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11/19/2011 update Below are 2 tips for expanding the use of the Rebuild Your Vision kit.

In & Out 1.

This tip for those who are highly nearsighted. Print out or cut out of a magazine a LARGE letter or number that you would be able to read from 5 to 10 feet away. Tape this above the #5 ? Out chart.

Perform the exercise with this letter and as you progress you?ll be able to work into using the chart!

In & Out 2.

This tip is for for continuing vision improvements. Add the following into your daily routine.

Tape the large In & Out chart onto a window and set your chair the same distance away from the window that you have been performing the In & Out exercise at. Begin the exercise as you normally would by focusing from the small chart onto the large chart.

After you have focused on the large chart pick an object outside the window that is 10-50 feet away and focus on this object. Once you have focused on this object transition your focus back onto the large chart and then onto the small chart.

You can even pick multiple objects at different distances outside your window, transitioning your focus multiple times to the farthest object and then working your way back onto the small chart.

March 2012 Update: Welcome to March, which is also National Save Your Vision Month. Spring is a perfect time to discard some old bad habits and “grow” healthy ones. To help you do that we have compiled 7 tips to support healthy sight. Enjoy!

7 tips to support healthy eyesight

#1 – Be Computer Safe
Near-point activities like computer use and reading are reported by the
According to the American Optometric Association, one of the leading causes of vision loss is near-point activities like computer use. In fact, there is now a name for it: Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Among the symptoms of CVS are headaches, tired and sore eyes, dry and red eyes, slowness in changing the focus of your eyes, periodic blurred near vision, and occasional blurred distance vision. CVS can even cause permanent vision damage.

Fortunately there is something simple you can do throughout your day to prevent these problems and further vision loss. Every time you are performing close vision work for over 10 consecutive minutes, look up and focus on anything that is at least 10 feet away, for at least 10 seconds. This vision break-called the “10-10-10? rule-is one of the most effective ways to combat CVS.

#2 – Feed Your Eyes
The latest vision research has focused on nutrition and how what you put in your mouth affects your eyes. Omega-3s, in particular, have been called “the miracle food of the 21st century” These omega-3s not only help protect against cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration-even dry eyes-but also boost overall cardiovascular health.

The problem with omega-3s is that our bodies cannot produce them. Although the American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week as a source for omega-3s, there is widespread concern about mercury contamination of fish. The association says that people who want to avoid excessive fish consumption because of concerns about mercury should get omega-3s through supplements.

#3 – Wear Eye Protection When Performing Dangerous Tasks
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, approximately 2,000 eye injuries occur every day at work in the U.S. Did you know that:

• Construction workers have one of the highest eye-injury rates.
• Particles of dust, metal, wood, drywall, and the like are the most common source of eye injury to carpenters.
• Even “minor” eye injuries can cause life-long vision problems and suffering: a simple scratch from sawdust, cement, or drywall can cause corneal erosion that is recurrently painful.
• The rebounding of the ordinary nail is one of the most common causes of vision loss in construction workers.

Using the proper protective eyewear is an important way to minimize the risk of injury. According to Prevent Blindness America, “The type of safety eye protection you should wear depends on the hazards in your workplace. If you are working in an area that has particles, flying objects, or dust, you must at least wear safety glasses with side protection (side shields). If you are working with chemicals, you should wear goggles. If you are working near hazardous radiation (welding, lasers, or fiber optics) you must use special-purpose safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or helmets designed for that task.”

#4 – Stop Smoking
One of the most important things you can do to save your vision is quit smoking. Smoking is a risk factor for many eye conditions, including:

• Cataracts: There is conclusive evidence that smoking causes nuclear cataracts. Recent reviews have found smokers’ risk of developing nuclear cataracts to be up to 2.9 times that of those who have never smoked.
• Glaucoma: Smoking causes shrinkage or constriction of blood vessels, which is directly linked to rising inner eye pressure that can lead to glaucoma and accompanying optic nerve damage.
• Graves’ ophthalmopathy: This condition, often associated with thyroid disease, disrupts muscle control of the eye; smoking has been shown to increase the risk of developing thyroid disease.
• Diabetic retinopathy: While smoking may not directly cause diabetic retinopathy, most experts agree that quitting smoking helps stop progression of the disease.
• Age-related macular degeneration: Two studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined the association between cigarette smoking and the incidence of ARMD. Smoking more than a pack per day increased the risk of developing ARMD by approximately 2.5 times when compared to non-smokers.

#5 – Wear Sunglasses to Protect Against Cataracts
Wearing sunglasses is one of the best things you can do to protect the health of your eyes. Sunglasses help you in two important ways: They reduce the total amount of light reaching the eye and, in particular, protect the eye from the damaging ultraviolet (UV) part of the spectrum. Long-term exposure to UV rays can lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, or skin cancer around the eyelids.

The New York Times noted that “special-purpose sunglasses that block at least 99 percent of UVB and a minimum of 60 percent UVA rays are the optimal sunglasses for people at risk for cataracts. Ideally they should have the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation for Sunglasses. Special-purpose glasses should wrap around the head and block light coming from above, below, and both sides of the glasses. They should also fit snugly on the nose.”

Further, “Lenses that are simply dark but not coated with UV-absorbing material may actually increase the risk of cataracts because the pupil widens to compensate for the shaded glass. This may allow more harmful ultraviolet waves to enter.”

#6 – Use Precaution With Eye Makeup
Cosmetic ads may promise plump, sexy lashes that will spiral you into a superstar but one wrong mascara-wand move could mean you end up looking like Cyclops. Using cautions and following a few simple tips when it comes to eye makeup may save your from pinkeye, corneal damage-or worse.

• Wash your hands before applying eye cosmetics. Bacteria on your hands could be transferred to your eyes, causing an infection.
• Make sure that any instrument (for example, brushes, wands, eyelash curlers) you place near the eye area is clean.
• Don’t use old eye cosmetics. Replace cosmetics every six months to avoid excess contamination with bacteria.
• Never use an old applicator in a fresh cosmetic product. The applicator will transfer bacteria to the new product.
• After any eye infection, such as conjunctivitis (pinkeye), buy fresh eye makeup.
• Keep eyeliner pencils sharpened so that the rough wood casing won’t scratch the eye or eyelid.
• Don’t apply makeup in a moving vehicle. It may seem like you’re saving time, but if you hit a bump, come to a sudden stop, or are hit by another vehicle, you risk injuring your eye. A mascara wand or eye pencil (or even a fingernail) can abrade the cornea, causing an infection that could lead to a potentially blinding corneal ulcer.

#7 – Exercise Your Eyes
Exercise is always second in that mantra recited by doctors: “Diet and exercise.” While the mainstream media usually defines exercise as simply “going to the gym,” more and more people are recognizing that it’s a whole-body endeavor. Just as you exercise your body at the gym or practice yoga in order to improve muscle tone, agility, range of motion, and flexibility, so too do the eyes benefit from daily exercise.

If you are ever tempted to skip the 25 minutes a day it takes to do your eye exercises, remember the words of Lao-Tzu: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” And when the goal is improving your vision, that’s a step worth taking!

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