The eye is one of the most valuable and fragile organs in the body. We rely on our sense of sight perhaps more intensely than on any of our other senses, and the eyes are easily damaged, and subject to a wide range of diseases. That by the way, is the reason why so many creatures that live in areas that receive little light — such as caves or the darkest depths of the sea — have dispensed with eyes altogether.
Ophthalmologists have prescribed many forms of medicine to treat eye diseases, and optometrists have prescribed eyeglasses and contact lenses to correct near- and far-sightedness, but is it really necessary to do so when it can cost you so much money? Not! In the subsections below, we will teach you no less than fifteen ways — natural ways — in which you can make your eyes more healthy. They will include improvements in your dietary and sleep habits as well as exercises for your eyes.
5 Healthy Foods to Boost Your Eye Health
#1: Carrots
In addition to extracting vitamin A from foods that already contain it, the body extracts the vitamin from lutein, a xanthophyll that is produced naturally by plants. Many vegetables, such as carrots, are rich in lutein, which is highly concentrated in the macula, as we mentioned earlier in the subsection on blueberries.
#2: Cod liver oil
Cod liver oil is rich in vitamin A, which is important for helping you see well in the dark. Vitamin A deficiency, indeed, is one of the most common causes of night blindness as well as of xerophthalmia (Greek for dry eyes — a condition in which the eyes fail to produce tears).
#3: Grape seeds
Any food item that is made from grape seeds — which are one of the most powerful antioxidants in the natural world — is good for improving the eyes’ peripheral circulation and will give you stronger eye capillaries and better eyesight. Try using grape seed oil in any recipe that calls for oil of some kind.
#4: Blueberries
Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, which are excellent for eye health, and also help the blood flow through the ocular capillaries. Macular degeneration — an often age-related condition in which the macula (the center of the visual field) ceases to function as well as it once did because the retina has been damaged — can also be treated by blueberries, as studies have shown.
#5: Green tea
The Hong Kong Eye Hospital, which has now been in operation for 22 years, has recently conducted a study on the effects of green tea on ocular health. It was found that catechins (antioxidants that occur in plants as secondary metabolites) can prevent harmful oxidative stress from striking the eyes.
Exercises to Improve Vision without Glasses
#6: For the whole body
Exercise is important for our overall health, and the amount that you get can affect your ocular health. One thing that it can do is lower your IOP (intraocular pressure), which is the level of fluid pressure in the eye. The Glaucoma Research Foundation recommends at least three workouts per week to promote better vision.
Specifically for the eyes
#7: Gazing into the dark
The next few exercises are specifically for the eyes. With your elbows on the table, put your palms over your eyes, the pinkies crossing over, and keep your eyes closed for one to three minutes.
#8: Moving the eyes from side to side
Sitting or standing up straight, look straight ahead and then from left to right, concentrating on what you see in each direction. Then move your eyes from side to side three times. Repeat the whole cycle five times, as well as with the following exercises.
#9: Moving the eyes up and down
This is the same as the preceding except for the direction of eye movement. Frowning and wrinkling are good for the eyes, so don’t be afraid to do those things.
#10: Moving the eyes diagonally
This is a third variation on the above theme.
#11: Rolling the eyes around
Here is yet another.
#12: Focusing near and far
Focus on an object, like a pencil, that is eight to twelve inches from your eyes. Then focus on a distant object and shift back and forth.
#13: Concentrating
With this movement, you shift from the area between your eyebrows to what is straight ahead of you. Fix your gaze for a few seconds.
#14: Another concentration exercise
This is the same, except that the first focus is the tip of your nose.
#15: Massage
Squeeze your eyes shut and hold for three seconds, then relax. Repeat this ten times.