How to relieve eye fatigue? What foods are good for the eyes?

For office workers who stare at the computer for a long time, eye fatigue is probably a common problem they encounter. What is even more unbearable is the headache, lack of concentration, irritability and other systemic problems that follow. The reason for many people's collapse may be due to these related problems. So if we want to have a comfortable working mood, we must first start by relieving and protecting our eyes.

Next, let’s talk about how to correctly relieve eye fatigue and what foods are good for the eyes?

Many people may take it for granted how to relieve eye fatigue. For example, some people believe that looking at green can relieve eye fatigue, so when their eyes are tired, many people always look at the green plants around them to relax their eyes. But in fact, this idea is wrong.

Pan Xue, chief ophthalmologist at Beijing Century Altar Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, once emphasized that green cannot fundamentally fight against eye fatigue. So, friends, trying to relieve eye fatigue by turning the screen green or placing green plants next to the computer is futile.

So, how can we really relieve eye fatigue? Don't worry, Pan Xue has some tips for us on this issue.

She said that if you want to relax your eyes, you can simply look into the distance, because the action of "looking into the distance" itself can give the ciliary muscles a rest. In addition, she also mentioned the following suggestions:

First, adjust the light. Studying or working in low light conditions can cause eye fatigue. Second, avoid staring at the computer or TV for long periods of time. When you concentrate on looking at the computer or TV screen, you close your eyes less often, which can cause the loss of tear film on the eye surface and produce dry eye symptoms. Third, do eye exercises frequently. Eye exercises can improve eye fatigue by massaging the acupuncture points of the eyes, adjusting blood circulation in the head, and regulating muscles. Fourth, consciously blink more often. Because normal blinking can ensure the formation of tear film, keep the eyes moist, and prevent dry eyes.

Of course, by doing these, we can indeed relieve eye fatigue, but if we can also eat more foods that are good for our eyes, it would be icing on the cake.

The first type of food recommended here is food containing anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are widely found in all dark red, purple or blue vegetables and fruits, such as grapes, blackberries, cherries, purple sweet potatoes, mulberries and so on.

Many people know that anthocyanins have antioxidant properties, but they don’t know that they are also good for the eyes. Medical clinical reports show that anthocyanins can promote the regeneration of rhodopsin in retinal cells, prevent myopia, and improve vision.

Here is an interesting story. It is said that during World War II, British Royal Air Force pilots were given a diet containing blueberries (rich in anthocyanins) before night bombing missions.

The second largest category of food is animal liver. Liver is an important organ for storing vitamin A in animals, and vitamin A is extremely important for our eyes. It can maintain the normal structure of the cornea and the normal function of the retina, and plays an important role in vision. Of course, vitamin A is not only rich in animal liver, but also in eggs, milk, butter, cod liver oil, etc.

Another major category of food is foods rich in lutein. Lutein is the main pigment present in the macula of the human retina. This pigment has a characteristic that mammals such as humans cannot synthesize it on their own, and external food is the only source of intake. Therefore, if you want to protect your eyes, foods rich in lutein must be on our must-eat list.

So what foods are rich in lutein?

In fact, lutein comes from a wide range of food sources. It is the main component of plant pigments such as corn, vegetables, and fruits. Among them, egg yolks and corn have the highest lutein content. Papaya, citrus, peaches, spinach, coriander, celery leaves, etc. also contain a good amount of lutein. You can choose the food you like.

Of course, the role of various trace elements cannot be ignored. Fish, poultry, leeks, peanuts, beef, brown rice, mushrooms, etc. also contain trace elements that have a significant impact on our eyes.

In a nutshell, many foods we come into contact with in our lives are good for our eyes. As long as we are not overly partial or picky about food, we can consume these nutrients that are good for our eyes.

References:

[1] Dai Xiaopei. How to clean the window of the soul to relieve eye fatigue[J]. Science Grand View Garden, 2019(24):48-51.

[2] Jia Yaping. The three best foods for eyes[J]. Cooking Knowledge, 2018, No.541(06):26-26.

[3] Qin Haiying. Which foods are good for eyes?[J]. Health Care for the Middle-aged and Elderly, 2015(3):46-46.