News and Resources

Your eye health is our top priority at Northwest Eye Surgeons and since February is a month to celebrate love, why not show some love to your eyes? Keep reading for some tips and tricks to keep your eyes happy and healthy.

Eat Right. According to the American Optometric Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, adding certain nutrients to your daily diet can be good for your vision. Foods rich in lutein, omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, zinc, and vitamins C and E are great for your eye health. These nutrients have been linked to reducing the risk of certain eye diseases and can lower the risk of age-related eye issues.

Foods that are best for eye health:

• Fish
• Nuts and legumes
• Seeds
• Citrus fruits
• Leafy green vegetables
• Carrots
• Sweet potatoes

Exercise. We all know that exercise has many health benefits, but did you know that it’s also good for your eyes? Many studies over the years have indicated that regular exercise can reduce the risk for common eye diseases such as cataracts, wet age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Additionally, exercise helps avoid health issues that aren’t primarily related to eye health but can damage your eyes such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.

Use Basic Eye Protection at Work. According to Prevent Blindness, more than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day. The right eye protection could lessen the severity or event prevent 90% of eye injury accidents in the workplace. We encourage you to know the eye safety dangers at your place of work and use the proper protection.

Get an Annual Eye Exam. We cannot stress the importance of an annual eye exam enough! Not only should you get an eye exam to evaluate how well you can see, but it is important to check your overall eye health. Some diseases, such as Glaucoma, can show no symptoms or early warning signs. By the time people notice a difference in their vision, the disease may be in a much more advanced stage. Contact our office at (614) 451-7750 or fill out our appointment request form to schedule your eye exam today.

What to do if You Sustain an Eye Injury. When an eye injury occurs, you should seek medical help from an ophthalmologist or another doctor as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor. Additionally, there are simple steps you can take to prevent further damage:

• Don’t touch or rub the injured eye
• Don’t apply ointment or medication
• Place a shield or gauze over the eye until you visit a doctor
• If there appears to be an object embedded in the eye, don’t try to remove it
• Use water to flush out the eye

Foods to eat this holiday season that are good for your sight!

There are so many things to be thankful for this time of year—family, friends, good health, and, of course, good eyesight. Eyesight can be impacted by many factors, but people are often surprised by how important a role diet plays in your continued eye health. However, nutrients such as zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene may reduce your chances of age-related eye diseases by up to 25%.1

For example, Lutein is found in many common foods and is said to reduce the risk of age-related macular disease, the leading cause of blindness in seniors.2 Vitamin C and vitamin A also make the list of important nutrients for eye health. One study showed that women who ingested more vitamins A and C had a reduced chance for developing glaucoma.3 And, of course, there are carotenes, the magical ingredient of carrots that make them so wonderful for eyesight.

To keep your eyes healthy and happy this winter, dig into these dishes with gusto knowing they are giving you the vitamins and nutrients you need to avoid eye problems and have sharp vision for years to come.

Sweet Potatoes

Whether you serve them whole, mashed, with marshmallow topping, or in a sweet potato pie, sweet potatoes are full of eye-helping nutrients. They have vitamin E, an anti-oxidant, and beta-carotene, the same healthy ingredient in carrots. (Note: marshmallow topping is not known to promote eye health, but boy is it delicious.)

Collard Greens

This dark green vegetable will do wonders for your eye health. It contains high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which reduce the risk of age-related eye diseases.

Nuts

There are plenty of opportunities to add a few nuts to your holiday dinner spread—and I’m not just talking about inviting over your relatives. Consider adding finely chopped walnuts to your stuffing. Or you can serve them up in cookie form. The nutrients in nuts are fantastic for promoting good eye health.

Carrots

We can’t mention eye health and food without mentioning carrots. Those amazing beta-carotenes will be helping your eyes whether you eat carrots raw on the appetizer buffet or cooked as a side dish for the main meal.

Pumpkin

While carrots may have high levels of beta-carotene, pumpkin has even higher levels. That means every slice of pumpkin pie will be helping protect your eyes from disease and degeneration. There’s never been a better excuse to go back for a second helping of dessert.

Don’t just use the holidays as a time to protect your eye health. Eating healthy and maintaining an active lifestyle throughout the year is critical to receiving the long-term benefits and protections for your eyes that come from important nutrients. For more information, talk to your ophthalmologist today.