Six of the Best Natural Ways to Prevent Eye Diseases

We all want to keep our eyes as healthy as possible. Keeping your eyes healthy helps decrease your risk of eye diseases and infections. Certain risk factors for eye diseases are uncontrollable. For example, we cannot change our age or family history, but there are things we can do to reduce the risk of eye problems. 

The connection between lifestyle and eye disease 

Many people want to prevent eye diseases but may not know where to start. The good news is that many of the most effective ways to prevent eye diseases are natural.

Your lifestyle plays a role in your overall health and well-being, and that includes your eyes. Most habits that are bad for your health can adversely affect your eyes and vision. For example, drinking too much alcohol can cause health problems. It is also bad for your eyes.  
​

Natural ways to prevent eye diseases 

By making a few changes, you can reduce your risk of certain eye conditions. Consider the following:

Exercise regularly: You probably have heard it a million times. Exercise is good for your body and mind. You can also add eyes to that list. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, regular exercise may reduce the risk of some eye conditions. The exact reason exercise helps the eyes is not entirely clear, but it likely because it encourages circulation and promotes healthy blood vessels in the eyes. Shoot for at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week.

Eat your leafy greens: Leafy greens contain various antioxidants and vitamins that help protect your eyes. A balanced diet that includes greens also may help you stay at a healthy weight and avoid conditions such as high blood pressure. Eating leafy greens may help prevent some eye diseases. For example, eating foods high in certain vitamins and minerals, such as zeaxanthin and lutein, may help prevent the development of cataracts.
Good sources of leafy greens include:

• Kale
• Collard greens
• Spinach

Add foods high in omega-3: Speaking of the best foods to eat, other foods that promote healthy eyes include those high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 may help reduce symptoms of dry eyes. Good sources of omega-3 include:

• Sardines
• Trout
• Mackerel
• Salmon 

Incorporate foods rich in omega-3s by adding them to a salad or soup.

Maintain a healthy weight: Maintaining a healthy weight is a vital natural way to prevent many types of conditions, including some eye diseases. For example, people that are overweight are at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes. Both conditions can increase your risk of eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy. If you are overweight, talk to your doctor about weight-loss options, such as:

• Intermittent fasting
• Keto diets
• Support groups

Don’t smoke: It is no surprise that smoking is bad for your health. Smoking can also lead to eye problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking appears to increase a person’s risk of developing age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. If you smoke, there are several options to help you quit. Smoking cessation programs, medications, and hypnosis are all available to help someone quit smoking.

Wash your hands: It might sound simple enough, but washing your hands often is a great way to reduce eye problems. We can transfer bacteria and viruses from our hands to our eyes. This happens while rubbing your eyes or taking out or putting in contact lenses. Eye infections can easily develop. An easy prevention strategy is washing your hands thoroughly and avoiding touching your eyes.

If you have any questions about eye diseases or preventing eye diseases, we are happy to answer them. Also, if you would like to ask whether an appointment with one of our eye doctors would be appropriate at this time, call our office at 508-746-8600.