Simple Tips for Better Vision

Our eyes are two of our most precious possessions - yet, all too easily, we can take good eyesight for granted. Protect your peepers with these low-effort actions.

EAT FISH twice a week.
Fish are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids - proven to reduce the risk of dry-eye syndrome. If you can't stand fish, try fish-oil supplements.

Always wear GOGGLES
When swimming or doing carpentry. A properly fitting pair of swimming goggles will protect your eyes from chlorine, while carpentry goggles will prevent debris from causing corneal abrasions.

Aim your CAR VENTS down at your feet - not your eyes. Dry, air-conditioned air sucks the moisture out of eyes like a sponge, so aim the vents in your car away from your face. Serious dryness can lead to corneal abrasions and even blindness.

Cook with RED ONIONS, not yellow. Red onions contain more quercetin, an antioxidant that is thought to protect against cataracts.

Put on SUNGLASSES whenever you leave the house. Not only will they block out the harsh glare of the sun, but they'll also protect your eyes from the drying effects of wind.

Have SWEET POTATOES for dinner tonight. Rich in vitamin A, these spuds are especially good at improving your night vision.

Remove EYE MAKE-UP every night. This prevents small pieces of make-up from winding up in your eye and possibly scratching your cornea.

Take a BILBERRY supplement every morning. The berries contain compounds called anthocyanosides, which can help protect the retina against macular degeneration. Bilberry supplements are sold at most pharmacies.

Use a FRESH TOWEL every time you wipe your face. Sharing face towels and washers with others is a guaranteed way to get the highly contagious eye infection called conjunctivitis (pinkeye).

Wear a LARGE HAT or cap along with your sunglasses. A wide-brimmed hat will block roughly 50% of UV radiation and reduce the UV rays that may enter your eyes from above or around the sunnies.

Have SPINACH twice a week. It could be steamed, sauteed in some olive oil with garlic or perhaps in a quiche. It doesn't matter how you get it, just be sure to have it regularly. Studies have shown that lutein, a nutrient abundant in spinach, may prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

When you're WORKING or reading, set your alarm to beep every 30 minutes. Use this as a reminder to look up and away to some distant point for 30 seconds. This helps prevent eye fatigue and eyestrain.

Check your BLOOD PRESSURE every month. You can do this at home with a do-it-yourself monitor cuff. HIgh Blood pressure, if unchecked, can damage vessels in the eye.

Turn down the HEAT in your house. Heat dries out the air which, in turn, dries out your eyes. You might also try adding some humidity with a humidifier or even bunching a lot of plants together in the room where you spend the most time.

Tilt your COMPUTER SCREEN to just below eye level. This will make your eyes close slightly while you're staring down at the monitor, minimising fluid evaporation and dry-eye syndrome.

Replace your MASCARA every three months and other eye make-up once a year. Eye make-up is a great repository for bacteria, which can easily be transferred to your eyes and cause infection.

WALK at least four times a week. Some evidence suggests that regular exercise can reduce the intraocular pressure, or IOP, in people with glaucoma. In one study, glaucoma patients who walked briskly four times per week for 40 minutes lowered their IOP enough so they could stop taking medication for their condition. It's also possible - although there's no proof yet - that walking could also reduce your overall risk of developing glaucoma.

Use HERBS AND SPICES instead of salt. Studies have found that high-salt diets increase your risk of certain types of cataracts, so stay away from the salty stuff. And while you're de-salting your diet, don't forget the salt in processed foods. Check labels for 'no salt' or 'low sodium' tags when buying canned and other prepared foods.

Grey or amber SUNGLASSES?
Answer: Grey.
Grey lenses provide the least color distortion - important when you're driving.

Blindness

Being obese can result in serious eye conditions, many of them due to diabetes, raised
cholesterol levels or high blood pressure.

TIP:
Make sure you have regular eye tests, especially if you have diabetes or a family history
of eye problems.

Don't be blind to Macular Degeneration

With Macular Degeneration Awareness Week coming up from the 25 June to 1 July this year, it is disturbing to note that the majority of the people have never had their macular checked. Macular degeneration (progressive damage to the retina) is currently the leading cause of blindness, but inmany cases it can be prevented.

