Lifestyle activities have been linked to many human illnesses lung cancer with smoking; food-borne infection due to partially cooked food; obesity, heart diseases, diabetes, etc, due to overeating and inactive life. Similarly, your eye-vision can also be affected from unhealthy lifestyle smoking and drinking can bring about early cataract and macular degeneration. Dietary protein, vitamin A, niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin appeared to be protective against cataract in many studies.

Diabetes as a leading cause of blindness in India is well known. Eating lots of sweets on Diwali and other occasions can worsen diabetes/vision status. Good control of glycemia, blood pressure and possibly lipid levels and early detection and treatment of prolifrerative diabetic retinopathy and clinically significant macular edema remain the most important approach for preventing the loss of vision from diabetic retinopathy.

Similarly, arrow or cracker injuries are related to a particular behaviour in children and adolescents, and are entirely preventable. Dry eye can be prevented to a great extent by taking pre caution and care, and chaining your lifestyle.

How can you eliminate unhealthy lifestyle choices?
Quit smoking:-
When you smoke a cigarette you spend up the aging process of your cells by letting free radicals enter the body. These free radicals are highly unstable atoms that cause cellular damage and death. One way to combat free radicals is by eating a diet rich in antioxidants. However, the best way to protect your eyes is to quit smoking.

Limit alcohol intake:-
Binge drinking or adulterated alcohol can lead to eye problems. If you choose to drink alcohol, make sure that you drink not more than one peg a day and that there is not possibility of adulteration with methyl alcohol or other toxic agents.

Avoid sugar and salt:-
Sugary and starchy foods can lead to a spike in your blood sugar levels. These blood sugar highs can lead to the damage of your blood vessels in the retina as in uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Studies have shown the diets that are low in starchy and sugary foods and high in healthy foods like leafy green vegetables can lead to lower rates of macular degeneration which is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly, besides diabetes. Similarly, taking excessive salt puts load on your system and can lead to high blood pressure, which in turn can affect your retina.

Spend time away from your computer and TV set:-
Spending hours and hours in front of a computer screen can lead to eye-strain and fatigue. Your eyes aren’t meant to focus on objects up close for hours at a time. Take breaks from the computer every half an hours and focus on other things to reduce eye-strain.

Lower stress levels:-
Many people don’t realize that stress can have a negative impact on their eyesight. Stress increase the body’s production of adrenaline which can raise the pressure in your eyes is too high it can lead to various eye problems, including glaucoma.

Reduce fat intake:-
Diets high in fat can lead to clogged blood vessels in the eyes as well as in the rest of the body. This can make it harder for blood to pass through your vessels into your eye and can deprive your eye of nutrients. This can greatly increase your risk of macular degeneration and block in the vessels of the retina and eventually blindness.

Eat plenty of antioxidants:-
Diets rich in antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin can results in healthier eyes. You can find these eye-friendly antioxidants in leafy green vegetables like spinach and broccoli. If your diet doesn’t have the antioxidant levels that you need, consider using a supplement under the super vision of your eye doctor. Reduce the intake of sugary and fatty foods.

Wear protective glasses:-
The sun is very damaging to the delicate tissues inside the eye. When you go outside, make sure that you take your sunglasses and that you wear them since this will help to protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays. Similarly, use of eye protective glasses among workers in the unorganized and industrial sectors can provide valuable protection against injury/infection.

Get regular eye examination done:-
One of the best ways to care for your eyes is to get them examined regularly. Regular eye examinations aren’t just important for those that use corrective spectacles. They can help your doctor to find and diagnose potentially blinding conditions like diabetes early which can help in better prevention and reduce the risk of blindness. Generally, it is recommended that an eye examination is conducted at least once annually.