How to improve vision without glasses at home

Decreased visual acuity is a fairly common problem among both young people and the older generation. What are the methods of improving vision at home, ask ophthalmologists

Vision is one of the most important human senses, so reducing its sharpness can adversely affect the quality of life. Let’s figure out how you can improve your eyesight at home and what you need to remember to keep your eyes healthy.

Useful information about vision

Diopter	Visual acuity
Over +5	high degree hyperopia
From + 2 to + 5	moderate hyperopia
Up to +2	mild hypermetropia
1	normal vision
Less than -3	mild myopia
From -3 to -6	moderate myopia
Over -6	high myopia

Normal vision is denoted by the number “1”. If visual acuity is lost, then a person may have hypermetropia, that is, farsightedness, or myopia – myopia.

Why vision deteriorates

A person’s vision can deteriorate due to a number of reasons and factors. This includes heredity, and eye strain (for example, due to regular work at the computer), and some diseases (including age-related), and various infections. Doctors recommend immediately contacting an ophthalmologist with a decrease in visual acuity. After all, blurry vision may be the result of another dangerous disease that is not associated with the eyes.

For example, vision can deteriorate as a result of diabetes.¹ (diabetic retinopathy), vascular, endocrine, connective tissue and nervous system diseases.

Types of eye diseases

Eye diseases are very common. According to the World Health Organization, every older person has at least one vision problem. Worldwide, 2,2 billion people live with some form of visual impairment or blindness. Of these, at least 1 billion people have visual impairments that could be prevented or corrected.².

Common eye conditions that can lead to visual impairment

Cataract

Cataracts are characterized by clouding of the lens of the eye, which can lead to partial or even complete blindness. The risk of developing cataracts increases with age, injuries and inflammatory eye diseases. The risk group also includes people with diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases, abusing alcohol, smoking.

age-related macular degeneration

This is damage to the central part of the retina, which is responsible for detailed vision. The disorder results in dark spots, shadows, or distortion of central vision. At risk are older people.

Clouding of the cornea

The most common causes of corneal opacity are inflammatory and infectious eye diseases (eg, keratitis, trachoma), eye trauma, complications after surgery on the organ, congenital and genetic pathologies.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a progressive damage to the optic nerve that can lead to permanent blindness. The disease is most common among the elderly.

Diabetic retinopathy

This is damage to the blood vessels in the retina of the eye that occurs with diabetes mellitus. Most often, the disease develops with a long course of diabetes and, if left untreated, can lead to complete blindness.

Refraction anomalies

Refractive errors are visual impairments in which it is difficult to clearly focus an image from the outside world. These are a kind of optical defects: they include hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism.

Trachoma

This is an infectious disease of the eye, which is accompanied by damage to the cornea and conjunctiva. Trachoma is characterized by clouding of the cornea, decreased vision, scarring. With a recurring infection for many years, a volvulus of the eyelids develops – the eyelashes can turn inward. The disease leads to blindness.

10 Best Ways to Improve Eyesight Without Glasses at Home

1. Pharmacy products

There are various drugs to improve vision, however, they must be used as prescribed by a doctor. In pharmacies, you can find drops to relax the eye muscles, to strengthen the retina, as well as moisturizing drops.

2. Reduce eye strain

While working at a computer, ophthalmologists advise taking short breaks every 20-30 minutes. You also need to read and write in good light – this rule primarily applies to schoolchildren.

3. Proper nutrition

The lack of certain trace elements in the diet can lead to visual impairment.³. Foods rich in vitamins A and C, as well as omega fatty acids, positively affect vision. These include carrots, blueberries, broccoli, salmon greens, eggs, sweet peppers, corn, citrus fruits, and nuts.

4. Exercise for the eyes

There are many different exercise options. This is frequent blinking, and eyelid massage, and focusing on close and distant objects, and circular eye movements.

– Gymnastics for the eyes is useful as well as for other muscles of the body. When you focus on a close object, the muscle inside the eye tenses, and it relaxes when you look into the distance. Therefore, for those who work for a long time at close range with gadgets, who are associated with the IT industry, it is necessary to alternate far and near focuses. Be sure to look into the distance at least a few minutes per hour, – advises Doctor of Medical Sciences, ophthalmologist-surgeon, expert of the Doctor TV channel Tatyana Shilova.

5. Vitamin supplements

In some cases, a course of vitamins B, E, C, A is prescribed for the prevention and treatment of eye diseases. Vitamin complexes may have contraindications, so you need to carefully read the instructions, or better, consult a doctor.

6. Massage of the cervical-collar zone

This method helps to improve blood circulation, restore normal blood circulation, and outflow of fluids. Massage of the cervical-collar zone is also better to entrust to a professional.

7. Healthy sleep and daily routine

Good rest helps to normalize the supply of nutrients to the retina, which will undoubtedly improve vision and help maintain its sharpness. Experts recommend sleeping 7-9 hours a night.

8. Refusal of bad habits

Smoking slows down the metabolism in the body, so the trace elements necessary for the performance of the organs of vision do not reach them. This, in turn, increases the risk of developing cataracts, dry eye syndrome, problems in the optic nerve, and other disorders. Exposure of the eyes to cigarette smoke can lead to impaired or complete loss of vision.

