10 Ways to Improve Your Vision Naturally

Are you taking the right steps to improve your vision naturally? As we age, our eyesight begins to decline. That’s inevitable. But, when we start to see signs of declining vision, our first instinct is to get glasses, contacts, or even surgery depending on the underlying condition. It’s unfortunate that so many people choose these options when you can improve your vision naturally. You can take advantage of less invasive and more holistic solutions.

It’s important to understand your vision condition, then assess every aspect of your lifestyle and make appropriate changes. If you’re open to improving your vision (well, duh!), then check out these 10 natural ways to do so.

1. Protect Your Eyes from Damage

Your eyes are extremely vulnerable to your environment. Air pollution, particles, UV rays, and blue light can all cause damage. It’s crucial you protect your eyes from these culprits if you want to improve your vision. To start, always wear UVA and UVB protection sunglasses when you go outside. Too much sun exposure can lead to a sunburn-like condition on the eyes called photokeratitis. When you look at devices like smartphones and laptops, be aware of the blue light emitted, as blue light exposure can cause macular degeneration. Wear sunglasses and use blue-light filters to save your eyes from damage.

2. Learn About Your Family’s Vision Health

You can live a healthy life and still develop a vision-altering eye disease. We all inherit different risks from our parents in our genes, so do your research on which eye conditions are common in your family line. If your parents, grandparents, or even further back, had glaucoma, you could too. Perhaps type 2 diabetes was common, or cataracts. By knowing what you have a higher risk of developing a vision condition, you can work to prevent it. This step might not improve your vision, but it will prevent further decline.

3. Avoid Inflammation in the Eyes

Inflammation in the eyes is called uveitis, which can be a sign of a ton of underlying causes. And, it can lead to vision loss and blindness. If you notice redness, pain, blurry vision, or abnormal sensitivity to light, see your eye doctor. There are four main types of uveitis with different causes. In all cases, early detection and treatment are key. You can prevent some forms of inflammation in the eye by never touching them with unwashed hands, or by wearing protective glasses when working with machinery or chemicals. To improve your vision, protect your eyes from inflammation.

4. Exercise Your Eyes Every Day

Every part of your body benefits from exercise. When you work out, your cardiovascular system switches into high gear. Blood circulation gets improved which is awesome for the eyes, especially for the optic nerve. And, all it takes is 30 minutes each day of walking, jogging, or another form of exercise you enjoy.

Regular exercise helps prevent diseases that can lead to vision loss, like diabetes. However, did you know there are specific exercises for the eyes? These eye stretches can help prevent computer vision syndrome, blurry vision, and loss of peripheral vision. Schedule five minutes every morning and every night to practice eye exercises and stretches – one of the easiest and most natural ways to improve your vision.

5. Stop Smoking and Drinking Alcohol

We all have our vices, but some are more harmful to your eyesight than others. Smoking cigarettes causes inflammation in the eyes, and can cause macular degeneration, cataracts, and cancer. Drinking alcohol causes the optic nerve to communicate more slowly with the brain. Alcoholics often have red eyes from the swollen blood vessels, along with difficulty seeing. If you want to improve your vision, quit these two vices, or at least cut back on them.

6. Eat More Antioxidants

You likely already know how impactful your diet is on your health. For the eyes, it’s crucial to eat foods high in antioxidants, like greens and berries. Free radicals occur naturally in the body; left alone, they’ll cause oxidative damage to the body and eyes. It’s hard to improve your vision when free radicals are causing macular degeneration and vision loss. Antioxidants combat the free radicals to keep their levels balanced and your eyes protected.

7. Get Enough Carotenoids

The retina is a critical part of the eyes that receives light, and it’s very vulnerable to damage emitted from blue light and UV. Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments that protect the retina from cancer and disease. There are only two carotenoids found in the macula, a tiny part of the retina: lutein and zeaxanthin. Since no other carotenoids can protect your eyes like these two, you should really make an effort to get them in your diet or through a supplement. If not, you could develop macular degeneration and other diseases that affect your eyesight.

