It happens when you stare at a road for a long time, work too long in front of the computer, watch too much television, or focus on any task that requires you to look up close for any length of time.

Fortunately, there are easy eye exercises that can relax and even strengthen the eyes. No exercise can cure an eye ailment, but doing the following exercises regularly can be beneficial if a weakness or imbalance of the eye muscles causes vision problems, especially eye strain:

Eye push-ups
This exercise trains your eyes to work together to aim at the same task, which can help prevent eyestrain.

Hold a pen in front of your face, about an arm’s length away. Move it toward your nose slowly, staring at the same place on the pen. Bring the pen as close as you can to the tip of your nose before you see a double image.

Change your focus
This exercise helps you cut down on eye fatigue.

Hold a book or newspaper as close to your eyes as you can without the print becoming blurred. Stare at the words for 15 seconds. Then, look at an object approximately 10 feet away and stare at that for 15 seconds. Repeat five times.

The eye roller coaster
This exercise improves the flow of blood and oxygen to your eyes.

Close your eyes and slowly roll them in a complete circle. Then, move them from right to left. Repeat three times.

Palming and cupping

This exercise relaxes your eyes.

If you wear contact lenses, remove them. Close your eyes and put the fleshy part of your palms over them. Press gently for a few seconds. Then, cup your hands over your open eyes. Keep your eyes open and look into your palms as you breathe slowly through your nose for 30 seconds.

Although it might seem simplistic, blinking and yawning are also beneficial because they produce tears that lubricate the eyes. And you can also help your eyes by taking nutritional supplements that contain bilberry, vitamin A and lutein. You might also want to try these healthy recipes that contain vitamins that help with eye problems.

Eye image by miamiamia

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know junk food isn’t good for you. But did you know it may also cause eye problems? It’s recently been shown that fatty snack foods may lead to macular degeneration, which causes vision impairment for many seniors.

To protect your eyes, you need to find healthy alternatives to the foods you love that don’t love you back. Thankfully, many healthy foods contain vitamins that actually promote eye health. Foods rich in beta-carotene (vitamin A) have been proven to positively affect both night vision and day-to-day eyesight and helps prevent cataract and macular degeneration. Foods that contain thiamine (vitamin B1) and vitamin E prevent lens deterioration, and foods rich in vitamin C provide antioxidants help prevent glaucoma.

Other nutrients also support healthy vision. There may be evidence that lutein could reduce eye problems, according to the National Eye Institute. Their researchers have even gone out on a limb and said that zinc, found in shellfish, eggs, legumes, herring, liver and milk, reduces the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration and vision loss. The also believe that fish, such as salmon and sardines, contains omega-3 fatty acids that promote retina health.

It just takes a little extra effort to add more eye-healthy foods to your daily routine. The following healthy recipes will help you do just that:

Coleslaw with Visionary Power
Makes 8 servings

• 2 6-oz. containers of low-fat pineapple yogurt
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2 T. low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
• 4 carrots, shredded
• 1 small sweet bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped

1. Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise and salt together in a large bowl.

2. Chop the cabbage, sweet bell pepper and onion; scrub and then shred the carrots. Don’t peel them so you preserve the vitamins and minerals near the surface. Add these ingredients to the yogurt mixture bowl and mix well.

Eye-Bright Salad
Makes 8 servings

• 2 heads of Romaine lettuce
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 C. sweet bell peppers, diced
• 2 C. cucumber, diced
• 2 C. carrots, shredded
• 2 C. tomatoes, diced
• 2 avocados
• 1-1/2 T. lime juice
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

1. Cut the ribs from the Romaine and chop the leaves into pieces and place them in a large salad bowl.

2. Wash the scallions, tomatoes, bell pepper and cucumber, and remove the seeds from the bell pepper and cucumber. Chop all the vegetables.

3. Scrub and shred the carrot.

4. Place all the above ingredients in the bowl.

5. Cut the avocados into 1/2-inch square pieces and place them into a separate bowl, covering it with a small amount of lime juice to prevent discoloration. Toss together until they’re coated and then add the pieces to the salad bowl.

6. Add a small amount of low-fat dressing and gently toss all the ingredients.

We hope you enjoy making these healthy recipes that are good for your vision.

You might also be interested in these other recipes:

• Beet Juicing Recipes
• Blueberry Recipes with Antioxidant Power
• Broccoli Recipes
• Asparagus Recipes
• Garlic Recipes with Antiviral Power
• Pasta Recipes to Boost Your Immune System
• Recipes to Control Blood Sugar
• Recipes to Keep Anemia at Bay

Please see the rest of our site for more health articles.

Vitamin A is part of a group of compounds called retinoids and is essential for growth, bone development, night vision, reproduction and healthy skin. It is present in animal products (such as liver), dairy products, eggs and fish liver oil, and is also converted from carotenoids, which are found in dark red, green, and yellow vegetables. Vitamin A is best absorbed when taken with a meal that includes dietary fat.

Average DRI is 875 mcg. Supplements are rarely recommended for people with normal diets because there is risk of toxicity.

Deficiencies of vitamin A
Deficiencies of vitamin A can cause skin disorders and eye damage. In less-developed countries severe deficiencies cause blindness in 250,000 children each year. Diets low in vitamin A may also increase the risk of developing cancer. Deficiencies in the US are rare but can result from inadequate diets (usually in preschool children) or in women who are pregnant or breast-feeding; from intestinal disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, steatorrhea (excessive fat in the stool) and biliary obstruction; from hyperthyroidism; and from cirrhosis of the liver and other liver diseases.

Toxicity of vitamin A
Vitamin A can be very toxic when taken in high-dose supplements for long periods of time. Almost every part of the body can be affected, including eyes, bones, blood, skin, central nervous system, liver, and genital and urinary tracts. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, headache, skin damage, mental disturbances and, in women, infrequent periods. Severe toxicity can cause blindness and may even be life threatening. Liver damage can occur in children who take RDA-approved adult levels over prolonged periods of time, or in adults who take vitamin A in excess (as little as five times the RDA-approved amount). In children, chronic overdose can cause fluid on the brain in addition to other typical symptoms. Pregnant women who increase their intake of vitamin A are at risk for birth defects in their babies. High consumption may also increase a woman’s risk of gastric cancer, osteoporosis and bone fractures.

Although supplements can do us a world of good, remember that just because a product calls itself a vitamin or supplement, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you. Synthetic vitamins can actually be dangerous, so it’s important to be educated about them.

Click here for a free report that lists synthetic vitamins to watch out for and gives details about about their dangers.

We hope you found this vitamin A health article helpful! You might also be interested in these vitamin-related articles:

• Should You Take Vitamins and Minerals?
• B Vitamins Fact Sheet
• Vitamin C Fact Sheet
• Phytochemicals Fact Sheet
• Drugs That Deplete Vitamins and Minerals