Eyesight Deterioration

6 Ways to protect your vision or how to keep your peepers in sharp shape.

1. Shield Your Eyes

Wearing sunglasses can reduce your exposure to eye-damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays up to 18fold. These rays speed the development of cataracts, an age-related clouding of the lens that affects vision, as well as AMD, a disease in which the gradual deterioration of light sensitive cells in the macula (the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail) leads to vision loss. What's more, blue light, a portion of the light spectrum that makes the sky and water appear blue, can also damage eye cells. Choose sunglasses with 99 to 100 percent UV protection, and opt for yellow or amber lenses, which filter out blue light. The best styles fit close to your eyes and wrap around the sides so rays can't leak through.

2. Kick Those Butts

Smokers are up to four times more likely to develop AMD than nonsmokers, and up to twice as likely to get cataracts. The reason: Toxins in cigarette smoke can enter your bloodstream and damage blood vessels in the eye. Over time, these blood vessels weaken and won't function correctly.

3. Give Your Contacts a Break

If you sleep in contacts that are for daytime use only or keep two week disposables around for a month, you're asking for trouble: Dirt and bacteria can become trapped between the contact and your eye, and cause irritation and infection. It's like wearing a condom and never taking it off. Yuck! It's fine to sleep in contacts designed for continuous wear for the doctor recommended number of nights. But your eyes need oxygen and rest, so remove contacts when you're supposed to (check the package for lens-specific instructions) and clean them properly to dodge vision problems.

4. Keep an Eye on the Weight Scale

Excess weight is linked to hypertension, high cholesterol, and inflammation, all of which can slow blood flow to the eyes. In fact, women with a body mass index, a measure of body fat based on height and weight, of over 30 have a higher risk of developing cataracts, according to a recent study. The good news: Walking just 30 minutes a day, four times a week can help guard against all of these health concerns by improving circulation and aiding in weight loss.

5. Pick Up Some Produce

Women who ate three or more servings of fruit daily reduced their risk of AMD by 36 percent. Experts say this benefit is due to lutein and zeaxanthin: These antioxidants, found in many fruits and veggies, absorb harmful UV rays in the eye and play a key role in maintaining optimal eye function. To load up on lutein, eat leafy greens such as spinach and kale; yellow corn, persimmons, and orange bell peppers are all high in zeaxanthin.

6. Take Multi-Carotene Supplement

Multi Carotene offers an exclusive natural carotene complex that contains beta carotene 2500 IU, alpha carotene 1.07 mg, lutein 1.12 mg, and zeaxanthin 45 mcg.

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Good day having good eyesight!