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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough you can't prevent nearsightedness, you can help protect your eyes and your vision. Follow these steps:
- Have your eyes checked. Regardless of how well you see, have your eyes checked regularly for problems.
- Control chronic health conditions. Certain conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, can affect your vision if you don't receive proper treatment.
- Recognize symptoms. Sudden loss of vision in one eye, sudden hazy or blurred vision, flashes of light, black spots, or halos or rainbows around lights may signal a serious eye problem, such as retinal tear or detachment, requiring urgent medical attention. Similar symptoms can be caused by other serious medical problems, such as acute glaucoma or a stroke. Talk to your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.
- Protect your eyes from the sun. Wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This is especially important if you spend long hours in the sun or are taking a prescription medication that increases your sensitivity to UV radiation.
- Eat healthy foods. Maintain a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, which have shown to enhance eye health. Try foods that contain vitamin A and beta carotene, such as carrots, yams and cantaloupe.
- Don't smoke. Just as smoking isn't good for the rest of your body, it can affect your eye health as well.
- Use the right glasses. The right glasses optimize your vision. Having regular exams will ensure that your eyeglass prescription is correct.
- Use good lighting. Use adequate light for optimal vision.
