BETTER VISION

BETTER VISION

Our eyes are two of our most precious possessions - yet, all too easily, we can take good eyesight for granted. Protect your peepers with these low effort actions :

Eat fish twice a week. Fish are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids - proven to reduce the risk of dry - eye syndrome. If you can't stand fish, try fish - oil supplements.

Always wear goggles when swimming or doing DIY work. A properly fitting pair of swimming goggles will protect your eyes from chlorine, while work goggles will prevent debris from causing corneal abrasions.

Aim your car vents down at your feet - not your eyes. Dry air - conditioned air sucks the moisture out of eyes like a sponge, so aim the vents in your car away from your face. Serious dryness can lead to corneal abrasions and even blindness.

Cook with red onions, not yellow. Red onions contain more quercetin, an antioxidant that is thought to protect against cataracts.

Put on sunglasses whenever you leave the house. Not only will they block out the harsh glare of the sun, but they'll also protect your eyes from the drying effects of wind.

Have sweet potatoes for dinner tonight. Rich in vitamin A, these spuds are especially good at improving your night vision.

Remove eye make - up every night. This prevents small pieces of make - up from winding up in your eye and possibly scratching your cornea.

Use a fresh towel every time you wipe your face. Sharing face towels or napkins with others is a guaranteed way to get the highly contagious eye infection called conjunctivitis.

Wear a large hat or cap along with your sunglasses. A wide - brimmed hat will block out 50% of UV radiation and reduce the UV rays that may enter your eyes from around the goggles.

Have spinach twice a week. It could be steamed, sautéed in olive oil with garlic or perhaps in a quiche. It doesn't matter how you get it, just be sure to have it regularly. Studies have shown that lutein, a nutrient abundant in spinach, may prevent age - related macular degeneration and cataracts.

When you're working or reading, set your alarm to beep every 30 minutes. This is your reminder to look up, and away to a distant point for 30 seconds to help prevent eyestrain.

Check your blood pressure every month. You can do this at home with a do - it - yourself monitor cuff. High blood pressure, if unchecked, can damage vessels in the eye.

Dab an essential oil of jasmine, peppermint or vanilla on your arm and sniff. Scent researcher Alan Hirsch of the Chicago - based Smell and Taste Treatment Research Foundation says jasmine increases the beta waves in the frontal lobes of your brain, promoting wakefulness and enabling you to focus better and see things more acutely. All three scents stimulate the limbic system in your brain, which in turn stimulates the rods in your eyes that help you see in dim light.

Grey or amber sunglasses?

Answer : Grey. Grey lenses provide the least colour distortion - important when you're driving.

Walk at least four times a week. Some evidence suggests that regular exercise reduces the intraocular pressure ( IOP ) in people with glaucoma. In one study, glaucoma patients who walked briskly four times a week for 40 minutes lowered their IOP enough so that they could stop taking medication for the condition. It's also possible - although there's no proof yet - that walking could reduce your overall risk of developing glaucoma.

Use herbs and spices instead of salt. Studies have found that high - salt diets increase your risk of certain types of cataracts, so stay away from the salty stuff. And while you're de - salting your diet, don't forget the salt in processed foods. Check labels for "no salt," "no sodium," "low salt" or "low sodium" tags when buying canned and other prepared foods.