Natural remedies for eye care

Eyes are one of the most precious, yet largely ignored parts of our body. We do not think of taking care of our eyes until some eye ailment surfaces. What we do not realize is that eyes are constantly exposed to the environment around us and therefore need more care. Here are some helpful herbal tips for time to time eye care to maintain that twinkle forever.

Today’s work culture, environmental changes and changed lifestyles, affect our eyes much more than we perceive. Therefore we need to know what will help us in our daily routine to maintain good eye health and what remedies to follow in case of any eye problems.

Diet that maintains good eye health

It is important that the food we eat on a daily basis should have vitamins like Vit-A and C which help to keep the eyes healthy. We need to make a conscious effort to include such elements in our diets.

Vit-A:

This vitamin provides power to the eyes and is essential for keeping them strong. It helps fight night blindness. The following foods are a good source of Vit-A:
•    All orange and yellow colored fruits and vegetables – like oranges, pumpkins, capsicum, carrots, mangoes, papayas, etc.
•    Apples are a rich source of Vit-A
•    Many green leafy vegetables such as spinach, coriander and colocasia also contain Vit -A.
•    In non-vegetarian food items - fish, liver and eggs are rich sources of Vit-A.

Vit-C:

This Vitamin reduces the risk of cataract and maintains eye sight. Vit-C is found in:
•    Fruits - Oranges, guavas, lemons, tamarinds, gooseberries,  grapes, etc
•    Vegetables - cabbage, capsicum, tomatoes etc
 
Herbal cures effective in eye care –

The herbal cures which help in maintaining good eye health and fighting various eye ailments are –
•    Parsley- (Petroselinum crispum)-its raw juice relieves eyes of ailments like corneal ulcers, weak eyes, cataracts, opthalmia, conjunctivitis, and slowness of the pupils.
•    Aniseed - (Pimpinella anisum) - it helps in treating cataract. Its seeds are powdered and one tablespoon of the powder is taken every morning and evening for beneficial results.
•    Coriander- (Coriandrum sativum) - this herb again helps fight all symptoms of conjunctivitis. Coriander leaves are used to prepare a decoction which is used as eyewash during the ailment.
•     Babul- (Acacia arabica) - it helps treat conjunctivitis. Babul leaves are made into a paste and this paste is applied on the eyes before going to sleep at night. This treatment helps to reduce the discomfort of the patient caused due to itchiness, redness and watery eyes.
•    Indian Sorrel- (Oxalis corniculata) - the juice of its leaves is put in the eyes everyday to reduce eye strain. It also helps keep cataract at bay.
•    Indian Gooseberry- (Emblica officinalis)- its juice is helpful in treating many eye ailments like conjunctivitis and glaucoma. The juice is taken with honey for best results.
•    Marigold- (Calendula officinalis) - Marigold helps provide a cooling effect to strained eyes.
Home remedies for better eye care-
•    Having one glass full of juices of raw parsley and carrots everyday work very well for the eyes. This helps with weak eye sight.
•    If eyes feel exerted after the day’s work, submerge some almonds in milk overnight and make a paste of them in the morning. Mix this paste with milk and sandalwood powder and apply on the eye lids. There will be reduction in eye strain and redness.
•    Drinking a cup of milk boiled with two powdered cardamoms, helps maintain good eyesight.
•    Those who have weak eye sight; should make a mixture of almonds, sugar and fennel seeds taken together in equal quantity and grinded. This mixture should then be had with a hot cup of milk every night for forty days. This is known to help improve eyesight.

Some day to day care-

•    Avoid reading while you are lying down.
•    After a few hours of work on the computer cup your eyes with your palms for a few seconds to help them relax.
•    At least once a day exercise your eyes by rotating them clockwise first and then anti-clockwise.
•    Another beneficial exercise for the eyes is staring at the tip of a pencil constantly while you first bring it closer to the eyes and then move it away from them, maintaining a straight line of vision.
•    Splash your eyes with cold water every morning, every few hours throughout the day and before going to bed.
•    While watching TV avoid sitting too close to the screen.
•    Take sufficient sleep.
•    Drink plenty of water.
•    Half an hour of meditation everyday helps keep the eyes healthy.

With a little extra care and effort one can maintain the sparkle in one’s eyes for the lifetime.