9. Physical activity

Muscle spasms in the spine and in the neck negatively affect the nervous system, including the functioning of the eyes. Physical activity and regular walks in the fresh air helps to strengthen the muscular corset, increase blood flow and delivery of nutrients to the muscle that regulates the position of the lens of the eye, which is responsible for regulating the focus of vision.⁴.

10. Wearing sunglasses

Properly fitted goggles protect your eyes from excess ultraviolet radiation that can damage the cornea and retina. Sunglasses reduce the risk of serious eye diseases and will also help you keep your vision clear and sharp at home.

Doctors’ advice for improving vision at home

According to Tatyana Shilova, in some cases, eye exercises help to improve vision. Exercises to focus vision on far-near objects are especially useful for people who work at a computer and often use gadgets.

Also, the ophthalmologist-surgeon recommends that contact lenses be abandoned as a way to correct vision.

– A safer way to correct is glasses. In addition, a contact lens in the long term is always dangerous infection, dystrophic changes and other problems. Ophthalmologists, especially ophthalmologist-surgeons who perform laser vision correction (today phenomenally fast, within 25 seconds), say that wearing contact lenses is not the best way to correct. Therefore, experts offer those who use contact lenses and want to save money to perform laser correction, adds Tatyana Shilova.

Popular questions and answers

Answers to popular questions about visual impairment MD, ophthalmologist-surgeon Tatiana Shilova and ophthalmologist at the European Medical Center Natalia Bosha.

What damages your eyesight the most?

— Most of all, age spoils vision. A person with age acquires many vision problems, such as cataracts, glaucoma, age-related retinal dystrophies, and cornea problems. These diseases often appear over the age of 40-50 years.

The second factor that affects vision is genetics. If there is a genetic predisposition to myopia, farsightedness, astigmatism, then we pass it on by inheritance.

The third factor is concomitant diseases: diabetes, vascular atherosclerosis, hypertension. This is something that greatly affects not only all the organs in our body, but also the organ of vision, – says Tatyana Shilova.

– One of the unfavorable factors is the visual load at close range. Anything closer than 35-40 centimeters is considered close range. The farther from this distance, the easier it is, the easier it is for the eyes, – emphasizes Natalia Bosha.

Can vision be restored without surgery?

– If we are talking about optical problems associated with changes in the anatomy of the eye (when a person has farsightedness, myopia or astigmatism, but they are caused by a change in the shape of the cornea or lens), then in this case, unfortunately, it is impossible to do without surgery. No exercises, drops, ointments will help.

If we are talking about functional disorders (for example, an overstrain of the intraocular muscle responsible for the processes of focusing “far-near”) or a violation of the ocular surface with an associated “dry eye” syndrome, then vision can be partially or completely restored using therapeutic methods. Only a doctor can determine the cause of visual impairment,” Tatyana Shilova answers.

– With prolonged excessive load, the so-called spasm of accommodation may develop, when the lens of the eye cannot adapt to far and near vision. Spasm of accommodation enhances the manifestations of myopia or provokes its appearance. This is called false myopia. In such situations, vision can be restored without any surgical intervention. To do this, you need to undergo treatment with an ophthalmologist, use special drops, perform exercises to relax and increase the efficiency of the eye muscles. In this case, vision can be restored,” adds Natalia Bosha.

What are the dangers of laser vision correction?

– The danger lies in the wrong choice of method for a particular patient or incorrect preoperative diagnosis. Also, the doctor and the technological equipment of the clinic act as a guarantor of safety,” says Tatyana Shilova.

– After laser correction, it is important that the patient follows certain recommendations. This will avoid postoperative complications. For example, the patient needs to use special drops after surgery, for a week to refrain from playing sports, going to the pool, bath and sauna. And the second important point after laser correction: during the week it is necessary to avoid injuries and any power contacts, emphasizes Natalia Bosha.

How long does the effect of laser vision correction last?

– The effect of correcting myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism lasts a lifetime. Of course, there is a small percentage of patients who need improvement, but this is one eye in 1-1,5 thousand. For patients older than 50 years, there are alternative methods of correction. For example, the implantation of special contact lenses that fully restore not only distant focus, but also allow you to maintain excellent near vision, says Tatyana Shilova.

This operation has been going on for over 30 years. There are patients in whom the effect lasts for more than 30 years. Of course, sometimes there is a slight regression after 15-20 years from the date of the operation. As a rule, this is observed in patients with initially high myopia (-7 and above), – adds Natalia Bosha.

Sources of:

Shadrichev F.E. Diabetic retinopathy (opinion of an ophthalmologist). Diabetes. 2008; 11(3): 8-11. https://doi.org/10.14341/2072-0351-5349.
World report on vision [World report on vision]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/328717/9789240017207-rus.pdf
Ivanova A.A. Education and eye health. Intellectual potential of the XXI century: the stage of knowledge. 2016: P. 22.
Ivanova A.A. Education and eye health. Intellectual potential of the XXI century: the stage of knowledge. 2016: P. 23.