VISION FOR THE OVERALL MOST OF PEOPLE is the main way of perceiving the world. The eyes give us a huge amount of information, allow us to be active, independent and mobile. In this case, vision can be impaired, and you need to take care of your eyes – and it is not always clear how. Do I need to drink blueberry preparations? Are eye exercises useless? Is it true that if you put on glasses, your vision will continue to deteriorate? Does eye color affect their health? We tried to answer these and other questions about vision and eyes.
Is myopia inherited?
Genetics do play an important role in eye health and vision changes. The dependence on the genetic factor of such common diseases as myopia (when it is impossible to focus on distant objects), hyperopia (when, on the contrary, it is impossible to focus on objects located close), and astigmatism (when vision becomes blurry) have been found. So if your relatives – parents, brothers, sisters – wear glasses, then there is a high probability that you will have to put them on one day.
In addition to heredity, risk factors for reduced vision include age, some diseases – diabetes mellitus or arterial hypertension, a sedentary lifestyle. Smoking increases the risk of age-related eye changes; Of course, it is important to protect your eyes from injuries and ultraviolet rays with high – quality glasses . You need to go to an ophthalmologist for an examination at least once every two years (and preferably once a year); If you experience regular discomfort, eye redness, dry and gritty eyes, double vision, or an obvious decrease in vision, see your doctor immediately.
Can glasses hurt?
If you have already been assigned glasses and are wondering whether to wear them or not, wear them. Otherwise, problems associated with reduced vision may arise: eye strain, headache and even injury. The same can happen if you wear someone else’s glasses that are not suitable for you in terms of diopters: your eyes will overstrain. It is sometimes said that incorrectly selected glasses can harm the eyes – this is not the case when it comes to the eyes of an adult. Children whose vision is still developing, the wrong glasses can really harm.
The choice between glasses and contact lenses is a matter of taste. Of course, there are certain contraindications to contact lenses – but most often they are temporary, for example, an acute infection of the eye or his injury. Now there are even lenses for the correction of astigmatism, the so-called toric . Finally, if you don’t want to wear glasses or lenses, and without them your vision fails, you can carry out laser correction. With this intervention, the shape of the cornea is changed with a laser – so that the image of objects on the retina is clear. The operation has an age range and a number of restrictions, but at the same time it is predictable and painless, and the result can be assessed within a few days.
What drops are suitable for tired eyes?
For dryness and gritty sensations , there are over-the-counter eye drops called artificial tears. They can contain different active ingredients like hyaluronic acid and quickly relieve dryness, redness or gritty eyes. The choice of such drops is huge, they can vary greatly in price and duration of the effect, so you should consult with an ophthalmologist. It is important not to confuse “tear” with vasoconstrictor drugs with aggressive side effects – they do not moisturize the eyes at all.
In order not to suffer from dry eyes, you need to literally blink more often – which means, tear yourself away from the glowing screens and give your eyes a rest. There is a good 20-20-20 rule: after every twenty minutes of computer work, look at something twenty feet away for twenty seconds. This will allow the eye muscles to relax and recover. Exercises for the eyes are helpful and can help with eye strain and increased sensitivity to light. It is not difficult to do them, and on the Web you can find many instructions: usually it is alternating focusing on near and far objects, exercises with one eye closed, eye movements up, down, sideways, in a circle and in eights.
And yet, does the computer harm the eyes?
In a twenty-year study of 4,500 children, there was no link between myopia and computer and television screens. Working at a computer does not impair vision, but it tires the eyes with endless focusing and refocusing; the eye muscles get tired from frequent movements. At the same time, unlike a book or screen with electronic ink, the luminous screen loads the eyes with contrast, flicker and glare. Problems arise more often if eye problems already exist, or if glasses are needed but the person is not wearing them.
How to solve the problem? If possible, reduce the time spent in front of the screen, take frequent breaks and look at distant objects. It is worth taking care of the ecology of the workplace: adjust the brightness of the screen and position it so as not to strain your eyes and neck. Exercise, pick up comfortable moisturizing drops and transfer some of the information to paper or an e-book.
Do lutein and blueberries help ?
Blueberries contain anthocyanins, which are useful for the eyes; Canadian scientists have found that eating blueberries significantly improves night vision and accelerates recovery from retinal damage from bright light. Two other substances worth mentioning are lutein and zeaxanthin . They create a dense light filter that protects the retina from the harmful effects of the blue part of the spectrum – that is, light with a certain wavelength.
Sources of lutein and zeaxanthin are yellow-orange vegetables and fruits (bell peppers, corn, pumpkin, zucchini, persimmons, red grapefruit, mango), green leafy vegetables (spinach, cabbage), eggs. It has been found that eating food rich in lutein reduces the risk of developing cataracts and age-related changes in the eyes. These substances can be obtained in the form of nutritional supplements – but it is better to try to eat more vegetables, fruits and greens.
Do I need glasses in the hole and on to affect the eye color?
The researchers quantified and found that shallow-hole glasses do improve visual acuity and depth of focus – but at the same time reduce image quality. Scientists concluded that such glasses should not be worn when driving a car, working with dangerous tools or playing sports (although this could hardly have occurred to anyone).
As for eye color, it is due to the amount of melanin in the iris. Sometimes it happens that the color of the right and left eyes is not the same, and in most cases this does not threaten anything. Light eyes, like light skin, are less protected by melanin – and this increases the risk of damage from light, and therefore dangerous consequences, such as eye melanoma or cataracts.
Are flies in front of the eyes dangerous and how to adjust the lighting?
” Flies ” in front of the eyes may appear as black or gray specks or moving “worms” that seem to run away if you try to examine them. In most cases, they are caused by age-related changes and are not dangerous – but if you notice a sudden increase in such “flies”, immediately consult a doctor. They can be symptoms of an inflammatory process or even a retinal rupture.
Eye fatigue and visual acuity also depend on the level of lighting. Although there are lighting standards for different rooms, for example, classrooms and workplaces, it is impossible to determine the intensity of lighting in figures without special devices. The optimal level of illumination can be determined for yourself on the basis of subjective sensations: the eyes should not get tired after ten to fifteen minutes of reading. If visual discomfort arises, it is worth considering light intensity, lamp placement, or font size.