Understanding the Obesity-Eye Connection
Obesity is a growing problem across the world. However, while we know the most common negative effects it has on our health, many are unaware how it can affect our eye health. Shedding some pounds could be a good idea not just for your overall health, but also for the health of your eyes.
How obesity may affect the eyes
There is growing concern that ocular health can be affected by obesity problems. Although the evidence is still not clear, many researchers are suggesting that obesity may be linked to a range of eye problems, including cataracts and glaucoma.
One of the reasons for this is that conditions like cataracts are affected by environment and nutrition. People who are more obese tend to get poor nutrition, and this can increase the risk of such conditions.
Another theory is that the delicate blood vessels in the eyes are affected by too much pressure when a person is overweight, and this can cause damage and affect vision.
Healthy body, healthy eyes
Anyone suffering from obesity may be at risk of more eye problems, and therefore losing weight is important for reducing the risk. If your sight deteriorates, you may find yourself having to wear contact lenses. Although contacts from a store like Lenstore can be a good solution to vision problems, avoiding problems in the first place by losing weight is preferable.
However, losing weight alone is often not the only solution. Good eye health is linked to good nutrition, which means you have to eat a balanced diet rich in vitamins and nutrients at the same time as losing weight. Some vitamins are especially good for your eyes, such as Vitamin A. You should also make sure you get enough Omega-3 fats, so eat oily fish regularly.
You may want to consider taking vitamin supplements. The best solution is to change to a balanced diet to ensure you are getting everything you need, but supplements can certainly help, especially at the beginning.
Eating a more balanced diet is a great start, but try to also start up an exercise regime as this can help you get back in to shape quicker. Start slowly and then gradually build up the amount of time you are exercising each day.
Article by Jon Carson. Eye health is Carson’s passion. His writing includes eye health and vision blogs.
This article was written by the guest author listed at the end of the article.