Keeping your eyes healthy

The rise of mobile technology has not only changed how we interact with the world, but it also has an impact on perceptions around our health. Where parents once told their children not to sit too close to the television screen, fearing it could damage their eyes, they now instruct kids to put down their smartphones and tablets. They worry about the strain on the eyes caused by hours of staring at a small screen.

While eye strain is a legitimate concern, parents should also focus on foods children can eat to prevent vision problems in the future.

Over the last few centuries nutritionists have discovered how to properly care for our eyes. We now know that certain foods, even in small portions, such as blueberries, can improve eyesight.

Foods rich in vitamins A, B Complex, C and E all benefit your eyes. Eating locally grown organic fruits and vegetables are also beneficial. Foods such as carrots, spinach and kale are high in lutein, a pigment that filters out high photon blue light, which can be damaging if left unfiltered.

As we get older, our vision begins to deteriorate. Even in more recent years, where the American public has gotten significantly more health conscious, our eyes tend to be ignored. As we near retirement age, we are all at a greater risk of developing macular degeneration, which is the deterioration of the central part of the retina.

People with high blood pressure and those who have diets high in fat and cholesterol are more at risk for macular degeneration.

To protect your eyes, sunglasses with polarized lenses should be worn whenever you have to squint because of the sun’s rays. Brimmed hats also offer great protection from the sun’s UV rays.

One of the most common eye problems is cataracts. A cataract clouds the vision and prevents light from getting in the eyes. If left unattended they may cause blindness. To prevent cataracts, The Nutrition and Vision Project recommends consuming at least 2.5 milligrams daily of lutein either through food or supplements.

Eyes need to stay moist in order to be healthy. Supplements such as fish or flaxseed oil help to keep them moist, as does regularly drinking water. Eye drops can help restore moisture, but can sometimes cause more dryness because of the decongestants that are added to the eye drops to remove redness in the eye.

A lack of moisture can lead one to rub their eyes, leading to more irritation and thereby perpetuating the dry eye condition.

If you are starting to experience a vision issue, schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist and they can help diagnose the condition or recommend supplements.

Novelist Elizabeth Bowen once wrote, “No object is mysterious. The mystery is your eye.” Eyes are indeed mysterious, but we know a lot more about them than when those words were written, and what we know can lead us to protecting and preserving our vision over many years.

Steve Bernardi, R.Ph. is a compounding pharmacist and co-owner of Johnson Compounding and Wellness in Waltham.