We often ignore eye health. In fact, according to the WHO report, the eye is one of the organs that is very susceptible to disease as we age.
Not only that, eye health is also very important because eye diseases generally have no symptoms.
Therefore, diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, eye refraction problems, and other diseases become very difficult to detect early on.
Then how do we maintain eye health?
How to Maintain Eye Health
Source: pixabay.com
Here are some ways you can do to maintain eye health:
- Adjusting the Appropriate Lighting
Lighting is a very important factor in influencing eye health.
Lighting that is too bright causes blindness and too dim makes vision blurry. Both make the eyes tired and prone to dryness.
You can adjust the lighting by using a small wattage bulb and having a warm glow. So that the lighting can resemble sunlight.
- Use Anti-UV Glasses
Exposure to UV rays can not only damage the skin, but it can also damage vision or eye clarity and even cause various chronic eye diseases.
The skin on the eyelids is the thinnest skin compared to the skin on other parts of the body. That way, exposure to UV rays can cause dryness, wrinkling, and loss of skin elasticity.
Some eye diseases that can be caused by UV rays are corneal damage, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
Wearing anti-UV glasses when doing outdoor activities can help to protect the eyes from UV rays and keep out dust.
To get maximum protection, make sure your anti-UV glasses can reflect at least 98% of UV radiation.
- Use the 20 Minute Rule When Using Gadgets
During the pandemic, the use of gadgets inevitably increases significantly. Excessive use can make the eyes tired and dry, thereby increasing the risk of myopia or nearsightedness.
To avoid this risk, make it a habit to rest your eyes every 20 minutes. While resting, avoid staring at the monitor and switch activities by taking a leisurely walk for a few minutes, and staring at an object about 6 meters away.
- Wear Contact Lenses According to Doctor’s Recommendations
The use of contact lenses can cause eye irritation. According to the Medical Eye Centre, normal daily use of contact lenses is 8 to 16 hours.
Avoid wearing contact lenses overnight as this can cause the cornea to become infected. In addition to a high risk of infection, proteins that accumulate in contact lenses can obscure vision.
If you do not need to use contact lenses at all, it is recommended not to use them to avoid triggering infections and blurred vision.
However, for those of you who need it, make sure to wash your hands and change contact lenses regularly to avoid infection.
- Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep
Sleeping for 8 hours can help your eyes get adequate rest.
With less sleep, the eyes will be tired and cause vision to weaken.
Adequate sleep can also help to avoid infection. With adequate rest, the eyes can produce enough tears to maintain moisture.
- Regular Eye Check
Regular eye checks can help you identify eye conditions and take preventive measures. Eye examination can be done from an early age to old age.
Especially if you have a hereditary history of eye disease, it’s important to take your time to have regular eye exams. Ideally, an eye exam can be done once a year.
- Use Appropriate Make-up and Do It Carefully
The use of make-up that is too long and unhygienic is very susceptible to the growth of bacteria and germs. Make sure to always wash your hands, clean your face, and make-up tools both after and before making up.
You have to also pay attention to the expiration date of make-up tools to ensure their safety. To avoid the growth of germs, it’s best to throw it away and replace make-up when it’s been used for 3 months.
- Weight Control
Obesity is one of the diseases that can cause eye disease. This is the reason why people with diabetes are very susceptible to eye disease.
Glaucoma is one of the eye diseases that often occurs in people with diabetes. This condition occurs due to complications of diabetes which causes eye fluid not to flow properly and damage to blood vessels in the eye.
Limit intake of high calories that can increase blood sugar. Also, balance your intake with enough exercise to maintain an ideal body weight.
- Nutritious Intake
Vision also needs to be treated from the inside. For eye care, it is highly recommended to eat foods rich in Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Those contents can help treat the eyes, especially to prevent diseases that occur with age.
Foods to Consume
Source: freepik.com
Here are some fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins to maintain eye health:
- Banana
Not only rich in carbohydrates, bananas are one of the fruits that contain vitamin A. This vitamin is very good for preventing and maintaining eye health from cell damage.
- Avocado
Avocados contain lutein which functions to prevent cataract and macular eye degeneration. This vitamin is also very good for maintaining eye health and preventing eye cancer.
- Mango
Mangoes contain two vitamins that are very important for keeping your eyes healthy, namely lutein and vitamin A. Apart from preventing cell damage and eye degeneration, these two vitamins can protect against blue light exposure from gadget screens.
- Broccoli
Broccoli can be an option for those of you who want to easily maintain eye health. Easy to get but very beneficial.
The vitamin content of broccoli can help reduce the risk of cataracts
- Spinach
Spinach contains vitamins B, C6, A, lutein, and other vitamins that are good for maintaining eye health.
Multivitamins contained in spinach can ward off eye nerve damage due to high pressure inside the eyeball or what is often known as glaucoma.
- Cabbage
This vegetable is good for maintaining eye health because it contains vitamin lutein and vitamin A.
Just like the previously mentioned fruits and vegetables, these vitamins play a role in protecting the eyes from exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Consuming cabbage can reduce the risk of cataracts by as much as 22%.
In addition to consuming nutritious intake, don’t forget to check your eyes regularly to ensure its health.
Now there is no need to bother queuing, making appointments and consulting with doctors can be done through the SmartRSCM app.
The SmartRSCM app can be downloaded through the App Store and Play Store.
#Let’sEntrustYourHealth to SmartRSCM!
(Shafira Alisya Fahrizal)
Medically reviewed by:
Health Promotion and Marketing Installation RSCM
dr. Hisar Daniel, SpM
References
KEMKES. Accessed in 2022. Buah dan Sayur Pelindung Mata, Ini Daftarnya
Medical Eye Center. Accessed in 2022. How Long Should I Wear My Contacts?
World Health Organization. Accessed in 2022. Eye care, vision impairment and blindness.