Visual hygiene. Taking proper care of your eyes

Threats to vision

The organs of vision allow us to perceive information from the world around us and navigate in space. If you lose this ability, you can lose a full life, which is why it is necessary to take care of your eyes from early childhood.

The main danger to the eyes are injuries that can lead to damage to the integrity of the organ, visual disturbances and even blindness.

In addition to damage, eye hazards can include:

• solar radiation. Direct ultraviolet rays can cause burns to the cornea and also cause tumors;
• poor nutrition, lack of vitamins and microelements;
• bad ecology;
• lack of sleep and overwork;
• use of low-quality decorative cosmetics. Substances contained in eyelid skin care products can cause allergies and negatively affect vision;
• eye strain. Violation of reading rules, insufficient lighting, visual stress can lead to an increase in intraocular pressure and also cause eye pathologies;

• abuse of bad habits (smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages);
• using contact lenses at night. If you do not remove contact lenses during sleep, the likelihood of corneal ulcers, dry eyes and infections increases several times;
• sleep with makeup. Cosmetics not washed off before bed can cause blockage of the sebaceous and lacrimal glands, irritation of the mucous membrane, redness and swelling, as well as cause atheroma of the sebaceous gland and inflammatory eye diseases.

Some systemic diseases and infections that cause impaired blood microcirculation and metabolic failure also negatively affect visual function.

Gymnastics for the eyes

Zhdanov’s vision restoration technique is described in the material.

There are many different ways to perform eye exercises. Such measures are important not only for those who spend a long time at the computer, but also for all people who are forced to focus their vision while working.

Our eyes experience stress, and from its excessiveness, visual acuity is impaired, which is why it is so important to periodically do unloading and special gymnastics.

• Try to periodically direct your vision into the distance. It is advisable to do this as often as possible, at least once every 10 minutes.
• When left alone, make circular movements with your eyes, first in one direction, then in the other.
• Close your eyes tightly and then open them as wide as possible. Repeat several times. This stimulates the muscles.
• Blink quickly for ten seconds.
• Take a deep breath and tense all your facial and neck muscles and close your eyes tightly. After five seconds, relax.

Concept of visual hygiene

Eye hygiene is a simple set of measures, including:

• care for the visual system;
• prevention of injuries and inflammatory and infectious diseases;
• reduction of factors that provoke visual impairment.

Every person is recommended to adhere to basic hygiene from childhood:

• morning and evening, wash your face with running water, remove dried mucus from your eyes in a timely manner;
• use only personal hygiene items, avoid touching your face and eyes with dirty hands;
• do not use decorative cosmetics of questionable quality, remove contact lenses at night;
• prevent fatigue and eye strain during prolonged work at the computer;
• provide rest to the eyes with the help of eye gymnastics, finger massage (palming);

• use moisturizing drops for dry corneas;
• Visit an ophthalmologist periodically.

How to watch TV without harming your eyes

It is important to minimize damage to vision from watching TV.

1. You need to sit at a central point relative to the screen. If you are not sitting directly in the center in relation to the TV, then your eyes are shifted, some muscles tense, others work less - fatigue develops.

2. Always try to take a little time away from the TV while watching. Close your eyes for just a few minutes and then watch the action again. If you make it a habit to constantly alternate between work and rest, then such simple techniques will help preserve your vision and, possibly, stop some serious problems.

3. It is important what distance you are from the screen. In this case, there are no identical specific recommendations for everyone. You need to find your optimal point: sit in such a way that you can see as comfortably as possible without straining your eyes too much. The distance also depends on the size of the screen. The distance to standard screens should be 3–4 meters. If the apartment is small, do not buy TVs with large screens: you cannot look at large screens at close range.

4. If possible, still watch TV without glasses. But if you already have serious vision problems, do it with glasses. Take advantage of a very interesting recommendation from ophthalmologists who suggest training your eyes while watching television. Try moving away from the screen little by little. And thus, it will no longer be just watching a program for you, but a training load, and you will be able to see the screen quite well after a certain time at a longer distance.

