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The following foods help prevent eye diseases, such as macular degeneration.
They are listed in alphabetical order.
Apricot
Asparagus
Berries
Broccoli
Carrots
Eggs (omega-3 eggs)
Fish
Flaxseeds
Garlic
Green beans
Green bell peppers
Green tea
Honeydew melon
Kiwi
Lima beans
Mango
Onions
Oranges
Papaya
Peaches
Pomegranate
Pumpkin seeds
Red grapes
Spinach
Squash
Tomatoes
Walnuts
Whole grains (barley, oats)
Yellow Corn
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Do:
-Rub your contacts when cleaning them, even if the label on the bottle of solution says ‘No Rub’. Otherwise, contacts get coated with deposits. As a result, vision will be a little blurry. These deposits also tend to attract bacteria, which can cause an eye infection.
-Follow the recommended schedule of wear. Old contacts are coated with deposits, even if you clean and rub them everyday.
-Stop wearing your contacts if your eye gets red or painful, or if it is discharging mucus. Contact lenses will make things worse. See your eye doctor as soon as possible.
Don’t:
-Wear color contact lenses everyday. They are not good for the health of your eyes. Since there are no blood vessels in the cornea, it needs oxygen from your surrounding environment. Color contacts block this oxygen from reaching the cornea. This can lead to infections or neovascularization (blood vessels growing in the cornea).
-Wear contact lenses during sleeping. Even though today’s contacts are designed to let more oxygen reach the cornea, the combination of the contact plus the eyelid over the cornea can also cause infections and neovascularization.
-Wear contacts while showering or swimming. Micro-organisms, such as bacteria and acanthamoeba, can infiltrate the matrix of the contact lens. From there, they will reproduce very fast, creating much higher odds of getting an eye infection.
-Share contacts with friends. This also increases the risks of infections.
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Make sure that your eyes are located in the center (horizontally) of the lenses. This helps keep thickness to a minimum.
If you are farsighted, rimless frames are not recommended. The edge of the lens is very thin and will chip very easily.
If you are very farsighted, the center of the lens will be very thick. Aspheric lenses are recommended (thinner than regular lenses).
If you are nearsighted (far is blurry), it is best to pick a small frame. The bigger the frame, the thicker the lens will be.
If your prescription is high, consider a zyl (plastic) frame to hide some of the lens thickness.
If you are very nearsighted, high-index lenses are recommended. They are thinner than regular lenses.
The higher the index, the thinner the lens. However, keep in mind that there will be more distortion in the lens with the higher index.
Lens index recommendations, according to EyeCare Business: 0.00 to 3.00 diopters: CR-39 (regular plastic); 3.00 to 5.50 diopters: 1.60.
For prescriptions higher than 5.50 diopters, three more indexes are available: 1.67, 1.71 and 1.74.
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Macular degeneration is one of the worst eye diseases. It affects the macula. Central vision is lost.
Depending on the type of macular degeneration, surgery can restore some vision.
Unfortunately, in some cases, vision can be lost forever.
To help prevent this disease, quit smoking and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.
Anti-oxidants can also help prevent macular degeneration.
If surgery is not an option, a magnifier can be helpful for those with macular degeneration.
Cataract is an eye disease by which the lens becomes opaque (cloudy) and vision is blurry even with brand new glasses.
Cataracts must be surgically removed to restore vision. These days a good surgeon can perform this surgery within 15 minutes.
Ultraviolet light from the sun contributes to cataract formation. Wear sunglasses with 100%
UV protection while outside during daytime.
Maintain good ocular health with anti-oxidants.
If surgery is not an option, a magnifier can be helpful for those with cataracts.
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Stretching disposable contact lens wear beyond the recommended schedule significantly increases the risk of eye infection. Vision and comfort can also be reduced, due to the deposits accumulating on the lenses.
Here are two ways to help you remember when it is time to throw them away and wear a fresh new pair:
Acuminder.com helps you remember when it’s time to throw away your disposable contact lenses, by sending an email or a text message.
Get LensAlert to help remind you when it’s time to throw away your disposable contact lenses. For more info, go to LensAlert.com.
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For prescription sunglasses, choose a frame with flat lenses (not wrap-around). Curved lenses would add distortion to your prescription.
If your eyes are very sensitive to light, wear polarized sunglasses every time you go outside.
Kids should also protect their eyes from ultraviolet rays.
Read this eHow article for more info about the negative effects of ultraviolet rays and what can be done to prevent them.
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Avoid applying eyeliner inside the lash line. It will clog the openings of the tear glands, which can lead to dry eyes.
Omega-3 can help your eyes produce more tears on their own.
For mild dry eyes, add artificial tears as needed.
For moderate dry eyes, use gels or liquid gels.
For severe dry eyes, use ointment at night time, as well as gels many times a day.
Certain contact lenses worsen dry eyes. Contact lens wearers should use rewetting drops, instead of artificial tears, liquid gels or gels.
Refractive laser surgery may worsen dry eyes. If you already have moderate to severe dry eyes, laser may not be an option for you.
Certain medications can exacerbate dry eyes.
Certain systemic diseases can worsen dry eyes.
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Save money by buying a year-supply of contact lenses all at once. Some offices will offer discounts AND a manufacturer’s mail-in rebate.
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