8. Rest Your Eyes During the Day

Your leg muscles get to rest every time you sit down, but your eyes have to wait until bedtime when you close them for 8 hours (hopefully). By waiting too long to rest your eyes, you can develop eye strain, dry eyes, and headaches. These conditions can display as blurry vision. But you can improve your vision and keep it clear by resting your eyes often. Take regular breaks to close them for a couple of minutes. Practice palming exercises to help them relax.

9. Get Enough Sleep Each Night

If resting your eyes is important, then it shouldn’t surprise you that not getting enough sleep can have negative effects on your eyes and vision. You might develop eye twitches, dryness, and redness. People with insomnia often have bloodshot eyes from popped blood vessels. A more serious effect is anterior ischemic optic neuropathy which can lead to vision loss. Try to create a consistent sleeping routine that’s quiet and cool. Use an eye mask to keep your eyelids closed. Put away your devices an hour before bedtime. To improve your vision naturally, give your eyes the rest they need.

10. Get Regular Eye Exams

The most common reasons people get glasses are refractive errors. These are conditions like myopia, presbyopia, and hyperopia. If you suffer from one of these errors, you may be wondering how to improve your vision without glasses. Luckily, if you go for regular eye exams, you can stop these conditions before they progress. When you start to notice a decline in your vision, make an appointment. Then look into natural ways to treat the condition. You should also make regular checkup appointments so your eye doctor can ensure your eyes are healthy. Early detection is key for eye diseases!

You can improve your vision naturally without the use of glasses, contacts, or surgery. It all starts with living a healthy lifestyle. Eat well, exercise often, and avoid smoking and drinking. At the first sign of change in your eyesight, see your eye doctor.

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COMMON HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF EATING DISORDERS

Eating disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that affect a person’s emotional and physical health. They are not just a “fad” or a “phase.” People do not just “catch” an eating disorder for a period of time. They are real, complex, and devastating conditions that can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships. 

Eating disorders can affect every organ system in the body, and people struggling with an eating disorder need to seek professional help. The earlier a person with an eating disorder seeks treatment, the greater the likelihood of physical and emotional recovery. 

COMMON HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF EATING DISORDERS

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

• Consuming fewer calories than you need means that the body breaks down its own tissue to use for fuel. Muscles are some of the first organs broken down, and the most important muscle in the body is the heart. Pulse and blood pressure begin to drop as the heart has less fuel to pump blood and fewer cells to pump with. The risk for heart failure rises as the heart rate and blood pressure levels sink lower and lower.
• Some physicians confuse the slow pulse of an athlete (which is due to a strong, healthy heart) with the slow pulse of an eating disorder (which is due to a malnourished heart). If there is concern about an eating disorder, consider low heart rate to be a symptom.
• Purging by vomiting or laxatives depletes your body of important chemicals called electrolytes. The electrolyte potassium plays an important role in helping the heart beat and muscles contract, but is often depleted by purging. Other electrolytes, such as sodium and chloride, can also become imbalanced by purging or by drinking excessive amounts of water. Electrolyte imbalances can lead to irregular heartbeats and possibly heart failure and death.
• Reduced resting metabolic rate, a result of the body’s attempts to conserve energy.

GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM

• Slowed digestion known as gastroparesis. Food restriction and/or purging by vomiting interferes with normal stomach emptying and the digestion of nutrients, which can lead to:
• Stomach pain and bloating
• Nausea and vomiting
• Blood sugar fluctuations
• Blocked intestines from solid masses of undigested food
• Bacterial infections
• Feeling full after eating only small amounts of food
• Constipation, which can have several causes:
• Inadequate nutritional intake, which means there’s not enough in the intestines for the body to try and eliminate
• Long-term inadequate nutrition can weaken the muscles of the intestines and leave them without the strength to propel digested food out of the body
• Laxative abuse can damage nerve endings and leave the body dependent on them to have a bowel movement
• Binge eating can cause the stomach to rupture, creating a life-threatening emergency.
• Vomiting can wear down the esophagus and cause it to rupture, creating a life-threatening emergency.
• Frequent vomiting can also cause sore throats and a hoarse voice.
• When someone makes themselves vomit over a long period of time, their salivary (parotid) glands under the jaw and in front of the ears can get swollen. This can also happen when a person stops vomiting.
• Both malnutrition and purging can cause pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas. Symptoms include pain, nausea, and vomiting.
• Intestinal obstruction, perforation, or infections, such as:
• Mechanical bowel problems, like physical obstruction of the intestine, caused by ingested items.
• Intestinal obstruction or a blockage that prevents food and water from passing through the intestines.
• Bezoar, a mass of indigestible material found trapped in the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, or intestines).
• Intestinal perforation, caused by the ingestion of a nonfood item that creates a hole in the wall of the stomach, intestines or bowels.
• Infections such as toxoplasmosis and toxocariasis may occur because of ingesting feces or dirt.
• Poisoning, such as heavy metal poisoning caused by the ingestion of lead-based paint.

