4 Natural Ways to Care for Your Eyes All Year-Round

Your eyes are one of the most essential parts of your body, and like any other organ, they require the best care to maintain their function and health. Eye problems are not uncommon, however, and some vision issues are inevitable with age, but that doesn’t mean you can skimp out on caring for your eyes. You can prevent or delay the onset of conditions like macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts by taking the right measures, and these can be done by making small changes in your daily life. Here are some natural ways to care for your eyes all year round.

Wear sunglasses
Staying out in the sun for too long without proper protection can harm your eyes. Wearing sunglasses is one of the best and easiest things you can do to protect your eyes from the sun’s harsh UV rays. Not just any type of sunglasses will do, however. Shades with 100% UVA and UVB protection are the most effective for blocking out UV light. For an even more enhanced experience, you can wear polarised sunglasses with UV protection and block glare for improved clarity and contrast, giving your eyes more comfort. Wearing shades is a quick, natural, and stylish way to keep your eyes and the skin around them safe and healthy.

Manage screen time
With most of life becoming integrated with technology, it’s important to be aware of your devices’ effect on your eyes. Long hours of screen time without breaks can lead to dry eyes, eye strain, headaches, blurry vision, and more—and these issues are now often referred to as computer vision or digital eye strain. You can naturally minimise your phone’s or computer’s impact on your eyes by taking regular breaks, like following the 20-20-20 rule, where you stare at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. Putting your devices away an hour or two before bed can also give your eyes a much-needed break. Be wary of your device’s brightness as well, and keep it at a safe distance from your eyes.

Eat the right nutrients
What you eat plays a role in your eye health, and these essential nutrients are easy to find in many foods. Food rich in vitamins A, C, and E, beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, and lutein can boost your eye health naturally. Add leafy greens like spinach and kale, salmon, tuna, and other oily fish, and fruits like oranges and grapes to your diet to help ward off age-related eye conditions. A balanced diet can also prevent the onset of conditions like type 2 diabetes, which is a leading cause of blindness.

Get enough sleep
Sleep is a crucial part of wellness in many ways, but many may not be aware that it also boosts your eye health. A lack of sleep can lead to issues such as dry eyes, eye twitches, light sensitivity, blurry vision, and more. They may not be serious problems, but they can significantly affect your daily life. You should get at least seven hours of sleep to feel rested and allow your eyes and body to refresh and recover from the day. If a good night’s rest is hard to come by for you, you can improve your sleep in many ways. You can create a nighttime ritual to signal your mind and body to relax, in which you can meditate, journal, do your skincare, or whatever helps you unwind. For an extra boost of calm, you can check out some of Made By Coopers’ room sprays, pillow mists, and sleep balms to help you get well-deserved rest.