World Sight Day

Get Your Eyes Tested Yearly with an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist

​Second Thursday of October is observed as World Sight Day every year to make the world know about blindness and vision impairment. The theme for 2017 is “Make Vision Count.”

Make Vision Count
Do you know that 80% of the vision impairments is avoidable (treatable or preventable)? Sadly, around 285 million people worldwide live with low vision and blindness, out of which 39 million people are blind. But the good news here is that, the number of people blind from infectious diseases has decreased tremendously in the past 20 years-thanks to scientific advancements and awareness campaigns.

Top causes of visual impairments include refractive errors, cataracts and glaucoma while top causes of blindness include cataracts, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.

Visual impairments from diabetes and premature birth is preventable and one must take any possible step to avoid it. Also, all causes of avoidable visual impairment should be prevented and managed.

Manage Eye Health
Ensure to follow the below given tips for better eye health.

Eat a Balanced Diet
Eating well is the first step to promote eyesight. Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, vitamins C and E and zinc help to decrease the risk of age-related eye problems such as macular degenerations and cataracts.
Eating right helps to stay on a healthy weight decreasing the risk of diabetes and obesity, which are one of the leading causes of blindness in adults.

Eat More Of:

• Dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard as they are loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin.
• Fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel and sardine rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Orange and yellow vegetables and fruits rich in beta carotene to avoid night blindness. Carrots, sweet potato, pumpkins and squashes are great produce to rely upon.
• Keep the retina of your eye intact with zinc-rich foods such as oysters, crab, turkey, eggs, meat and peanuts.
• Vitamins C and E are needed to keep healthy tissue strong. Eat a handful of sunflower seeds, use a tablespoon of wheat germ oil, have a few almonds and pecans and include vegetable oil for cooking to enrich your body with these vitamins.
• Vitamin C-rich foods such as strawberries, Brussels sprouts, papaya, oranges and green bell peppers are great antioxidants.
  
  

Stop Smoking
Smoking can increase your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration and damage your optic nerve. Get outside help if you are unable to quit smoking by yourself.

Take Breaks Between your Computer Work
Dry eyes are the main problem nowadays associated with prolonged hours in front of the computer. Other risks include blurry vision, trouble focusing at a distance, headaches and neck/back/shoulder pain.

Visit the Doctor Regularly
Go for an eye examination at least once a year. This also helps to find diseases like glaucoma which have no symptoms. Some types of glaucoma are hereditary and affect a person just after birth too. For more information on hereditary glaucoma, please visit the website www.firsteatright.com. An ophthalmologist or optometrist is the right person to check your vision.
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Just as the heart relies on large arteries for oxygen and nutrients supply, our eyes rely on tiny arteries for oxygen and nutrients. So, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains is beneficial not only for the heart but for the eyes too.