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Dr. Ukandu Rightway: How To Keep An Eye On Your Eye
“The eye is the mirror of the soul” has been quoted through generations and it is as true as it is said. The eye is a vital organ and should be looked after. So many systemic health conditions like diabetes mellitus and hypertension can be detected through the eyes with the help of an expert. The eye has many astonishing details, from having the fastest contracting muscles in the human body, having over a million nerve ends at the optic nerve to your iris (the colored part of your eye) having about 256 unique characteristics than a fingerprint that has just 40. The eye is very complex, almost as complex as the human brain. There are many ways to have healthy eyes.
Water
To be absolutely sure of healthy eyes, start your day by drinking water. Consumption of water in place of flavoured drinks goes a long way to detox and supply much needed hydration for the body. Since the eye contains fluids that keep it working and healthy, water intake supports healthy eyes. At the least, 2 litres a day is a healthy range of consumption of water.
Makeup and contact lenses
Wearing contact lenses (medicated or cosmetic) will definitely bring out the beauty in one’s eyes and a touch of up makeup would do good to the face but it should be noted that the contamination of make-up materials or the contact lens can be very dangerous. Bacterial infections are often gotten from makeup or contact lens or worse corneal aberration, so a lot of care should be given in the use of eye related accessories and facial polishes. Seeing an optometrist once you notice redness or irritation of your eyes helps alleviate any danger it might pose to you.
Nutrition:
Nutrition is absolutely important for healthy eyes. Eating carrots, sweet potatoes, Kale, squash and spinach (EFO RIRO) for Vitamin A, Citrus fruits and Guavas for Vitamin C will definitely fill in for some essential needs of the eyes. Edible greens and supplements containing Zeaxanthin and Lutein have shown to support eye health tremendously and it is encouraged especially with ageing.
Eye hygiene and Eye exercises:
Rubbing your palms until they are warm and placing them on your eyes does a deal of relaxing the eyes.
Rinse your eyes thoroughly after removing make-up with a remover and dry with a soft towel.
Rub the eyelids with a piece of ice and follow up immediately with a soft towel dipped in warm water, pat the eyelids gently with it and repeat the hot-cold compress procedure a few times, giving your eye a much needed sparkly and refreshing outlook.
Always remember sunglasses, blue coated lenses, anti reflective lenses or tinted glasses, as they protect the eyes from the glare of sunlight, the inevitable use of computer and phone monitor screens. These types of coated lens are used with or without prescription and helps you avoid damage to the eye over time. It also helps reduce one’s chances of having dry eyes.
Try irrigating your eyes by keeping them open and dipping into a bowl filled with clean water (boiled and allowed to cool), this should last for not more than 5 seconds.
See an Optometrist
Eye health is largely ignored but disability from health holds the world at a disadvantage with economic losses of up to 410.7 billion dollars annually. We all need healthy eyes and, in a lot of ways, the eyes definitely say the first words when you meet people, so it will do one a great deal to keep it as healthy as possible. Always make out time to see your optometrist.
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