NEUROLOGICAL

• Although the brain weighs only three pounds, it consumes up to one-fifth of the body’s calories. Dieting, fasting, self-starvation, and/or erratic eating means the brain isn’t getting the energy it needs, which can lead to obsessing about food and difficulties concentrating.
• Extreme hunger or fullness at bedtime can create difficulties falling or staying asleep.
• The body’s neurons require an insulating, protective layer of lipids to be able to conduct electricity. Inadequate fat intake can damage this protective layer, causing numbness and tingling in hands, feet, and other extremities.
• Neurons use electrolytes (potassium, sodium, chloride, and calcium) to send electrical and chemical signals in the brain and body. Severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances can lead to seizures and muscle cramps.
• If the brain and blood vessels can’t push enough blood to the brain, it can cause fainting or dizziness, especially upon standing.
• Individuals of higher body weights are at increased risk of sleep apnea, a disorder in which a person regularly stops breathing while asleep.

ENDOCRINE

• The body makes many of its needed hormones with the fat and cholesterol we eat. Without enough fat and calories in the diet, levels of hormones can fall, including:
• Sex hormones estrogen and testosterone
• Thyroid hormones
• Lowered sex hormones can cause menstruation to fail to begin, to become irregular, or to stop completely.
• Lowered sex hormones can significantly increase bone loss (known as osteopenia and osteoporosis) and the risk of broken bones and fractures.
• Reduced resting metabolic rate, a result of the body’s attempts to conserve energy.
• Over time, binge eating can potentially increase the chances that a person’s body will become resistant to insulin, a hormone that lets the body get energy from carbohydrates. This can lead to Type 2 Diabetes.
• Without enough energy to fuel its metabolic fire, core body temperature will drop and hypothermia may develop.
• Starvation can cause high cholesterol levels, although this is NOT an indication to restrict dietary fats, lipids, and/or cholesterol.

OTHER HEALTH CONSEQUENCES

• Low caloric and fat consumption can cause dry skin, and hair to become brittle and fall out.
• To conserve warmth during periods of starvation, the body will grow fine, downy hair called lanugo.
• Severe, prolonged dehydration can lead to kidney failure.
• Inadequate nutrition can decrease the number of certain types of blood cells.
• Anemia develops when there are too few red blood cells or too little iron in the diet. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath.
• Malnutrition can also decrease infection-fighting white blood cells.

MORTALITY AND EATING DISORDERS

While it is well known that anorexia nervosa is a deadly disorder, the death rate varies considerably between studies. This variation may be due to length of follow-up, or ability to find people years later, or other reasons. In addition, it has not been certain whether other subtypes of eating disorders also have high mortality. Several recent papers have shed new light on these questions by using large samples followed up over many years. Most importantly, they get around the problem of tracking people over time by using national registries which report when people die. A paper by Papadopoulos studied more than 6000 individuals with AN over 30 years using Swedish registries. Overall people with anorexia nervosa had a six fold increase in mortality compared to the general population. Reasons for death include starvation, substance abuse, and suicide. Importantly the authors also found an increase rate of death from ‘natural’ causes, such as cancer. 

