It has become quite a cliché in Hollywood movies to show girls with cucumber on their eyes while they are getting ready for their big night. No matter how funny it looks, the truth is that cucumber is really miraculous for eyes. Yes, you heard correctly. It is!

So, let’s take a look at how to keep healthy eyesight with cucumber:

1. Fights irritation and allergies

Allergies could be caused due to anything. If not taken care of, these allergies could lead to not just irritation but swelling and other serious consequences as well. This is where cucumber can be of great help. One of the most basic benefits of using cucumber around the eyes is that it gets rid of the irritation, which might be caused because of any external allergen. It contains Vitamin C that acts as an antioxidant to fight against these allergies which might be causing irritation.

2. Helps in maintaining healthy eyesight

One of the first things you must know about cucumber is that it is not just a good source of roughage in your diet. It contains all the essential nutrients that are needed to keep your eyes healthy and happy. From vitamins like Riboflavin, Thiamine and B6 to minerals such as calcium and magnesium, cucumber has it all. All these nutrients are essential for keeping your eyesight healthy for years to come. As a matter of fact, a deficiency of these nutrients could lead to rise of problems like eye twitching, blurred vision and other similar problems.

3. Reduces puffiness around the eyes

Cucumber is not just good for keeping your eyesight healthy, placing them on your side is a great way to keep your eyes safe from puffiness, as well as reducing the onset of wrinkles. Cucumber is a rich source of phytochemicals, which cause the tightening of collagen fibres in the skin, thus making the outer skin firmer and keeping wrinkles at bay. At the same time, cucumber also contains ascorbic acid along with caffeic acid. Both these ingredients are anti-inflammatory substances that help get rid of the swelling and puffiness around the eyes.

4. Acts as a refreshing agent

Did you know that cucumber contains 95% water? Without a doubt it acts as a natural moisturizer for your eyes. You can use it as a refreshing agent, whenever you come home after fighting it out in the sun for long. It acts as a natural moisturizer giving your eyes the pleasure and comfort they need to get back to their normal condition after having been in the scorching sun for long.

There is plenty of other foods that are readily available at our homes which can be used to keep our eyes healthy and happy. But the irony is that there is not much awareness about it.

We are lucky to have so many eye care facilities available for us, but there are millions of others who do not have access to common eye care, much less specific eye care treatment. While people like Dr. John and the Give Me Sight Foundation are doing their bit to help such people with eye care, and raise awareness, there is plenty that needs to be done. Let’s keep it going!