Do Eye Exercises Really Work?

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You exercise your body, but did you know you should also exercise your eyes? Your optometrist in Greensburg, PA, will tell you that, yes, in fact, eye exercises will help improve your eyesight. So here they are. These are the exercises you should do if you want to improve your eyesight.

 

Highly Effective Eye Exercises That Will Help Improve Your Eyesight

Aside from scheduling your annual routine eye exam in Greensburg, PA, eye exercises are the next best thing you can do for your eye health.

 

Figure Eight

This eye exercise increases eye flexibility and strengthens your eye muscles.

Focus your eyes on a point about 10 feet from you. Then, use the movement of your eyes to trace an imaginary figure eight on the wall.

 

Palming

This eye exercise will help reduce eye fatigue while relaxing your eye muscles.

Warm your palms by rubbing them together. Then, close your eyes and put your warmed palms over them until all images still present disappear.

 

Blinking

This eye exercise helps keep your eyes lubricated.

Take small breaks throughout the day to concentrate on blinking multiple times. To do this, close your eyes and pause there for a few seconds before you open them again. Do this several times in a row.

 

The 20-20-20 Rule

This eye exercise will help reduce eye strain if you spend lots of time in front of a digital screen.

Take a break from looking at your digital screen every 20 minutes. Look at an object you see off in the distance. An object that is at least 20 feet away from you. Look at it for 20 seconds. Repeat this throughout the day.

There are plenty more eye exercises. These are just a few to help get you started.

 

Looking for An Optometrist in Greensburg, PA?

Nothing is more important than your eyesight. So don’t put off your regular eye exams. Please Contact Lappen Eye Care today to schedule your next routine exam. We have a full suite of eye products and services to help you maintain your optical health. 

 

Do Carrots Really Help Your Vision?

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You’ve probably heard your entire life that carrots help your vision. But do they really? Or is this just a bunch of hooey? Of course, you can always ask your optometrist in Pittsburgh, PA. But why wait? Keep reading to learn the truth about carrots and your vision.

The answer is yes and no. Carrots can’t improve your vision. So you can’t eat lots of carrots and expect to get 20/20 vision. But eating carrots can actually help the vision you already have. Keep reading to learn more.

 

How Carrots Help Your Vision

Carrots contain vitamins that will help promote eye health. They contain beta-carotene, which your body uses to convert vitamin A, an essential vitamin for your eyes. In fact, if you lack a significant amount of vitamin A, it could lead to blindness.

Vitamin A can also help prevent the formation of cataracts and macular degeneration. So we would say carrots are a pretty important vegetable for your eye health, wouldn’t you?

 

Will Carrots Restore Vision to the Blind?

Unfortunately, if your vision issues aren’t caused by a lack of vitamin A, eating loads of carrots will not help.

 

The Best Foods for Eye Health

If you want to help maintain your eye health, concentrate on eating plenty of these foods.

  • Fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids
  • Red peppers (raw)
  • Dark leafy vegetables (kale, spinach, etc.)
  • Carrots, of course!
  • Lean meats and poultry
  • Seeds (chia, flax, hemp, etc.)
  • Eggs
  • Beans and legumes
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts

And to top it all off, make sure you drink plenty of water.

 

Looking for an Optometrist in Pittsburgh, PA?

Keeping your eyes healthy will mean a lifetime of enjoying all the beauty that surrounds us. And the best way to keep your eyes healthy is to see an optometrist regularly. Please Contact Lappen Eye Care today to schedule your next eye exam. We want to help you to keep your eyes as bright as possible now and going forward!

What Is Rhodopsin, and How Does It Help Night Vision?

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If you’re looking to improve yournight vision in Greensburg, PA, you’re certainly not alone. The harder it is to see in the dark, the more you have to change your routine to fit your new reality. While you can’t stop the progression of time, you may be able to make a few lifestyle changes to slow the process. We’ll look at what rhodopsin is and the role it plays in how well you can make out objects when the lights go down.

What Is Rhodopsin?

