Toolbox Talk:
“Our Eyes”
Diet and regular upkeep are two important factors in taking care of your eyes.
Eye exercises can restore your sight. Our eyes are the window to the world. It’s important that we take care of them.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Carrots, loaded with beta carotene are especially helpful in maintaining healthy eyes.
That’s because beta carotene is an antioxidant that reduces the risk of macular degeneration.
Foods containing vitamin C, beta carotene, omega-3s, lutein and zeaxanthin are especially important.
Foods such as Broccoli, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, sardines, sweet potato and spinach are also healthy options for your eyes.
Avoid wearing contact lenses for more than 19 hours.
This can cause permanent sight damage as well as extreme discomfort to your eyes.
Don’t wear glasses too long either. Especially 3-D glasses! Never sleep with your contact lenses in unless specifically instructed to do so.
Your eyes need regular supplies of oxygen, and lenses block the flow of oxygen to the eyes, especially during sleep.
So doctors generally recommend a normal period of break for your eyes during the night.
Use allergen-reducing eye drops sparingly.
Using an allergen-reducing eye drop during allergy season to ‘get the red out’ and sooth itchiness may help on a limited basis, but chronic daily use can actually make the problem worse.
Use cucumber on your eyelids. Press cold cucumber slices gently against eyelids 10 minutes before going to sleep at night to prevent puffiness.
Cucumbers contain ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, which prevent water retention.[3] These compounds help explain why cucumbers are used throughout the world to treat inflammation and dermatitis.
Wear UV protective sunglasses. Get polarized lenses, NOT just darker lenses.
The lenses that only make the world darker will just make your pupils dilate and don’t do a thing to stop the UV rays.
Prolonged exposure to UV rays can harm your eye sight, protection in youth can help prevent loss of eyesight in later years.
Exposure to UV rays has been linked to cataracts, macular degeneration, pingueculae and pterygia, harmful conditions for the eyes.
Try not to spend so much time looking at your computer screen. While science hasn’t yet proven that looking at computer screens causes permanent eye damage, it may cause eye strain and dry eyes.
The glare from computer screens causes muscle fatigue in the eyes, either from being too bright or too dark.
People blink less when they’re looking at a screen, causing drier eyes.
Make a conscious effort to blink every 30 seconds when you’re sitting down and looking at your computer screen to combat dry eyes.
Wear goggles when appropriate.
Be sure to wear goggles or other eye protective wear when working with chemicals or any place with harmful airborne particulates.
Exercise your eyes, and also be sure to relax them.
Try focusing your eyes on objects that are near to you, then objects that are far away.
Repeat this process multiple times. Sit down, place your elbows on your hips, close your eyes and bring your closed eyes down, resting them on your palms.
Keep your palms covering your eyes for 10 seconds. Open your eyes and repeat as necessary.
Do not read in dim light. Reading in dim light can cause eye strain but will not damage your eyes. If your eyes feel tired, stop for a while and take a break.
Do not look at a bright light directly. Never focus your eyes on the sun directly, as it can damage your eyes.
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” Marie Curie
Thanks TO, another great quote
