Dry January, Veganuary, and Your Eyes

Are you taking part in Dry January or Veganuary? Your eyes will probably be thanking you for it! Staying away from alcohol and eating a healthier, balanced diet can have all sorts of positive impacts on your eye health.

In this blog, we’re going to look at the impact of alcohol and healthy eating on your eyes and how taking part in Dry January and/or Veganuary could benefit them.

How Alcohol Can Affect Your Eyesight

Drinking alcohol responsibly in moderate amounts doesn’t usually have long-term effects on your eyes. However, alcohol is a toxin that affects the body, including the eyes, in many ways.

Alcohol can directly affect the eyes by dilating the blood vessels. Alcohol can also affect how our brains work, and since our eyes and brains work together to produce the images we see, alcohol can affect vision. In the long term, alcohol can interfere with the absorption of the nutrients we need for good eye health, such as vitamin A.

Effects of Alcohol:

• Bloodshot Eyes: Drinking large amounts of alcohol can lead to bloodshot eyes. This happens because alcohol causes your blood vessels to relax and expand, increasing blood flow. These swollen blood vessels can lead to red eyes and irritation.
• Yellow Eyes: In extreme cases, when excessive alcohol consumption has caused alcoholic hepatitis, the whites of the eyes can appear yellow. This liver disease leads to jaundice when the liver can no longer clear the build-up of old red blood cells from the body. The result is a yellowing of the skin and eyes.
• Puffy Eyes: Alcohol causes bloating, including around the eyes. Alcohol also disrupts your natural sleep cycle, and a lack of sleep can lead to puffiness and dark circles around the eyes.

Short Term Effects:

• Blurry vision – alcohol interferes with your eye-muscle coordination.
• Double vision – Alcohol affects the communication between the eye and brain that form the images we see.
• Difficulty adjusting to bright or dark lighting – The pupils in your eyes react more slowly under the influence of alcohol.
• Lower contrast sensitivity – Makes it harder to distinguish between colours.

Long Term Effects: 

• Chronic dry eyes – Alcohol affects your eyes’ ability to lubricate themselves effectively with tears. Symptoms include blurred vision, discomfort and irritation, and a stinging sensation.

Alcohol and Vision Loss

Long-term excessive alcohol consumption can lead to, or worsen, some eye conditions associated with sight loss. Heavy alcohol intake reduces oxygen to the eye and affects how the body absorbs nutrients needed for health.

Eye conditions that can be more likely, or worsen, through long-term alcohol abuse include:

• Cataracts
• Nystagmus
• Macular Degeneration
• Optic Neuropathy

Veganuary and Your Eyes

Are you taking part in Veganuary? Following a plant-based diet offers lots of important vitamins and minerals for your eye health. Eye-friendly nutrients found in many vegan foods can help protect against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as well as looking after the general health of your eyes.

Benefits of a Vegan Diet for Your Eyes

• Hydration for Dry Eye: Plant-based diets are often very rich in sources of hydration. Staying hydrated throughout the day can ease the symptoms of dry eyes, especially at night. Implement fresh food such as watermelon, peaches, and cucumber into your diet.
• Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 can help to reduce inflammation and combat dry eyes. It can also help cells in the retina and cornea heal after damage. You can get omega-3 from seeds like chia seeds and flax seeds, as well as some nuts.
• Decrease your Risk of Cataracts: Dark leafy greens and avocados are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that can decrease the risk of cataracts and prevent eye diseases.
• Full of Vitamins: Carrots and sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, which can help maintain a clear cornea, protecting and strengthening your eyes. Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and red peppers are full of vitamin C, which can also help to preserve eye health.
• Good Source of Antioxidants: Blackcurrants are one of the richest natural sources of anthocyanins, which means they’re full of antioxidants to help your eyes stay healthy.

Whilst a vegan diet has many benefits for your eyes, it is not essential for healthy eyesight. Just by maintaining a regular balanced diet will be enough to keep your eyes healthy and happy on top of other eye care best practices and getting your eyes tested regularly.