Keep an eye on visual health

What you put in your mouth determines how good your eyes are. As simple as it may sound, the fact is that your diet has a great role in shaping the way your visual health is being stressed by ophthalmologists on World Sight Day. Certain foods are definitely good for the eye, says Venkatraman Arvind, Chief Medical Officer, Vasan Eye Care. “The eye is also an organ that receives blood supply. Eating healthy will ensure a good blood supply in the body. Omega 3 unsaturated fatty acids are also specifically good, as are vitamin A, and retinoids such as papaya, mango, green leafy vegetables, carrots and tomatoes.”

Amar Agarwal of Agarwal Eye Hospitals, says, “I am very particular that patients, especially children, eat green vegetables, cucumbers and carrots on a regular basis. As we are tending towards the fast food culture, we do not have the time to sit and plan our food. However, parents must ensure that the child gets a healthy diet.” The earlier you begin to eat healthy, the better will be the eye care.

Dr. Agarwal says he sees patients who have woken up one morning to find themselves blind in one eye. “This is because we, as a nation, tend not to take exercise seriously. At about 40 or 50 years, people are obese, overweight and their general body health is affected. This leads to high blood pressure, a vessel in the eye bursts, and they turn blind.” “What we do not factor in is that up to 80 per cent of the cases of blindness are avoidable. There are a lot of interventions to restore sight today, but it is still important to prevent blindness,” Dr. Arvind says. While exercising and eating well are two key aspects, regular check-ups are also part of the deal, he adds. Especially for children who need vision correction, and diabetics. Screening will ensure that the problems will be picked up early and remedied.

While not all problems relating to vision health can be avoided, Dr. Agarwal says with certainty that cataract can certainly be delayed, diabetic retinopathy can also be postponed or avoided if the diabetic keeps the sugar under good control, and sudden bleeding in the eye can be prevented.

Keywords: visual health