How to support healthy vision

Life offers so many beautiful things to see, and you don’t want to miss a thing – whether it’s on a screen or in real life.

Yet, in this digital age, your eyes go through a lot. Multiple hours of screen time per day can push your eyes to the limits. Plus, they are bombarded by blue light and UV light from digital devices and the environment.

That makes it all the more important to support your eye health, especially as you get older. Let’s take a look at how your eyes actually work.

How do eyes work?

The human eye can be compared to a camera. It gathers, focuses and transmits light through a lens to create images of our environment. The eye is made up of the following structures:

• Corneas: The clear, front layer of the eyes. They transmit incoming light.
• Pupils: Openings that determine the amount of incoming light.
• Irises: The colored part of your eyes. They control the size of the pupil.
• Lenses: A clear part of your inner eye. It helps the cornea focus light rays to the retina.
• Retinas: A layer of tissue in the back of your eyes that is sensitive to light. It converts light into electrical signals that are sent to the optic nerve.
• Optic nerves carry the signals from each eye to the brain, where they are turned into images.
• Rods aid night vision and peripheral vision.
• Cones help with detail and focus.

That’s a lot of parts in such a small package! They all work together to help you see, whether it’s the tiny font on your computer screen, the oncoming traffic while driving at night, the friendly faces of loved ones or the stars in the sky.

Now let’s take a look at some tips for supporting your eye health.

Get your eyes checked regularly

You don’t know what you don’t know. A comprehensive eye exam might determine a need for glasses or contacts that will improve your vision. Or it might reveal more serious issues that have no warning signs, such as age-related macular degeneration, allowing you to take early action against them.

Use protective eyewear

If you’re engaging in an activity where experts recommend safety glasses or safety goggles, put them on. Think they make you look silly? That’s a small price to pay for protecting your vision. If you need convincing just think about what types of accidents may have happened to make officials decide it was necessary to make the recommendation.

Whether it’s a sporting activity, a potentially hazardous work environment, or even projects around the house, using protective eyewear is always a good idea.

Wear sunglasses

Consider them fashionable safety glasses. They protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. UV light is a form of electromagnetic radiation, and too much for too long may be harmful. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends choosing a pair that blocks out 99-100% of both UV-A and UV-B radiation. (A good hat with a broad brim to shade your eyes and reduce glare is effective, too!)

Step away from the screen

Having tired eyes is just one of the potential effects of staring at a screen all day. Make sure you give your eyes regular breaks to prevent fatigue. A popular strategy is the 20-20-20 rule: After working at a screen for 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds focused on something about 20 feet away.

Screens are also a source of blue light. Blue light at the wrong time of day can disrupt your sleep patterns, but early research shows excessive exposure might have other effects, too. Consider using a blue light filter for extended periods of time.

Get the right nutrients to support eye health

Certain nutrients have demonstrated their ability to support eye health, so these are the ones you want to make sure to include as part of your regular diet.

• Vitamin A: Your retina needs vitamin A to support normal daytime and nighttime vision or to adapt after sudden changes of light. Beta carotene is the plant nutrient that your body converts to vitamin A as needed to support your vision. Choose orange or yellow produce to ensure you’re getting beta carotene, such as tomatoes, sweet potato, pumpkin or carrots.
• Lutein and zeaxanthin: Lutein and Zeaxanthin support the area of your eyes responsible for filtering out UV light from the sun and blue light from digital screens. They are natural antioxidants and are found in dark leafy greens, yellow and orange vegetables and marigolds. Eggs are also a great source of lutein and zeaxanthin.

• Lycopene: Your eye is always on the lookout for lycopene, taking it up from your blood stream whenever it comes along. It supports the retina and normal visual focus, especially in times of visual stress or fatigue. Red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes or watermelon are excellent sources of this plant nutrient and potent antioxidant.

• Zinc: Zinc is a key player in supporting the maintenance of normal vision. Good sources of zinc include meats, shellfish, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and dairy.

Consider vision health supplements

If you, like many people, struggle to eat as many fruits and vegetables as you should or don’t have time to think about which ones might have the specific nutrients you need to support your eye health, you might consider a supplement to help fill nutrient gaps in your diet.

Nutrilite™ Vision Health supports healthy aging eyes, night vision, retinal health and helps eyes filter blue light with vision-supporting nutrients from plant sources. It features lutein and zeaxanthin from marigolds, beta-carotene from algae and lycopene from tomatoes, all grown on Nutrilite partner farms. It also contains zinc, and the soft gels are free of gluten, soy, dairy, and artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.

Want to learn more about supplements to support vision health? Check out Nutrilite Vision Health. And for additional information on nutrition or other healthy living tips, read more articles at Amway Discover.