Our window to our world – eyes

In earlier times, people would only have reading glasses, due to age. Today it is common to see children and most adults wearing spectacles! Optical shops and weeklong appointments at ophthalmologists are a testimony of that.

According to the World Health Organisation, 39 million people are blind and about 6 times that many have poor vision! In fact, in India, nearly half of all Indians are in need of vision correction! And did you know that 80% of vision problems world-wide are avoidable or even curable?

With screens surrounding us, coupled with poor nutrition, eye-care is something which we cannot afford to allow to take a back-seat.

A check-list to eye-care…

Vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables, like dark leafy greens, bell peppers, citrus fruits, brocolli, papaya and tomatoes all best had raw, help support blood vessels in the eye.

• Peanuts are a good source of vitamin E, a nutrient known for protecting eyes from free radical damage.
• Nuts such as almonds and pistachios, which have vitamin E can boost your eye health.
• Sunflower seeds help to keep your eyes healthy and disease free.
• Exercise improves blood circulation, which improves oxygen levels to the eyes and the removal of toxins.
• Blink every 30 seconds
• When you are working on a computer, every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Smoking exposes your eyes to high levels of oxidative stress.
• Donot read in a moving car
• Remove your eye-make up before sleeping as it causes irritation.