Reduce the risk of blindness due to MD by:

• Wearing sunglasses
• Not smoking
• Eating fish, dark green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits
• Having regular eye-checks every two years
• Eating foods that contain zinc
• Exercising regularly

TO REMOVE A SOFT LENS

Never use forceps

1. Wash hands carefully.
2. Check that the lens is on the cornea.
3. With patient looking up, place the index finger on the lower edge of the lens and slide it laterally.
4. Pinch the lens between thumb and index finger - this allows air beneath the lens so that it can be withdrawn.

5. Clean the lens with normal saline by placing it in one palm and gently massaging with the other index finger.

6. Place in the carrying case in saline, or in a vial or bowl with saline. Soft lenses must not be stored dry.

TO CHECK WHETHER A SOFT LENS IS INSIDE OUT

Place the lens concave side up on an index finger. If the lens is correct, the edges turn in slightly.

If the lens is inside out, the edges turn out. If the lens is inside out, it should be pressed to reverse the surfaces, then rechecked to make sure it is correct.

Insertion of Soft Lens - the correct way

1. Wash the hands thoroughly, soft lenses are readily contaminated.
2. Remove the holder of the lenses from the solution in the carrying case, and identify
the lenses for the right and left eye.
3. Lenses that have been soaking in germicide must be washed thoroughly in saline-
not over a basin without a plug.
4. Wipe the right lens off the holder onto the pulp of the index finger of the right hand.
5. Check that the lens is right side out. If it is very floppy, wait about a minute for it
to dry a little.
6. Retract the lower lid with the middle finger (same hand as holding the lens).
7. Looking up, roll the lens onto the lower conjunctiva and express any air,
8. Close the eyelids, then massage the closed upper eyelid to help center the lens.
9. Repeat for left eye.

CONTACT LENSES - The correct way to wear them

Hard contact lenses are smaller than the cornea. Sorft contact lenses cover the cornea or extend onto the sclera. Hard lenses are firm while soft lenses are like a tiny sponge. Their management is different.

If a lens is lost under the upper lid, reassure the person that it can cause no harm. Gently press over the upper lid to move it down. If it is stuck, irrigate with saline.

Never use forceps on a contact lens.
Never instill fluorescein eye drop in an eye wearing a soft lens.
Never wash a contact lens over a basin without a plug.

HOW TO INSERT A HARD LENS:

1. Wash the hands.
2. Check which is the right and which is the left lens.
3. Place the lens in the palm of one had and apply contact lenses wetting solution.
4. Place the lens concave, or bowl side upwards on the pulp of the index finger of the master hand.
5. Have the patient look down, retract the upper lid with fingers of the other hand.
6. Place the lens above or to the side of the cornea and move it centrally. Blinking should then center the lens.

Instead of insertion with a finger, a small suction cup holder may be used. Moisten the tip with saline to obtain a good grip.

HOW TO REMOVE A HARD LENS - 3 methods:

Method 1

Squeeze the lens off the eye by placing one thumb on the upper lid and one on the lower lid. Apply some pressure and bring the lids together. The lens should be displaced onto the lower eyelid or onto the hand.

Method 2

1. Wash the hands.
2. Place an index finger at the outer canthus and cup the other hand just below the eye.
3. Have the patient open the eyes widely.
4. Don't blink hard and at the same time, you pull the eyelids back in the direction of the top of the ear.
5. The lens should pop out into the cupped hand.

Method 3

The lens may be removed with a moistened suction cup holder.

How to insert Soft Lens?.....to be cont'd.

What Your Eyes Reveal

DIABETES:
- Your optometrist may identify subtle changes in your eyes caused by unstable
blood sugar levels. With severe untreated diabetes, there's the risk of diabetic
retinopathy. The blood vessels inside the retina, become damaged and this can
lead to permanent blindness. A healthy retina is needed for good vision.

HEART DISEASE AND STROKE RISK:
- High blood pressure affects 3 in 10 adults, and many don't even know they have
it. It's a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Looking directly at the blood
vessels in your eyes an optometrist can identify haemorrhages and leaking vessels,
as well as changes such as hardening of the arteries.

BRAIN TUMOUR:
- An eye test can show a bulging optic nerve caused by increased pressure inside the
skull - one symptoms of a brain tumour.