause eye problems. Notably, the damage can be short-term or long-term. An example of short-term damage is snow blindness. This happens when UV rays are reflected off ice or snow. You will notice that you are experiencing snow blindness when you go inside. Fortunately, the symptoms last for a few hours.
On the other hand, when you are exposed to sunlight for a long duration, you’ll experience long-term damage. Possible chronic effects include; macular degeneration, corneal damage, and cataracts. To prevent your eyes from UV rays, ensure to wear sunglasses when you are outdoors.
5. Keep Fit and Maintain a Healthy Diet
High cholesterol and high blood pressure can cause eye disease and vision problems. To reduce the levels, you need to engage in physical activities. Physical exercises are often known for getting in shape and improving well-being. Moreover, these activities can help reduce the risk of getting eye disease and help preserve your vision. Remember that exercises don’t have to be vigorous.
Another way to improve your declining vision is a balanced diet rich in nutrients. To get vitamin A, eat dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and spinach. These leafy greens contain antioxidants that are suitable for your eye health.
Also, ensure to add citrus fruits to your diet. These fruits contain vitamin C, which reduces your chances of developing cataracts. What’s more, they increase the circulation in your eyes, prompting clear vision.
Additionally, if you have dry eyes, ensure to take foods high in vitamin D and fatty acids. They help reduce the chances of developing macular degeneration. Foods rich in fatty acids include; fish, salmon, and walnuts. Alternatively, you can take omega-fatty acid supplements.
It’s also essential to have a quality sleep to improve your eye health. If you don’t sleep enough, you will strain your eyes, or they will feel sore all day. For your eyes to replenish, you need at least five hours of sleep every night.
Closing Thought
There is a lot that comes to play in improving your declining vision. A significant tip is changing your lifestyle. If you experience any eye problems, always check in with your doctor.
Author: Tracie johnson
Tracie Johnson is a New Jersey native and an alum of Penn State University. She is passionate about writing, reading, and living a healthy lifestyle. She feels happiest when around a campfire surrounded by friends, family, and her Dachshund named Rufus.