How to protect your eyes

The eyes of modern people are increasingly exposed to the negative influences of the external environment. Poor environmental conditions, prolonged work at the computer, bad habits - all this can negatively affect the eyes and affect their functions.

To protect your eyesight, you need to follow simple rules.

Work and rest schedule

Reasonable allocation of time will allow you to achieve effective activity, maintain efficiency and avoid eye fatigue:

• It is very important to organize a workplace with good lighting and a comfortable chair that allows the body to stay straight. This will help prevent fatigue, the development of myopia, and curvature of the spine.

• When working at a PC, you should be distracted from the monitor as often as possible, give your eyes a rest (blink, look sideways, rotate your eyeballs, leave the table, etc.).
• The same goes for reading books: experts recommend taking a 10-minute break every 45 minutes. The distance from the face to the book should be at least 30-35 cm.
• During illness, you should reduce the load on your visual organs: limit the time you spend reading, watching TV, or working on a PC.
• Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep negatively affects the ability to see clearly, and over time can lead to optic neuropathy, glaucoma, and papilledema.
• People working with welding machines or carpentry machines must use special safety glasses and adhere to certain safety regulations.

Eye exercises

Eye gymnastics will benefit people who work at a computer for a long time, as well as those who are forced to deal with small objects and strain their eyesight.

While working, you should regularly take your eyes off the screen or book, look at distant objects, roll your eyes around and to the sides, close your eyes tightly, and open your eyelids wide. Such simple exercises stimulate the eye muscles, relieve spasms, improve blood microcirculation, and also prevent eye fatigue.

If you have visual disturbances, you should immediately visit an ophthalmologist who will help you choose glasses.

Proper nutrition

Proper nutrition will help maintain normal vision. Your daily diet should include foods rich in:

• vitamin A (bell peppers, cod liver, eggs, carrots, lettuce, apricots);
• vitamin C (blueberries, cranberries, rose hips, currants);
• vitamin D (beef liver, milk, cheese, butter, fish).

In addition, it is necessary to adhere to a plentiful drinking regime - drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day, and also avoid excessive use of drinks containing caffeine.

Correct lighting

The lighting in the room should not be too dim or too dazzling. Twilight can cause tension in the eye muscles, soreness and dryness of the eyes, as well as lethargy and drowsiness; too bright light leads to overwork and fatigue.

The light should be uniform, and it is advisable to install a diffused chandelier in the room, as well as an additional lamp on the left. For school-age children, the lighting is installed in such a way that the lamp does not cast a shadow on the notebook.

Good lighting in the room not only affects your mood, but also has a positive effect on visual function.

Eye care

Visual hygiene includes mandatory eye care:

• To avoid drying out of the cornea, it is necessary to maintain a comfortable air temperature (18-22°C) and humidity (45-60%) in the room. If necessary, you can use moisturizing drops;
• avoid staying in dusty and smoky rooms: this can cause lacrimation and irritation of mucous surfaces;
• Visit your ophthalmologist in a timely manner. If unpleasant symptoms occur (redness, photophobia, flickering of spots before the eyes, etc.), you should consult a doctor for advice;
• wash off makeup from the face and eyelid area every day: even the best quality products can clog pores and harm the eyes;
• If you have vision problems, do not neglect wearing glasses;
• When using contact lenses, maintain hygiene (use a special solution to clean them, remove them at night, etc.);
• avoid eye strain; in summer, use protective glasses that protect organs from ultraviolet radiation;
• treat your eyes with care: keep them clean, use individual hygiene items, avoid strong rubbing and scratching, and prevent injuries.

This is interesting!

