Sleep | Water | Diet | Protect | Action
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Get brighter and healthier pretty eyes with these 4 easy tips: 1. prioritize quality sleep, 2. stay hydrated, 3. enhance your eyesight through diet, 4. and protect your eyes.
1. Sleep your way to prettier eyes 😴
If you want to achieve prettier eyes, start by prioritizing good quality sleep. To get the best sleep, turn off electronic devices, dim the lights, and keep your room cool and dark an hour before bedtime.
Blue light from electronics at night can cause the hormone melatonin which is what helps us feel sleepy to be suppressed, melatonin production is at its peak production at night and blue light not only suppresses this but also damages the retina and causes the brain to be stimulated and so makes it harder and longer to fall asleep thus directly affecting sleep quality (Zhao, Zhi-Chun et al., 2018).
Poor sleep quality can also increase your risk of developing dry eye disease and related symptoms (Kawashima et al., 2016). Blue light sleep disorder causes your eyes to be open for longer and so causes an increase in tear evaporation (Zhao, Zhi-Chun et al., 2018).
To improve your sleep and eye health, try a relaxing activity like reading a book and use clean linens. This can make it easier to sleep and reduce the risk of getting irritants and bacteria in your eyes.
Aim for 8 hours of consistent sleep every night to establish a healthy sleep rhythm.
2. Hydrate for brighter eyes 💦
Staying hydrated is key to achieving brighter, prettier eyes. Aim to drink 2-3 liters of water daily to keep your eyes well-lubricated.
This simple habit can also decrease water retention and reduce puffiness around your eyes (Riebl & Davy, 2013).
The best way to consume the recommended amount of water is to start with a large glass of water in the morning to help wake you up and kick start your metabolism and continue to drink from a large bottle throughout the day. to keep your metabolism levels high.
Dehydration has been linked to cataracts and dry eye, so don’t forget to drink up (Bringmann et al., 2016).
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3. Nourish your eyes through diet 😋
You may have heard your parents tell you carrots can help with your eyesight but there are actually many vitamins (antioxidants) that help your eyesight.
Foods that can help with Eyecare include antioxidants such as:
| Antioxidant | Examples |
| Lutein and Zeaxanthin | Kale, Spinach, Brocolli, Carrots |
| Omega-3-fatty acids | Salmon, Trout, Sardines, Anchovy, Walnuts, Spinach |
| Beta carotene | Kale, Carrots, Spinach, Mango, Watermelon, Salmon, Butter, Cheddar |
| Vitamin C | Kale, Brocolli, Strawberries, Blackcurrent, Kiwi, Lemons, Oranges |
| Vitamin E | Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds, Mango, Kiwi, Blackberries, Black Currents, Raspberries, Spinach, Brocolli |
| Zinc | Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds, Shrimp |
Salt may contribute to puffy eyes, so limit your salt intake.
Why do these antioxidants help?
Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Lutein and Zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids found in the retina, this part of the eye, specifically, the macula is where oxidative stress (excess free radical production) is caused by various factors such as smoking, UV sun rays, pollution, and eye strain from blue light.
They are needed to help absorb blue light and UV light and combat excess free radical production (Mares, 2016). They do this by improving the pigment density in the macula, this pigment is what helps absorb blue light and UV light and by doing this they help protect the retina.
Omega 3 fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids (DHA) help maintain the structure and function of the retina and also contain anti-inflammatory properties that can help lower the risk of early-stage AMD (age-related macular degeneration) and the progression of late-stage as inflammation is thought to be a cause of AMD.
It also helps prevent dry eye disease. Since our body can’t synthesize DHA it is best to get it from natural whole foods, not from supplements as they have been shown not to have the same benefits of reducing the risk of developing AMD (Zhang et al., 2020).
Beta carotene, Vitamin C, E and zinc
Beta carotene, Vitamins C, E and zinc are important as they are antioxidants and are needed to help combat the free radical production in the macula and so also help protect the retina (Johnson & Rasmussen, 2013).
Zinc is an essential component of many enzymes and is needed for the effective metabolism of the eye. It also acts as an antioxidant and combats free radicals (Johnson & Rasmussen, 2013).
Hypertension and AMD
Avoid foods high in sodium as this can cause water retention and in turn, can cause puffiness around your eyes. It also increases hypertension which increases the risk of AMD (Bringmann et al., 2016).
A diet high in fruits and vegetables, reducing your salt intake and increasing your potassium and water intake all help prevent hypertension (Bringmann et al., 2016).
Minerals that help lower blood pressure include calcium, magnesium, and potassium, found mainly in milk and dairy products, low consumption of these minerals can cause hypertension more than reducing salt intake (Bringmann et al., 2016).
Foods high in bicarbonate such as fruits and vegetables help renal salt excretion (Bringmann et al., 2016).
Not having adequate antioxidants may increase your chance of getting AMD (Bringmann et al., 2016).
4. Keep your pretty eyes protected 👀
Don’t touch or rub
Don’t touch or rub your eyes as this can result in breakage of your eyelashes, and make it more likely to cause wrinkles as the skin around the eye is more sensitive. You may also risk an eye infection such as conjunctivitis. If you take good care of your eyes you are less likely to touch them.
Eye rubbing can also lead to the thinning of the keratocyte which leads to the eye disease keratoconus, resulting in blurred vision and reduced visual acuity (Najmi, 2019).
Wear shades
You should also protect your eyes by wearing shades with UV light protection (Behar-Cohen et al., 2013). This will not only protect you from the sun’s harmful rays, by reducing premature ageing and wrinkles but also from dry air which can cause dry eye and from other pollutants such as dust which can cause irritation and make you more likely to rub your eyes.
Take breaks frequently
If you spend most of your time behind a screen, over time blue light emitted can damage your eyes. We can also protect ourselves by physically taking a break every 20 mins. Looking away from any electronic devices can give our eyes the well-needed rest they need and prevent them from being sore and hurting (Zhao, Zhi-Chun et al., 2018).
Action to take ✍️
- Get 8 hours of consistent sleep daily
- Prepare yourself an hour before bed to get good quality sleep.
- Turn off all electronics, dim your lights, and keep your room cool and dark.
- Have clean linen.
- Drinking plenty of water (2-3 litres a day).
- Focus on lutein, zeaxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids, beta carotene vitamins C, E and zinc.
- Don’t touch or rub your eyes.
- Wear shades with 100% UV light protection.
- Take a small break every 20 minutes.
Sleep, hydration and diet are the backbones of looking good. They are not only essential for healthy eyes, but also for other parts of the body. Not to mention, lowering your chances of many diseases.
Losing your sight can be scary and we must be grateful for our sight, which is why we must do our utmost with what knowledge we have to ensure we can keep our healthy vision for as long as possible.
References 🤓
Behar-Cohen, F., Baillet, de Ayguavives, Krutmann, J., Pena Garcia, Reme, C., Wolffsohn, & Ortega García, P. (2013). Ultraviolet damage to the eye revisited: eye-sun protection factor (E-SPF®), a new ultraviolet protection label for eyewear. Clinical Ophthalmology, 87. https://doi.org/10.2147/opth.s46189
Bringmann, A., Hollborn, M., Kohen, L., & Wiedemann, P. (2016). Intake of dietary salt and drinking water: Implications for the development of age-related macular degeneration. Molecular vision, 22, 1437–1454.
Johnson, & Rasmussen, H. (2013). Nutrients for the aging eye. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 741. https://doi.org/10.2147/cia.s45399
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