Young man smiling after an eye exam

Eyecare is an important facet of our health that’s often forgotten. But our vision is a critically important part of our lives, and preserving it should be a priority.

There are plenty of things you can do for your eyesight during your day to day life. Keep reading for 3 natural ways to care for your eyes this season!

1. Watch Your Diet

Eye care goes much deeper than surface-level stuff. What you put into your body matters just as much as how you treat the outside.

Your eyes need a variety of different nutrients to function the right way. Here’s a quick list of some important things to include in your diet and some good sources to get them from.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for tear production. You can find them in oily fish like salmon, trout, and tuna, as well as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts.

If you can’t naturally add them to your diet, you can always try adding them in the form of supplements.

Vitamin C

Besides boosting your immune system, vitamin C fights off age-related damage to your eyes. You can find it in most citrus fruits and in leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin

Lutein and zeaxanthin work as antioxidants, which are crucial to prevent oxidative stress on your eyes. These can also be found in leafy greens.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is an important component in a protein that helps the retina absorb light. Carrots are rich in both vitamin A and beta carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A.

Zinc

Zinc is related to long term eye health and prevents age-related vision loss. Beef is one of the best ways to get zinc, but chicken, pork, and eggs are also good.

Don’t Forget to Hydrate

Hydration is another important part of your diet, and especially when it comes to eye health. Tears are necessary to help feed and protect the eyes, and the body needs to have plenty of water to make enough of them.

Make sure you’re drinking enough water every day. For most people, this is about eight, 8-ounce glasses, but it may vary depending on how active you are.

2. Form Good Habits (And Stop Bad Ones)

Habits are hard to form and harder to break. Do yourself a favor and start making good habits and breaking bad ones. This is one more way you can help keep your eyes healthy!

Good Habits to Form

  • Exercise to reduce the risk of damage and disease related to high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes
  • Take frequent breaks from screen use to avoid dry eye and computer vision syndrome
  • Washing your hands before using eye drops or applying contacts to avoid infection

Bad Habits to Break

  • Smoking
  • Drinking to excess
  • Too much sunlight exposure without UV protected sunglasses

3. The Importance of Checkups

The only way to catch problems with your eyes before they cause permanent damage is through early detection and intervention. Attending regular checkups is a fantastic way to keep your eyes healthy and strong.

Seeing an eye doctor is also the first step if you’re interested in getting LASIK. Your eyes need to be healthy to undergo any kind of procedure.

Want to find out more about LASIK? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Atlantic Laser Center in Little Silver, NJ now!