It has not been certain whether mortality rates are high for other eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified, the latter of which is the most common eating disorder diagnosis. Crow and colleagues studied 1,885 individuals with anorexia nervosa (N=177), bulimia nervosa (N=906), or eating disorder not otherwise specified (N=802) over 8 to 25 years. The investigators used computerized record linkage to the National Death Index, which provides vital status information for the entire United States, including cause of death extracted from death certificates. Crow and colleagues found that crude mortality rates were 4.0% for anorexia nervosa, 3.9% for bulimia nervosa, and 5.2% for eating disorder not otherwise specified. They also found a high suicide rate in bulimia nervosa. The elevated mortality risks for bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified were similar to those for anorexia nervosa.

In summary, these findings underscore the severity and public health significance of all types of eating disorders.

Special thank you to Walter Kaye, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Director, UCSD Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Program, University of California, San Diego

Learn more about eating disorders >

Outbreak of Severe Lung Disease, E-cigarettes

Outbreak of Severe Lung Disease, E-cigarettes 

CDC Director's Statement on the first death related to the outbreak of severe lung disease in people who use e-cigarette or "vaping" devices

We are saddened to hear of the first death related to the outbreak of severe lung disease in those who use e-cigarette or "vaping" devices. CDC's investigation is ongoing.

We are working with state and local health departments and FDA to learn the cause or causes of this ongoing outbreak.

This tragic death in Illinois reinforces the serious risks associated with e-cigarette products.

Vaping exposes users to many different substances for which we have little information about related harms - including flavorings, nicotine, cannabinoids, and solvents. CDC has been warning about the identified and potential dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping since these devices first appeared. E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently use tobacco products.

-Robert R. Redfield, MD, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

What are e-cigarettes?

• E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid.
• E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine--the addictive drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products--flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air.
• E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called "e-cigs," "e-hookahs," "mods," "vape pens," "vapes," "tank systems," and "electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)."
• Some e-cigarettes are made to look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some resemble pens, USB sticks, and other everyday items. Larger devices such as tank systems, or "mods," do not resemble other tobacco products.
• Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called "vaping."
• E-cigarettes can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.

E-cigarettes have the potential to benefit adult smokers who are not pregnant if used as a complete substitute for regular cigarettes and other smoked tobacco products.

E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently use tobacco products.

While e-cigarettes have the potential to benefit some people and harm others, scientists still have a lot to learn about whether e-cigarettes are effective for quitting smoking.

If you've never smoked or used other tobacco products or e-cigarettes, don't start.

Additional research can help understand long-term health effects.

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Poultry

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Poultry 

CDC Investigation Update: Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Backyard Poultry Exceeds 1,000 CasesCDC has posted an update regarding a multistate outbreak of Salmonella illness linked to contact with poultry in backyard flocks.

• Since the last update on July 19, 2019, an additional 235 ill people have been added to this investigation.
• There have been 1,003 ill people reported from 49 states, including 175 people who have been hospitalized.
• Two deaths have been reported; one in Ohio and one in Texas. Please contact the state health departments for more information on those deaths.

• We usually see an increase in Salmonella infection linked to live poultry in the spring and summer when more people are purchasing chicks, ducklings and other live poultry.
• The largest number of Salmonella illnesses in outbreaks linked to backyard poultry occurred in 2017, when 1,120 people got sick and one person died.

• People who got sick in the 2019 outbreak reported getting chicks and ducklings from places such as agricultural stores, websites, and hatcheries.
• People can get sick from Salmonella after touching poultry or the places where they live and roam. Birds carrying the bacteria can appear healthy and clean.
• Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching poultry or anything in their environment. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not immediately available.
• Do not let backyard poultry inside the house. Be especially careful to keep them out of areas where food or drink is prepared, served, or stored, such as kitchens and outdoor patios.

About Salmonella:

• Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 12-72 hours after eating contaminated food.

• The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment.
• See your healthcare provider if you are concerned about symptoms, such as a high fever (temperature over 102 F), blood in your poop, diarrhea, or frequent vomiting that prevents keeping liquid down.
• More information on pet food safety can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/publications/pet-food-safety.html.