World AIDS Day 2025: How healthy diet, adequate sleep, and daily exercises can support eye health in HIV patients

World AIDS Day 2025: Daily habits, especially food, sleep, and movement, often determine how strongly the eyes cope with the pressure HIV places on the body (Image: Pexels)

HIV is a virus that weakens and targets the body’s immune system and continues to remain a major public health issue. For those living with the disease, lifestyle advice isn’t often given as much thought or priority. But the truth is that it matters just as much, and anyone working with HIV patients would know it.

Daily habits, especially food, sleep, and movement, often determine how strongly the eyes cope with the pressure HIV places on the body. The eyes are sensitive; they react early, sometimes earlier than bloodwork does. On World AIDS Day 2025, Dr Nitee Gupta, Senior Consultant at Sharp Sight Eye Hospitals, shared three crucial factors that support eye health. These include:

Keep your eyes healthy with diet

A healthy dietis the first layer of defence. HIV weakens immunity in waves, and that affects the tiny structures around the retina and the surface of the eye. A simple plate with greens, citrus, a few nuts, even an extra spoon of good oils…these things keep the eyes from drying out or picking up infections. It’s not fancy science; it’s quiet nourishment that stacks up week after week.

Adequate sleep = healthy eyes

Many patients talk about broken rest, strange dreams, or fatigue that doesn’t go away. When sleep collapses, the eyes are the first to complain — redness, sensitivity, a strange heaviness behind the lids. Proper rest lets the tear film rebuild and gives the optic nerve time to reset. Without that, everything feels harder: work, light, even reading.

Benefits of exercises for eye health

Not gym-level effort, but just movement. A half-hour walk, a stretch routine, anything that gets blood flowing. Better circulation helps deliver oxygen to the eyes and keeps inflammation down, which is extremely important because HIV often increases inflammation quietly in the background. Stable blood sugar, better mood, improved stamina… all of this eventually shows up in eye comfort.

Dr Gupta tells Moneycontrol that none of these can replace medical treatment. They strengthen the person who is receiving it. And when someone living with HIV takes care of these basics, the eyes usually hold up far better, even through rough phases. The message is simple and human: small habits protect delicate organs. And in HIV care, that protection matters a lot sooner than people think.

FAQs on World Health Day 2025

World AIDS Day, observed on December 1st, raises awareness about HIV/AIDS, supports those living with the condition, and commemorates those who have died from related illnesses.

HIV weakens the immune system, impacting the retina and eye surface. Proper diet, sleep, and exercise help maintain eye health by reducing dryness and infections.

A healthy diet strengthens the immune system, protecting the eyes. Greens, citrus, nuts, and good oils prevent dryness and infections.

Adequate sleep is crucial for eye health, as broken rest can cause redness, sensitivity, and heaviness. Proper rest allows tear film and optic nerve recovery.

Regular movement enhances blood flow, oxygen delivery, and reduces inflammation, supporting eye health. It also stabilises blood sugar and improves mood and stamina.