Rhodopsin is a type of protein that lives in your retina. It absorbs light by breaking up the particles before sending the signals to the brain. Your body can make rhodopsin at any time, but it happens most when you’re in a dark room or in a place without a lot of light pollution. It takes about 45 minutes for your eyes to generate the protein, which is why it takes a while for your eyes to adjust from light to dark.

How to Have More Rhodopsin 

Sleep and darkness are both great for regenerating rhodopsin. You can also focus on getting more vitamin A in your diet, which is an essential building block for rhodopsin. Add more carrots, leafy greens, and sweet potatoes to breakfasts, lunches, and dinners to get the beta-carotene you need to make enough vitamin A.

See an Eye Doctor in Greensburg, PA

Your night vision is as important as your daytime vision. If you’re starting to find it more difficult to drive or make out objects in a room when the sun goes down, contact Lappen Eye Care to make an appointment with aneye doctor in Greensburg, PA. Our staff can give you the information you need to keep you safe.

Is there a link between diet and eye health?

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Although genetics can be a factor in eye health and vision problems, there is mounting evidence that eating nutrient-rich foods, including an abundance of fruits, vegetables, and Omega-3 fatty acids, is as good for your eyes as for the rest of your body.

At Lappen Eye Care, we couldn’t agree more.-

Eating for Eye Health
Scientific studies confirm the advantages of nutrient-rich foods that contain abundant healthy vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin A
The beta-carotene found in carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, bell peppers, pumpkins, and leafy vegetables, supplies Vitamin A. It protects the eye’s cornea and improves night vision.

Research confirms that Bugs Bunny had it right about those carrots!

Vitamin C
Vitamin C can reduce the progression of cataracts by one-third and may also help to impede Macular degeneration. Oranges, strawberries, kiwis, green veggies, and hot chili peppers are all high in this particular vitamin.

Additional sources include potatoes and tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, spinach, watermelon, and pineapple.

Anti-oxidants
It has been established that high levels of antioxidants like Vitamins C and E, zinc, and copper can be instrumental in preventing or fighting AMD or age-related Macular degeneration. Blueberries, raspberries, peanut butter, beans, chocolate, kale, red cabbage, and pecans are just some of the options.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Good not only for retina health but also for general well-being, foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids include salmon and other oily fish, flaxseed, soybeans, and walnuts. There is evidence that Omega-3s can help deter wet Macular degeneration and alleviate the stinging, itching, and burning sensations associated with dry eye.

Benefits of a Balanced Diet
The medical community, including our team at Lappen Eye Care, supports a healthy lifestyle based on a balanced diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, lean meats, whole grains, dairy, eggs, and nuts.

Let’s discuss lasting eye health recommendations at your next appointment with a Pittsburgh eye doctor. We can also recommend nutritional supplements for specific needs.

The Worst Things You Can Do When Something is in Your Eye

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Everyone gets something in their eye once in a while, but what you do afterward makes all the difference. If you take the wrong steps, you can worsen the situation or even damage your eye. Your eye doctor in Pittsburgh, PA, wants you to know the worst things you can do when something is in your eye so you don’t make these mistakes.

Rubbing the Eye
Your instinct may be to rub your eye, but doing so can scratch your cornea. The cornea is the outermost layer of the eye. If the foreign object is abrasive, you’d be rubbing that material against your delicate cornea, and you don’t want to do that.

Using Tools to Extract the Object
The last thing you should do is use tweezers or other sharp objects to try to “grab” the object to remove it. This can damage your eye and possibly even cause vision loss.

Rinsing With Tap Water
Cupping water in your clean hand and rinsing the eye is a good idea, but only if you use distilled water. Tap water, drinking water, and even purified water could contain bacteria, microbes, and other things that could infect your eye. If you don’t have distilled water, you can use saline solution, which is commonly used for contact lenses.

Pulling at It
If the object is long and you can grab one end of it, you still don’t want to do that. Instead, head straight to your eye doctor’s office. Otherwise, you risk severely damaging your eye.

If you have something in your eye, you should contact your eye doctor for emergency eye services in Pittsburgh, PA. Contact us today for help or to get your questions answered.