MARCH is International Eye Care Awareness Month. According to the South African Council for the Blind, around 80 per cent of blindness is avoidable, whether through intervention or treatment, which is why eye care should be a priority.
There are many things you can do to look after your eyes.
Here are some tips:
Get your eyes tested: Eye problems aren’t always easy to detect or notice, which is why people should get their eyes tested, even if they think they can see just fine.
Wear sunglasses: The sun can damage eyesight just like it can damage your skin, so sunglasses are like sunscreen/sunblock for your eyes.
The eyes are full of muscles that can be exercised just like any other muscles. Strengthening them helps people to focus for longer periods.
Exercises:
1. Palm your eyes: Doing this will reduce stimuli to your eyes and brain. Closing your eyes and applying light pressure to them will spread the tear film in your eyes evenly and relax them.
2. Massage your eyes: This will help to improve blood circulation around your eyes and face and prepare your eyes for exercise.
3. Strengthen your eyes’ near and far focusing: Sit in a chair or stand in front of a blank wall. Place your thumb about 10 inches (25 cm) in front of your face and focus on it.
4. Focus: Focus on an object that is five to 10 feet away for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, focus on an object that is 10 to 20 feet in front of you without moving your head. After 10 to 15 seconds, refocus on your thumb. Practice this five times.
5. Practice zooming with your eyes: This is a good eye focusing exercise, as you have to constantly adjust how well you can focus on an object from certain distances.
6. Make a figure eight with your eyes: This is a great exercise to practice controlling the physical movement of your eyes.
7. Practice rhythmic eye movements: These movements can help to strengthen your eyes and your hand-eye coordination.
8. Do directional eye exercises: Moving your eyes in different directions is a good way to exercise your eyes.
9. End your exercises with palming: Always finish up with palming to relax your eyes after your intense exercise session.
* Sources: South African Council for the Blind and WikiHow.
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