Keeping Your Beautiful Eyes

The sense of sight is perhaps the most important sense of our body. We use our eyes in almost everything we do, whether watching television, writing a love letter, driving a car, reading a text message on our smartphone, and a lot more ways. In fact, 90% of learning comes from what we see; therefore, we need to care for this sense with all that we can so as not to lose it. With the advancements of technology that make our lives easier, come the repercussions. Continue caring for your eyes especially now that technology may take a toll on your eye health. Read the tips below on ways to care for your eyes.


1. Keep your eyes from screens at distance. Screens have conquered every machine in this generation. From the tiny display of an MP3 player to the gigantic screens of the latest gadgets, screens just have made everything more user-friendly. Studies by the Council for Research Excellence shows that an average person spends an average of 9.5 hours daily in front of screens. The contrast and glare of an electronic screen can eventually result in eyestrain and computer vision syndrome-yes, this is a real condition. CVS include symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, neck pain, red eyes, double vision, and difficulty refocusing. Experts recommend 16 inches as the safe distance when using your devices to minimize eyestrain.

2. Blink. On average, we blink about 15 to 20 times per minute, but this actually drops dramatically when we are in front of a screen. Blinking, or the corneal reflex, is an involuntary closing of the eyelids elicited by the stimulation of the cornea, such as dryness, excess brightness, or any other external stimuli. It protects our eyes from eminent danger from foreign objects or from drying out. According to Mark Rosenfield, PhD, optometrist and professor of clinical education at the State University of New York College of Optometry, "Use the 20/20/20 rule when staring at a screen: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds, so you can blink naturally and give your eyes time to relax."

3. Wear sunglasses. Overexposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun increases the risk of developing cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and abnormal growths on the surface of the eyes, which can deteriorate vision. The American optometric Association suggests wearing sunglasses that block at least 99% of UVA and UVB radiation from the sun.

4. Go for seafood. The omega-3 fatty acid in seafood is not only good for the brain and for the heart; it is also good in decreasing the risk of acquiring diseases of the eyes. One study published in the "2011 Archives of Ophthalmology" found out that women who ate canned tuna and dark-fish meat just once a week had 42% lower risk for age-related macular degeneration than those who just ate fish less than once a month.

5. Eat your veggies. Perhaps Bugs Bunny has the healthiest eyesight of all because of his love for carrots. Carrots are rich in Vitamin A that contributes to better vision. However, the real star nutrient isn't Vitamin A, but lutein. The lutein in carrots improve vision by reducing the stressful effects of glare and exposure to bright light, such as the sun and screens of different devices.

While you still have your perfect vision, take care of it before it's too late. Don't let visual problems be your trigger to start caring for your eyes; rather, start now!