The importance of your senses

What would you do without your vision? Blindness and losing visual function is a top fear among Americans. Vision loss can also create mental health problems such as depression in the elderly. Without good vision much of our daily activities would be impossible. Yet it is usually taken for granted and healthy eye care is forgotten in the midst of our busy lifestyles. There are, however, easy ways to prevent vision loss, and promote a healthy mind and body.

Protecting your vision starts with good nutrition. A diet high in Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin C and E, zinc, and Lutein has been proven to help prevent dry eye, and slow the progression of macular degeneration, cataracts and other age-related eye diseases. These nutrients can be found in green leafy vegetables, salmon, tuna, nuts, beans, citrus fruits, eggs, and once-a-day supplements. A healthy, well-balanced diet will also reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes which is a leading cause of blindness in adults. Approximately 40 percent of adults with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy which reduces vision and increases our risk for cataracts and glaucoma.

Ultra-violet light, a component of sunlight that causes sunburn, has been proven to increase our risk of dry eye, macular degeneration, cataracts and other eye diseases. Wearing sunglasses, spectacle lenses, and contact lenses that block 99-100 percent of UVA and UVB light rays will reduce your risk for these diseases. You can also increase your protection by wearing hats during long periods outdoors. Sunglasses are often stylish and polarized lenses reduce glare while driving making the benefit of wearing them even greater.

Eye injuries are common among factory workers, farmers, skilled craftsman and those who live in a rural area. Protective safety eyewear can reduce the risk of these vision-threatening injuries. Face mask and goggles can reduce the risk of injuries during sport activities for children. Polycarbonate lenses are lighter, thinner, block UV light, and are impact-resistant. Choosing this type of material in your spectacles is cost-efficient and a good way to protect your eyes from injury.

Smoking has been shown to increase the risk of cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. This is just another reason to follow through with your New-Year?s resolution of quitting. Or if you have tried quitting in the past but always relapse, give it another try. Studies show the more you try to quit the more likely you are to succeed.

Another common problem in today?s tech-savvy world is computer vision syndrome. This can occur in people of any age and vocation, but it is more common in women between the ages of 30 and 60, and those who use a computer or other electronic devices for more than four hours a day. Symptoms include eye strain, tired eyes, dry eye, headaches, blurry vision, trouble with focusing, and neck, back or shoulder pain. To avoid computer vision syndrome you should keep your spectacle or contact lens prescription up to date, reduce glare on your computer screen from lights and windows, and position the top of the computer screen level with your eyes. Anti-reflective lenses will also eliminate glare and eye strain while working on the computer. A good rule of thumb for those who work on computers is to take a break every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

If you feel you suffer from computer vision syndrome you should also consult your eye physician and be tested for dry eye syndrome. In short, protect your eyes, take breaks from extended computer use, eat a healthy diet, and get an annual eye examination to eliminate visual problems.