Diet and lifestyle tips for eye health

An introduction to diet and lifestyle

Diet and lifestyle choices have a huge impact on our eyes, though you might not think it!

Our eyes need a variety of different nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C and zinc to help them function at their optimum level. Though these nutrients can be found in supplements, the best way to get them into your body is through your diet.

Our lifestyle can also have an effect on our eye health and eyesight. Working in harsh weather, being exposed to pollution, wearing makeup or exposing the eyes to UV rays can all contribute to eye damage, which can cause eye problems and eye conditions.

Diet and eye health

For healthy eyes, our body requires plenty of vitamin A, C and E, zinc, fatty acids and carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin.

Purple carrots are a particularly rich source of carotenoids and so, unsurprisingly, this vibrant juice is thought to be particularly beneficial for eye health – read our blog on the benefits of Purple Carrot Juice to find out more!

These nutrients help the eye to function properly, but also have an important role to play in protecting the eye from damage and repairing damage.

Make sure to eat a mixed variety of fruit, as these are high in vitamins and minerals. In addition, leafy greens such as kale, spinach and broccoli are packed full of the nutrients that eyes need, and oily fish such as mackerel and tuna contain a mix of nutrients and fatty acids.

For more information on diet and eye health, read my blog post on the good foods to eat for eye health.

Lifestyle advice for healthy eyes

There are a number of changes you can make to your lifestyle to help reduce the chances of developing an eye problem or eye condition:

• Wear sunglasses to protect from UV rays – and make sure they’re proper sunglasses! It's important to wear sunglasses on sunny days and while doing snow or water sports
• Be careful not to use make up after its expiry date, and always remove eye make up before going to sleep. Check out my blog post on good makeup hygiene for more information
• Follow correct contact lens procedure, including changing your lenses when advised, cleaning your lens case daily and washing your hands before inserting your contact lenses
• Wear glasses when you’re supposed to, to prevent eye strain and help prevent your eyesight from deteriorating further
• Reduce your use of air conditioning which can dry and irritate the eyes
• Limit the amount of time you spend using digital technology, as this can cause eye strain and problems focusing.

Herbal remedies for eye health

Herbal remedies can easily be incorporated into your lifestyle to boost eye health. Euphrasia eye drops can be used to relieve dry, irritated or tired eyes, and its handy bottle keeps it sterile.

Vision Complex contains many of the nutrients that your eyes need for good health: lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc and beta-carotene. This should not be used in place of a healthy, balanced diet, but to support one.