Basic Eye Care

There is a saying, “eyes are the windows to the soul.” Figuratively, may have some truth to it, but scientifically, eyes are organ for seeing, and nearly all animals have eyes. The simplest eye of any animal is the type found on some kinds of mollusk. And this type of eye can only distinguish light and darkness. The human eye and visual system is more complex which gives an extra-sharper image.

The eyes and vision is just one of many senses that is called “distance” senses, as it bring information about our environment to our perception. And these unique organs are affected by external environment like lifestyle and internal like health conditions. And with such important function and vulnerable from and due easy to reach organ, great care should be observe to help maintain optimal functionality.  

   

Basic Anatomy and Physiology of Eye

The eye has external and internal structures. The eye or eyeball sits in a protective bony socket called the orbit. The six ocular muscles in the bony orbit attached to and moved the eye up and down and side to side, and rotate.  

The ocular muscles are attached to a white fibrous proactive coating called sclera; it covers nearly the entire surface of the eyeball and continues with cornea.

The sclera, the surface of the eye, and the inner surface of the eyelids are covered with a clear thin membrane called conjunctiva

The lacrimal gland is under the upper eyelid, outside edge of the eyebrow in the orbit, produces tears to lubricate the eye.

Light is focused into the eye through the clear, dome-shaped front portion of the eye called the cornea. Behind the cornea is anterior chamber filled with fluid called aqueous humor. Behind the anterior chamber is the eye’s iris, the colored part of the eye, and the pupil, the dark hole in the middle. The two iris muscles interacts to control the amount of light reaching the back of the eye by dilating (widen) or constricting (narrow).

Suspended behind the pupil and iris is the lens. It changes in shape in order to focus light toward the back of the eye and help the eye focus on object up close.

The vitreous cavity or body lies between the lens and the back of the eye, filled with jellylike substance called vitreous humor, that nourishes the inside and help hold the eye’s shape.

The light that focused into the eye by the cornea and lens passing through the vitreous onto the retina,  which is the thin, semitransparent light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye, and actually a part of the brain. It is layers of highly organized delicate nerve tissue that contains receptors for the transmission of light.

The specialized center of retina is macula, provide central vision. Other parts of the retina provide the peripheral (side) vision. The retina has special cells called photoreceptors, which changes light into electrical energy that is transmitted to the brain. There are two types of photoreceptors: rods and cones. Rods distributed in the periphery of the retina, perceive black and white, and enable night vision. Cones concentrate in the center of the retina, perceive color and enable color vision, and provide fine details.

The retina sends light as electrical impulse through the optic nerve to the brain. The optic nerve consists of millions of nerve fibers that transmit these impulses to the visual cortex, the part of the brain responsible for our sight.

Basic Eye Care

1. Protect your eyes from the sun ultraviolet (UV) light. First and foremost is never look directly at the sun, including during eclipses, as it can lead to damaging the eye’s retina from solar radiation. For everyday sun exposure, protect our eyes from overexposure to UV light by wearing a 100% UV-blocking sunglasses or eyewear (make sure it is the real thing not the fake ones) and broad-brimmed hats whenever you are outside, even in a cloudy and hazy day.

2. Get enough sleep and/or give your eyes a rest, while sleeping and/closing our eyes benefit from continuous lubrication that  help clear out irritants such as dust, allergens or smoke that may have accumulated during the day. Our eyes also need minimal exposure to natural light to help regulate normal sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.  Looking at a computer screen for a long time or any similar activity is tiring for your eyes, so it is recommend that to give your eyes a rest, blink regularly, and use prescribed glasses.

3. Overexposure to UV light is harmful to our eyes, however, current research and studies have shown that moderate exposure to daylight may reduce the risk of developing nearsightedness or myopia for children. Please mind that it refers to preventing and not reversing nearsightedness.

4. Always observe safety first in every activity. Assess and plan with safety in mind and always wear appropriate eye protection, as advised. So whether swimming, sailing, water skiing or scuba diving always wear goggles to protect our eyes to prevent irritation. From more activity heavy construction, machine or car repair, welding to even as benign as gardening that involve pruning and cutting, always follow instructions and guidelines, and make sure protective eyewear is up to standard.  

5. Keep a healthy balanced diet rich in omega-3 fatty acid, Vitamin A and D, as it may reduce the risk of some eye disease.  Dr. Chew and her colleagues found a vitamin combination of 500 mg of vitamin C, 400IU vitamin E, 80 mg of zinc, 2mg copper, 10mg lutein and 2mg zeaxanthin, help keep vision longer for age-related macular degeneration disease. Always be cautious in using food supplements with dubious claims. If there is any concern about the external structure eyes and/or general vision like blurring, redness, or pain always seek professional help, see the right professional eye care providers: ophthalmologist, optometrist and/or optician, at the right time.

Our eyes are usually taken for granted, although it is directly affected by our lifestyle choices and over-all health conditions. These are just basic health tips for keeping our eyes and vision healthy.

Is there a health issues you want to talk about? Please share your thoughts, do post your comment, inquiry, reaction, suggestion, and/or correction. And do not forget to follow this blog for more interesting information and ideas. Thank you!

As always take care, safety first, stay healthy, keep it simple, be real and enjoy!

References

1. Kinkead, E.B., Sehbai, D.S. & Tunney, C.J. (Eds.). (1972). Modern Century Illustrated Encyclopedia (Vols.). Australia: McGraw-hill Far Eastern Publishers

2. Guyton, A.C. & Hall, J.E. (2006). Textbook of Medial Physiology, 11^th Edition. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: Elsevier Saunders.

3. American Academy of Ophthalmology. (2018, January 24).  Can Vitamins Protect Against Blue Light Damage? [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.aao.org/eye-health/news/can-vitamins-protect-against-blue-light-damage