Care for Your  Eyes

The human body has a very prominent structure, which is the light of the body. These structures are so important , that if they are absent, defective or normal has a far reaching effect on your whole being.
These structures  are called the Eyes.
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light and pressure. As a sense organ, the mammalian eye allows vision. Human eyes help to provide a three dimensional, moving image, normally coloured in daylight.
Your eyes are incredibly complex. They work hard from the minute you wake up to the minute you go back to sleep, constantly taking in information about the world around you.
The human eye works just like a camera. In the same way that a camera lens focuses light onto a photosensitive surface, your eyes focus light onto the retina.  20/20 vision just means you have normal eyesight. Contrary to popular belief, having 20/20 vision isn’t anything remarkable. Rather, it means that you can read a chart from 20 feet away in normal lighting conditions.

Wider pupils can suggest excitement. Any positive thought can serve to dilate your pupils. For example, when you look at someone you are attracted to, they will expand up to 45%. However, dilating pupils can also mean you are scared.
Your eyes become tired when you read or stare at a computer for extended periods of time. This is because you blink less often and you are not relaxing the muscle inside your eye. If this happens to you often, you should make sure that you have an up-to-date prescription.
It’s impossible to sneeze with your eyes open. Your eyes and nose are connected by cranial nerves, so the stimulation from a sneeze travels up one nerve to the brain, then down another nerve to the eyelids, typically prompting a blink.  Smokers have almost double the chance of experiencing dry eye. Tobacco smoke is known to irritate eyes – even second hand exposure to the smoke can worsen dry eye, particularly for contact lens wearers.
The sun’s rays have been linked to eye damage. Several eye conditions, such as cataracts and pterygia, have been associated with exposure to UV rays. To protect your eyes from the dangers of the sun, you should wear well fitted sunglasses, preferably a wraparound style.

Many eye injuries are surprisingly quick to heal. Our bodies understand that our eyes are very important to us, and many eye injuries can be recovered from very quickly. For example, with the correct care, a minor corneal scratch will heal in around 2 days.  Tears help protect our eyes from infection. Any dirt and dust that has managed to pass the defense of our eyelashes and brows is washed away by tears. They keep our eyes clean and moist and a filled with antibodies that fight infection.
Currently, Eye transplants are currently impossible due to the sensitivity of the optic nerve. Surgeons are currently unable to wire the optic nerve to the brain because it contains over 1 million nerve cells. This means a transplanted eye would not transmit signals to the brain and therefore fail to produce sight.
Women are advised  to  throw away your eye makeup after three months. Creamy or liquid eye makeup, such as mascara, is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. This can cause eye infections.  You should never share eye makeup with friends. Swapping your eye makeup can lead to nasty infections. This is because makeup applicators can easily carry bacteria and you don’t want to trade germs with others.

Diabetes affects the blood vessels of your eyes. If these blood vessels become  blocked or leak then the retina, and perhaps your vision, will be harmed. This is called Diabetic Retinopathy and affects 40% of people who suffer from Type 1 diabetes and 20% of people who suffer from Type 2 diabetes.   Diabetes is usually first detected during an eye test. Sufferers of type 2 diabetes often have no noticeable symptoms. If this is the case, then the condition is often first noticed during eye examinations due to tiny hemorrhages leaking from blood vessels at the back of the eye.
You blink on average 4,200,000 times a year. The purpose of blinking is to lubricate the eyes. Adults blink around 15 – 20 times a minute, which researchers say is more than the required amount to keep the eyes moist.

Oily fish, vitamin A and vitamin C all help to preserve good eyesight. Studies have found that eating oily fish at least twice a week (such as salmon or mackerel), can help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration – a common cause of blindness in old age. Vitamin A and vitamin C also maintain good eye health.
At conception, Your eyes start to develop just two weeks after conception. This is one of the reasons why it is so important for a pregnant woman to take care of her own body so that her unborn child can develop properly.
Certain conditions can cause your eyes to twitch. These include:
Eye Strain: In this day and age, eye strain is a major culprit of eye twitches. The reason is  Our overexposure to screens—whether it be a computer, smartphone, or tablet.
Lack of Sleep: Not only can an insufficient amount of sleep result in grogginess and mood changes, it can also cause eye twitches. It is thought  that people between the ages of 26 and 64 should get approximately 7 to 9 hours each night, many individuals are getting much less.

Stress: Ah, stress, a foe that many of us are all too familiar with. Not only has it been linked to a variety of serious conditions such as heart disease, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease, it is also the number one cause of eye twitches.
Alcohol and Caffeine Consumption: According to Shape, Many experts believe that the stimulants in caffeine and/or the relaxant properties of alcohol can bring on a twitchy eye, especially when used in excess.
Dry Eye: Eye twitches can also result from dry eye, a condition that occurs due to “excessive evaporation of the tears or an insufficient flow of tears.
Eye Irritation: In some cases, eye twitches may be more severe in nature, causing the eyelid to close completely. According to studies,  these types of twitches are often the result of irritation on the surface of the eye (the cornea) or the conjunctiva, which are the “membranes lining the eyelids.
Nutritional Deficiencies: Eye twitches may also be an indication that you’re not getting enough of certain nutrients, most commonly magnesium. Try increasing your intake by consuming more magnesium-rich foods such as spinach, almonds, and oats.
Age Related Eye Diseases: As one gets older, there are certain diseases that would come up.
Everyone age 50 or older should visit an eye care professional for a comprehensive dilated eye exam. Many eye diseases have no early warning signs or symptoms, but a dilated exam can detect eye diseases in their early stages before vision loss occurs. Early detection and treatment can help you save your sight. Even if you aren’t experiencing any vision problems, visit your eye care professional for a dilated eye exam. He or she will tell you how often you need to have one depending on your specific risk factors.

• Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
AMD is a disease associated with aging that gradually destroys sharp, central vision. Central vision is needed for seeing objects clearly and for common daily tasks such as reading and driving. Learn more about AMD.
Signs and symptoms of age-related macular degeneration: Blurred vision,  Reduction in vision relating to detailed activities such as reading and recognising faces
– Colour distortion
• Cataract
A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye. Vision with cataract can appear cloudy or blurry, colors may seem faded and you may notice a lot of glare.
Signs and symptoms of cataracts:
Cloudy vision: Poor night vision
Double vision, Glare from bright lights
Cloudy film over the natural lens
• Diabetic Eye Disease: Diabetic eye disease is a complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness. The most common form is diabetic retinopathy which occurs when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels inside the retina.
• Glaucoma: Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye’s optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. It is usually associated with high pressure in the eye and affects side or peripheral vision.
Signs and symptoms of Glaucoma: Blurred vision
Headaches
Sickness and vomiting
Multi-coloured halos
Pain in the eyes
• Dry Eye
Dry eye occurs when the eye does not produce tears properly, or when the tears are not of the correct consistency and evaporate too quickly. Dry eye can make it more difficult to perform some activities, such as using a computer or reading for an extended period of time.
• Low Vision
Low vision means that even with regular glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery, people find everyday tasks difficult to do. Reading the mail, shopping, cooking, seeing the TV, and writing can seem challenging. But, many people with low vision are taking charge.
It is important to know , that there are various treatments available for all of the eye ailments, and a quick visit to your eye specialist would do you much good.