With the emphasis on physical performance, skill, and agility in athletes — both pro and recreational — little attention is given to eye health. This is a huge disservice to athletes in all sports and of all ages. It is well known that athletes of all sports depend on superior hand-eye coordination skills, especially for sports such as baseball, football, and golf. Additionally, depth perception and clear vision are the difference between Olympic potential and fun-league athletes. In today’s post, we’ll review a few things athletes can do to support their vision for the duration of their careers.
Sun Protection
For any outdoor athlete, including endurance runners, downhill skiers, and all ball sport players, sun protection is paramount for maintaining optimal eye health and performance. Sunglasses are critical and should not be overlooked as an essential element of any sports uniform. Baseball, football, and golf players are regularly looking to the sky in the distance to track the ball. UV rays easily prey upon this opportunity and can quickly damage the retina. Once the vision is compromised, these athletes’ performance will decline. For those athletes who perform on water, ground, or snow, protecting their eyes from both downward rays and reflective rays is important. Sunglass, goggles, hats, and the like should always be used.
Maintain Proper Nutrition and Hydration
We talk a lot about how hydration and nutrition status greatly affect eye health and vision. Our eyes depend on essential vitamins and minerals to support the structures of the eyes and the signals between visual input and neuro interpretation. Proper hydration levels allow the eyes to remain lubricated and the cells of the eyes to remain plump and healthy. Which nutrients help support eye health? Learn more in our other articles on the topic to incorporate eye-healthy foods into your diet.
Lutein
Lutein is an antioxidant that harbors anti-inflammatory properties. Evidence suggests that lutein has several beneficial effects, especially on eye health. Lutein is widely known as a natural form of “sunglasses” for your eyes. Lutein can also protect against harmful blue light which comes from the outdoor sunlight as well as digital devices and indoor LED lights. Lutein is known to reduce the risk of age-related macular disease, which is the leading cause of blindness and vision impairment. For athletes who depend on their vision to remain at the top in their game, lutein should be an essential element included in their training plan.
How Viteyes® Supports Athletes
While lutein is found naturally in plenty of tasty foods, it is difficult to get enough in your day-to-day diet to support optimal eye health. Especially in athletes who metabolize their fuel nearly as quickly as it is taken in. To help optimize your lutein intake, Viteyes® offers a Blue Light Defender™ series to meet the needs of athletes of all ages. The Blue Light Defender supplements are formulated with lutein, zeaxanthin, and Astareal® astaxanthin for total protection from the front to the back of the eye. To add a daily dose of lutein to your regimen, shop online today.