The tear film (tear) consists of three layers - mucin, aqueous and lipid. The contents of the lipid outer layer are called meibum (named after the scientist Heinrich Meibom who discovered it). The task of the lipid layer is to protect the tear from drying out, preventing it from evaporating. Meibum plays a very significant role in human eye hygiene, protecting the ocular surface from infections and dust penetration.

When a person sleeps without thinking about eye hygiene, body temperature drops. Part of the meibum thickens, turning into deposits on the inner surface of the eyelids and in the corners of the eyes. By the way, an increase in ambient temperature also leads to a change in the meibum - this can be observed in the bathhouse.

In accumulations of dried mucus, pathogenic microorganisms multiply; in addition, the production of new tears is disrupted and its composition changes. That is why the first rule of eye hygiene is mandatory morning washing with clean running water. If a person has impaired functioning of the meibomian glands and is constantly faced with an accumulation of dry crusts in the corners of the eyes, he should consult an ophthalmologist who will prescribe drops that normalize the activity of the meibomian glands.

↑ Breathing to increase blood circulation in the eyes (I)

1. Standing, feet together, toes apart, arms along the body.

2. Take a full breath. Hold your breath as you inhale, not allowing a single particle of air to escape through your nose or mouth (Kumbhaka). Close your eyes.

3. Bend forward so that your head is below heart level. You can bend your knees slightly. There should be no tension in the body. The blood flows directly to the head and eyes. This will be oxygenated blood. Oxygen at this time will wash away the poisons accumulated in the eyes. The eyes remain closed.

4. Stay in this position for a count of 5. Gradually increase the hold of this pose for a count of 15.

5. Calmly and slowly straighten up to the starting position.

6. Just as calmly and slowly, exhale completely through your mouth.

7. Do Yogi Cleansing Breath.

8. Repeat the exercise again. A comment.

Please note that the blood flow to your head may make you feel dizzy. The best protection against this is the cleansing breath of yogis. The more often you hold your breath for at least 10 seconds, the faster you can get rid of this dizziness. But people suffering from cardiovascular diseases should be especially careful when practicing breath-holding.

At first, they are allowed to do this only without bending over. The amplitude of the head tilt should be increased gradually, without stopping for a second to monitor your condition. Any way out of holding your breath while inhaling is done only through O.D.I. (cleansing breath of yogis).

Oxygen literally burns poisons out of the eyes

. Blood circulation in the tissues of the eyes increases. Do this eye cleansing with breathing at least 10 times throughout the day.

Yes, sometimes to prevent fatigue, it is enough to go out the door and ventilate the room.

↑ Refreshment and stimulation of the eyes with contrast effects (hot and cold)

Take two large terry cloth napkins. Soak one of them with water as hot as you can stand; the other - water from melting ice cubes (just cold water is not enough, it is better to use ice water). Roll up a hot cloth and apply it to your eyes for 2 minutes. Then apply a tissue with ice water for 2 minutes. Repeat three times, then carefully, without pressing on your eyes, wipe them.

Most people, when told that rest or relaxation will correct their vision defects,

they wonder why sleep doesn’t do this. The fact is that the eyes rarely relax completely during sleep. If they were tense when a person was awake, then this tension will most likely continue to a greater or lesser extent during sleep, just as other parts of the body remain tense.

To prevent this from happening and so that sleep can cope with its task, make it a rule to do immersion ( cooling)

). As soon as you turn off the light, dive for a few minutes. This will not only ensure that your eyes are rested, but will also help you fall asleep faster and put your body in the right frame of mind for the rest of the night. When you go to bed, smile, smile not only with your lips, but also with your eyes. In the morning, your face will look younger and more beautiful. Stopping work and going to bed early this way is the best medicine for tired eyes. You will be surprised how often this simple remedy relieves fatigue and headaches.

One more trick.

We've all seen bears, elephants, lions or monkeys rocking rhythmically back and forth in cages at the zoo. This is not a weird thing or a game. For the prisoner, this is one of the effective methods of maintaining relaxation. You can try to do the same.