August 28, 2017

Why is a Healthy Retina Important to Your Vision?

Your retina is an essential part of your vision as it’s responsible for turning light rays into images through signals to the brain. When there’s a problem with your retina due to eye disease, ocular trauma or other conditions, you run the risk of causing long-term damage to your eyesight. Our retinal surgeon specializes in diagnosing and treating retina conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinal detachment, all of which can lead to vision loss or blindness.

A healthy retina starts with your lifestyle and dietary habits, but your genetics also play a part. If you have a family history of AMD, you’re more likely than most to develop the degenerative condition. AMD causes the center of your vision to deteriorate, resulting in vision loss. Wet AMD degrades the retina, while dry AMD allows blood vessels to leak and grow beneath the retina. AMD is just one of several eye diseases that may lead to blindness if left untreated.

How Can You Improve Your Ocular Health?

If you’re a smoker, the best thing you can do for your eyes and your overall health is to quit today. Limiting your long-term exposure to computer screens can also prevent retinal issues. Nearsightedness can worsen over time if you spend most of your day staring at a screen, but you can minimize this risk by taking frequent breaks and limiting computer glare. Taking ten minutes a day to close your eyes and give your mind and body a chance to relax can decrease your odds at retina damage from screens as well.

Wear proper eyewear at your job if your work environment has debris in the air, and make sure you have 100% UV protection sunglasses when you’re outside, even on cloudy days.

Other ways to maintain healthy retinas include eating foods and supplements with these nutrients:

  • Zeaxanthin
  • Lutein
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin C
  • Dietary Zinc

These vitamins can be found in fish, leafy greens, citrus fruits and nuts.

If you’re experiencing vision changes or have been diagnosed with a retinal disease, please contact our retina specialist in Northeastern Pennsylvania at 855-204-6888 to schedule your eye exam. Our eye doctors at Northeastern Eye Institutes serve clients at multiple locations including Scranton, Hazleton, Carbondale and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.