Nutrition and Hydration Week 2021

Nutrition and Hydration week is an awareness week dedicated to promoting the importance of a healthy lifestyle with the right nutrition and hydration.

Eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water is incredibly important for your health including your eyes. The fruit and vegetables we consume are packed full of vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial to your eye health as well as your body, and some studies have shown that it can help slow the development of eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration.

Nutrition for Your Eyes

Fruit and veg are the best source of vitamins and nutrients that help to keep your body healthy. Some of these nutrients are great for boosting your eye health and protecting them from harmful light.

·        Vitamin A – helps to maintain the photoreceptors in your eyes.

·        Vitamin C – is an antioxidant found in citrus fruits, bell peppers and broccoli. This helps maintain your eye health protecting them from oxidants.

·        Lutein and Zeaxanthin – are carotenoids that act as a natural sunblock for the macular. Kale is the best source of lutein and zeaxanthin.

Hydration

It is recommended that you drink 2 litres or 8 glasses of water a day to ensure your body is well hydrated. When the body becomes dehydrated it is common to experience symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and fatigue.

Dry eye is also a common symptom of dehydration and usually occurs when the tears produced by the eye are insufficient or are missing components. This causes the tears to break up prematurely, reducing the lubrication of the eye and resulting in discomfort and blurred vision.

Other tips to ensure your eyes stay well hydrated include avoiding fans and air conditioning as these will dry out your eyes, taking regular breaks from screens and using eyedrops to keep your eyes hydrated throughout the day.

For more information about eye conditions such as dry eye and macular degeneration contact your local MKO today.