The health of our eyes gradually declines as we age. Most people experience vision problems as early as their late twenties. Others are unfortunate enough to have issues in the eyes since the day they were born. But fret not because there are several herbs for eye health that can significantly boost the window to your soul. We are also going to discuss and answer a few questions about some eye complications like, is cataract inevitable? And what is macular degeneration?

Importance of Healthy Eyes

Your eyes are one of the most important parts of your body. According to studies, 80% of the things that we perceive comes from the sense of sight. Without it, all of our physical functions will be affected. Our capability to do things on our own, our privilege to see and appreciate the environment, maybe even eating and taking a shower alone will become quite a challenge.

To keep the health of your eyes in its best state, eye doctors highly recommend regular eye check-ups and taking herbs for eye health as preventative maintenance. Eye care must be one of your top priorities as it can literally benefit you in so many ways. Did you know that several diseases can be detected with just one look in the eye? A simple eye assessment can easily diagnose health problems such as:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Brain tumors
• Liver problems
• Macular degeneration
• Glaucoma
• Blood issues
• Cataract

Later on, we are going to discuss some eye health issues and determine the ways to prevent them from developing.

Herbs for Eye Health

So have you ever considered going herbal in maintaining your eyes’ health? One thing about people these days is that they do not take herbs seriously. But in all honesty, organic resources are one of the best ways to guarantee that your eyes are getting the care that they needed. There may be some cons (such as slowly phased treatment and costly herbs) in switching to herbs or eye care but the benefits that you will get are astounding.

If you are still having second thoughts about herbs for eye health, listed below are the use and benefits of herbs for your eyes:

• Tumeric. Turmeric is known for its many health benefits. It’s included in our list of herbs for eye health because it can lessen the oxidation in the eye and prevent many eye problems from occurring.
• Eyebright. Eyebright can aid itchy eyes and conjunctivitis respectively.
• Gingko Biloba. Herbs like Gingko Biloba can effectively reduce the risk of macula degeneration and glaucoma by dilating the cerebrospinal.
• Bilberries. Bilberries are herbs that were used by soldiers back in WWII. According to them, the berries have helped them see at night. It was then discovered that bilberries contain components that help in blood-circulation and helping the eye adjust to different light variations.
• Saffron. Saffron is typically used in treating cataracts and slowing down the development of macular degeneration in seniors.
• Fennel. Eye inflammation and some mild eye conditions can be easily treated by fennel. Herbs like these are effective in aiding for glaucoma and cataracts as well.
• Green tea. If you are more on the aesthetics, green tea is an effective antioxidant known for diminishing dark circles around the eye.
• Goldenseal. These herbs can be used as an eyewash to wash away eye irritants the cause allergic reactions.
• Grapeseed. Our list of herbs will not be complete without grapeseed. This contains many properties that are good for eyesight and general eye health.

These herbs are safe to consume and can be added to your diet as part of your eye care preventative maintenance. If you are taking any medication, you may opt to consult your doctor first.

Other Ways to Care For Eyes

In addition to herbs, you can also follow these steps to maintain the health of your eyes according to the Melbourne ophthalmologist at Dr Anton van Heerden clinic:

• Eating a healthy and balanced diet. Having complete nutrition will not only help your eyes but your overall health as well. Your meals should always contain fruits, vegetables, protein, and foods rich in omega-3 for healthy eyes.
• Keeping a regulated weight. Having an unhealthy weight puts you at risk of diabetes which could result in glaucoma.
• Exercising. Working out has many benefits. Apart from keeping you physically healthy, it prevents you from getting diseases like high blood pressure and high cholesterol which are contributors to many vision problems.
• Always wear sunglasses. Too much exposure to the sun can also affect your eye. It is one of the common causes of macular degeneration and other eye issues.
• Avoid smoking if possible. Smoking is typically the most popular cause of many health problems. It can intensify the development of age-related eye diseases.
• Know your family’s medical history. this will help your doctor determine the roots and causes of your eye problems.
• If you wear contact lenses, be sure to keep them in clean storage. Moreover, always clean your hands first before wearing and removing them.
• Do not expose your eyes to devices for too long. Give it a rest every 20 minutes.

Common Eye Problems

1. Cataracts. There are different reasons why cataracts occur, some are born with it, and some develop it through time. According to eye doctors, cataracts cannot be prevented. However, modern methods in treating it are available for everyone.
2. Refractive errors. This the most common type of eye problem all over the world. The eye disorder even comes in different forms, farsightedness (trouble in seeing close objects), nearsightedness (trouble in seeing faraway objects), and astigmatism (distorted vision).
3. Macular degeneration. This eye problem is an age related-eye problem that significantly damages central and sharp vision. The condition can greatly affect your ability to see things clearly. The details of every object you see will become vague and quite blurry.
4. Glaucoma. Glaucoma is a serious eye condition that can lead to loss of vision o blindness. This disease directly destroys the eyes’ optic nerve.
5. Amblyopia. Also known as “lazy eye” disorder, Amblyopia is a common vision problem diagnosed in children. The disorder happens when one of the eyes is not functioning properly and is not well coordinated with the brain.