“Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder”, a beautiful quote you must have come across often, but unfortunately it stands meaningless to many of those people, who are either blind or visually impaired. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO)- Blindness and vision impairment affects at least 2.2 billion people around the world. Of those, 1 billion have a preventable vision impairment or one that has yet to be addressed.
Therefore, every year on the second Thursday of October, World Sight Day is celebrated, in order to draw the attention of the people across countries towards people suffering from such a condition. This year it is being observed on 8th October, with the theme ‘Hope In Sight’.
What Causes Reduced Eyesight?
WHO states that reduced eyesight can be caused by a number of factors, including disease like diabetes and trachoma, trauma to the eyes, age-related macular degeneration, and cataracts. The majority of people with vision impairment are over the age of 50 years; however, vision loss can affect people of all ages.
Other causes of a low vision as stated by the National Health Portal (NHP) of India are:
- Refractive Errors like High Myopia
- Strabismic Amblyopia
- Glaucoma
- Retinal Detachment
- Retinitis Pigmentosa
- Retinopathy of Prematurity
- Optic Nerve Diseases like Optic Atrophy
- Heredomacular degeneration (Stargardt’s disease)
- Albinism
- Nystagmus
- Brain damage
Tips For Healthy Eyes
NHP states the following ways in which one can keep their eyes healthy:
- Eat well: Include more green vegetables and yellow and red fruits in your diet.
- Don’t smoke: Smoking is a risk factor for cataract, optic nerve damage, and macular degeneration.
- Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays.
- Use safety glasses or protective goggles during hazardous work.
- Look away from the computer screen: Rest your eyes every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Maintain proper hygiene: Wash your hands properly before rubbing your eyes or even touching your eyes.
- Go for regular eye check-ups.
- Avoid over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for eye infections.
- Exercise regularly as regular exercise not only keeps your body fit but also makes your eyes healthy.
8 Foods For A Better Vision
As much as the lifestyle affects a person’s overall health, what the person is eating too plays a very important role. Here is a list of food items that are best for your eyes:
- Eggs
- Almonds
- Carrots
- Oranges
- Fish
- Leafy green vegetables
- Sunflower seeds
- Legumes and beans
COVID-19 And Eyes
We have been living with the COVID-19 pandemic for a while now and studies have shown that the virus can also spread through the eyes. Therefore, people need to be more cautious about it. The droplets released in the air by an infected person’s cough, sneeze, etc. can enter another person’s body through the mouth, nose as well as eyes. Therefore, it is recommended that:
- One covers his/her eyes when visiting a crowded place. Wearing glasses can be helpful.
- People who prefer wearing contact lenses should consider switching over to glasses for some time.
- Avoid rubbing or touching your eyes without washing your hands.
- Do not skip your eye medications.
- Practice proper hygiene and physical distancing measures, especially when visiting an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).
- Tele-consultations are available. Therefore, avoid visiting a doctor unless extremely necessary.
Thus, eye health should not be ignored and people should go for regular eye check-ups, preferably once in 6 months. Also, healthy eating and lifestyle habits can prevent you from losing your vision.
