Sight is a precious sense that most of us take for granted. It is key to the way most human beings function as social, omnivorous predators. Therefore, it is no surprise that our society prizes good eyesight above every other sense. Not even our hearing comes under as much scrutiny as our ability to see without corrective lenses. Fortunately, if you do notice that your eyesight seems to be deteriorating, then there may be something you can do to stop or even have your eyesight improve.
The Importance of Diet and Health
It may surprise you to know how reliant your eyesight is on your diet. To have your eyesight improve, this is a good place to start.
Vitamin A and lutein, an antioxidant commonly found in green, leafy vegetables, are both partially responsible for maintaining your sight. Therefore, deficiencies of either can lead to noticeable changes in vision. One recent study carried out by the University of Florida’s Department of Ophthalmology demonstrated that lutein, in particular, helps to ameliorate the effects of harmful light and oxidation in the eye, while also preventing age-related deterioration of ocular tissue.
Updating your Diet
If you’re looking to increase your Vitamin A and lutein intake, it’s fairly easy to do according to Cooper Vision, a major contact lens manufacturer. Carrots, kale, spinach, and collard greens contain both. Liver, cod liver oil, and sweet potatoes are a great source of Vitamin A; whereas, swiss chard, zucchini, and brussel sprouts contain high levels of lutein.
In addition to adding a little more green into your diet, Healthline suggests that you should quit smoking and work on maintaining a healthy weight to prevent macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. You can take other preventative steps by following the 20-20-20 screen-time rule and wearing protective eyewear, including sunglasses.
When it’s Not Enough
For most people, once your eyesight begins to deteriorate, it’s too late. Further damage can be prevented by caring for your eyes, but it usually not reversible. Therefore, you have two choices: wear corrective lenses or undergo corrective eye surgery. Even if your eyesight is still rather good, you should not avoid corrective lenses, as your eyes will continue to weaken from the strain of attempting to bring your world into focus.
Lasik eye surgery is a well-known and effective corrective eye surgery. During the procedure, the Mayo Clinic explains that your ophthalmologist uses a laser to make precision changes to the shape of your cornea, providing the necessary refraction for you to see properly. At Advanced Eye Medical, Dr. Gosheh specializes in iLasik, a blade-free approach to Lasik surgery.
What is Blade-Free?
Pioneered in 1999, the first bladeless procedure was introduced. By using a high-energy laser instead of the previous model, it was no longer necessary to use a blade to physically cut into the cornea in order to create a flap. Since then, this approach, now known as iLasik, has become increasingly common. Some surgeons still perform the surgery using the traditional method, but iLasik comes with specific advantages. Primarily, Dr. Gosheh’s experience proves that iLasik creates a more precise flap and a smoother surface. It takes only a few minutes and you can open and close your eyes immediately following surgery. However, as with all Lasik eye surgeries, it will be a few hours before your vision is restored.
Are you a Good Candidate?
Before having Lasik surgery, Dr. Ghosheh will want to make sure you’re a good candidate for corrective eye surgery. The bottom line is that you should be in good health and have stable, fully-developed eyes. Therefore, a responsible surgeon will require that the patient is over 21 and can demonstrate a stable vision prescription for at least a year. Having this baseline will ensure the best, longest-lasting results. It’s not to late to have your eyesight improve!