Victoria’s Read

Taken for granted by many, our eyes are certainly near the top for most prized. They are far more than what they seem and there is a lot that you can do to maintain their health and your wellness.

Exercise your eyes. Like everything else in wellness, exercise is a potent medicine. Our eyes suffer as a result of our lifestyle and environment. Sitting at a computer, reading or any close in activity for long periods can fatigue the eyes. Your eyes move little and the muscles that focus the eyes work little. A simple exercise is the 20-20-20. Every 20 minutes, focus on something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Another exercise is to move the eyes while keeping the head still. Move up, down, right, left and do circles in both directions. This is very important for eye glass wearers, as with glasses, over time there is a tendency to turn the head instead of the eyes. This over time weakens the muscles that move the eye because they rarely have to move beyond the edge of the lenses.

UV protection is important too and there are many fashionable sunglasses with UV protection in any price range. Fashion has also been a cause of many eye related issues. Cosmetics are a concern and there are now many organic and natural cosmetic lines available that are less likely to irritate or damage. Also from a safety aspect, the fashion trend for eyewear to have very wide temples or arms, limits your peripheral vision. To test if your glasses are affecting your peripheral vision, extend your arm and point a finger up. Stare straight ahead and slowly move the arm to the side till you lose sight of the finger. Now take off your glasses and repeat. If your arm got further to the side without the glasses, then your choice or style of glasses might be impacting your safety. When it comes to safety there are now many fashionable eye protection options, with many looking like designer sunglasses. 

What can be done to help tired eyes?  The simple answer is rest. Persistent tired eyes means you should visit your eye doctor for an assessment. When it concerns your eyes, an expert opinion is well worth the time and expense.

Other tips for tired eyes:
-Cucumber slices over tired eyes does refresh and relieve puffiness
-Cool moist tea bags also work to refresh and relieve puffiness.
-Vitamin A is essential for healthy eyes so try to get it from diet first, then supplements.
-Take a couple of Q-tips, dip both ends in water and freeze. In the morning, roll the frozen tips  on puffy areas around the eyes.

Stay well, stay strong… you deserve it. 
©Darren Renaud  Natural Health Practitioner