A Healthy Lifestyle for Healthy Eyesight
Your daily habits have a lasting effect on your eye health.
While age and genetics play a role in how our vision changes over time, many of the most common vision problems can be influenced positively or negatively by the choices we make every day. If you’re looking for ways to protect your eyesight, start by adopting a healthier lifestyle.
Eat for Eye Health
Nutrition is one of the most important and often overlooked factors in eye care. A diet rich in leafy greens like kale and spinach, colorful fruits like oranges and berries, and fatty fish like salmon provides your body with antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, and zeaxanthin — all of which are essential for maintaining healthy retinas and lowering your risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
Vitamin A, found in foods like carrots and sweet potatoes, is also crucial for maintaining a clear cornea and preventing night blindness. Zinc, which is found in eggs, legumes, and whole grains, helps bring vitamin A from the liver to the retina. By eating a variety of whole, nutrient-rich foods, you support not just your body but also your long-term vision.
Stay Active and Maintain a Healthy Weight
Regular exercise benefits your eyes in much the same way it benefits your heart and muscles. It helps keep your blood pressure in check and lowers your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is important because both high blood pressure and diabetes can lead to serious eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and hypertensive retinopathy.
Even moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, has been linked to a reduced risk of developing certain types of vision loss. If you already have a health condition that puts your eyes at risk, exercise can help manage it and minimize its impact on your vision.
Quit Smoking — or Don’t Start
Smoking does more than harm your lungs; it also doubles your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration and significantly increases your risk of cataracts. It damages blood vessels, including those that nourish the eyes, and reduces the protective antioxidants in your system.
If you’re currently a smoker, quitting can dramatically lower your chances of developing smoking-related eye diseases. If you’ve never smoked, continuing to avoid tobacco is one of the best things you can do to preserve your eye health.
Prioritize Sleep and Manage Screen Time
Your eyes, like the rest of your body, need time to rest and repair. Getting enough sleep helps reduce eye strain, dry eye, and blurry vision. When we’re tired, our blinking slows down, which can lead to less tear production and more discomfort.
If you spend hours a day on a screen, practice the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This helps relax your eye muscles and prevent digital eye strain. Adjusting screen brightness and using proper lighting also helps minimize discomfort.
Small Choices Make a Big Difference
Taking care of your eyes doesn’t require big changes overnight — just small, consistent improvements to your daily habits. Eat better, move more, quit smoking, rest well, and pay attention to screen time. All these things add up and protect your vision for the long haul.
Don’t Skip Your Eye Exam
Even the healthiest lifestyle can’t replace regular eye exams. Many serious eye conditions develop without noticeable symptoms at first. A comprehensive exam is the best way to catch problems early and keep your eyes in excellent shape. If it’s been a while since your last visit, make an appointment today.