Exercise Your Eye Health

While it’s no surprise that our lifestyles play a role in everything from the risk of high blood pressure to our cholesterol count, did you also know that what you eat, how often you work out, and your overall health is also important to the health of the eyes?

This summer, take charge of your eye health by making some simple lifestyle choices, perhaps starting with these ideas:

Get moving: Exercise can lower pressure in the eye when you have glaucoma. If you’ve been diagnosed with glaucoma, exercise can keep it from worsening. So the next time the sun is out, go for a run in the park (and don’t forget to wear sunglasses!).

Eye candy: Green leafy veggies like kale, collard and mustard greens, and spinach are good for the eyes because they contain lutein, which studies indicate can prevent the progression of macular degeneration.

Don’t smoke: Smoking increases the risk and accelerates the development of cataracts, macular degeneration and optic nerve damage.

Chill out: Stress reduction is important because it contributes to the onset of eye conditions. Try to spend 15 minutes a day in a stress reducing activity like going for a walk or pursuing a relaxing hobby like reading or a friendly game of cards. The goal is to reduce blood pressure, which in turn, lowers eye pressure.

Step on the scale: People who are severely overweight or obese are at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes, which can lead to diabetic retinopathy (damage to the retina caused by complication of diabetes). Manage your weight through exercise and eating well.

“Eyes are precious and the importance of sight is often not realized until it’s lost,” says Dr. Tanya Dillon, a doctor of optometry.

“Getting an eye exam is the first step to protecting your eye health.”

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