Vision Health:
Maintaining good vision health is something is often over looked and most of the times we take our eyes for granted.
Read below to find out how to get back on track with better eye care.
Healthy Eyes: The Basics
Healthy vision is accomplished through healthy eyes—and good nutrition is vital to healthy eyes. The eye is made of various structures working in concert to focus light rays from objects into images and send them to our brain via electrical impulses. The eye itself is protected in a bony orbit (socket). The socket provides protection against trauma, but it cannot protect the eye from internal injuries.
You can take several steps to protect healthy vision:
- Stop smoking. Smoking can increase one’s risk of developing cataracts, macular degeneration, and many other diseases by increasing oxidative stress, narrowing blood vessels, and reducing blood flow to the eye (Thornton J et al 2005; Lindblad BE et al 2005).
- Wear a hat and sunglasses with ultraviolet (UV) protection whenever you are outdoors. The sun’s UV rays can increase the risk of developing skin cancer, cataracts, and macular degeneration (Xhauflaire G et al 2005).
- Get regular, comprehensive eye examinations. Many eye diseases have no symptoms until late in the disease. Thus, many eye diseases are not apparent until diagnosed during a comprehensive eye examination. The American Academy of Ophthalmology currently recommends the schedule below for comprehensive medical eye examinations in healthy people with no family or personal history of eye disease and no risk factors for eye disease. Since everyone’s situation is different, ask your doctor how often you should get a comprehensive eye examination (American Academy of Ophthalmology 2000).
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Age 20–29: at least once |
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Age 30–39: at least twice |
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Age 40–64: every 2–4 years |
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Age 65 or older: every 1–2 years |
- Maintain a healthy diet and adequate nutritional intake. Your eyes rely on the nutrients you consume. This may be especially important in light of recent research implicating oxidative stress in major eye diseases. It is very important that all aging people maintain adequate antioxidant supplies to protect their eyes.
Some of the nutrients that benefit healthy vision work by directly supporting eye function, while others enhance blood flow to the eye by supporting the cardiovascular system. It is important that people with heart disease, such as coronary artery disease, visit their ophthalmologist and carefully follow their dietary program.
Omega-3 fatty acids. One group of dietary supplements that affects both the eye and the cardiovascular system is the omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids help prevent hardening of the arteries in both the heart and the eye by reducing inflammation. Arteriosclerosis is a pervasive and quiet enemy of the eye. The result of arteriosclerosis is a decrease in nutrients to the eye and a reduction in the removal of waste products. An added benefit of omega-3 fatty acids is an apparent lower risk of dry eye syndrome, particularly in women (Miljanovic B et al 2005).
Lipoic acid. Lipoic acid is a very powerful antioxidant that prevents free radical damage, thus reducing oxidative stress and possibly reducing the risk of degenerative eye diseases. It has shown promise as a nutrient to protect rabbits’ eyes from ultraviolet damage (Demir U et al 2005).
N-acetyl-carnosine. This supplement has also been shown to support healthy eyes. When administered topically in the form of N-acetyl-L-carnosine, this nutrient can move easily into both the water-soluble and lipid-containing parts of the eye. Once there, it helps prevent DNA strand breaks induced by UV radiation and enhances DNA repair. In the lipid areas of the eye, N-acetyl-L-carnosine partially breaks down and becomes L-carnosine. In a 1999 study of 96 patients aged 60 years or older with cataracts, one to two drops of a carnosine-containing solution was administered three to four times each day for three to six months. At the end of the study, the level of eyesight improved, and the lens became more transparent. For primary senile cataracts, the effective rate was 100 percent; for mature senile cataracts, the effective rate was 80 percent (Wang AM et al 2000).
Vitamin C. Intraocular pressure can be lowered by high doses of vitamin C. The osmotic changes are thought to impact either the outflow or the secretion mechanism to reduce the pressure. Vitamin C may slow the progression of glaucoma (Head KA 2001; Bartlett H et al 2004).
B vitamins. A decrease in B vitamins has been linked to heart disease. Because B vitamins are poorly stored by the human body, they must be ingested on a regular basis. Low levels of B vitamins, including vitamin B12, folic acid, and niacin, have been seen in glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration (Head KA 2001).
Bilberry. Studies have shown the herb bilberry to be effective in vascular disorders. Bilberry contains flavonoids and antioxidants that increase microcirculation and support retinal function. This nutrient may especially benefit individuals with macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and night blindness (Fursova AZ et al 2005).
Beta-carotene. This vitamin functions as an antioxidant by disabling free radicals. Low intake of beta-carotene is associated with increased free radical damage, which increases the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration (Mayne ST 1996).
Zeaxanthin and lutein. Carotenoids are very numerous; more than 600 are found in red, yellow, green, and orange vegetables and fruits. Carotenoids like zeaxanthin and lutein have highly antioxidative characteristics and help prevent destructive vascular changes in the macula, decreasing the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Studies indicate that high levels of lutein may decrease the incidence of posterior subcapsular cataracts, diminish complaints of glare, and provide better color vision and more critical acuity (Bone RA et al 2001).
Selenium. Selenium is an essential trace mineral with antioxidant properties that works in partnership with vitamin E to protect cellular integrity and cell membranes. It protects the cell membranes from free radical damage, decreasing the risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. Numerous plants, including grains and garlic, contain selenium, but the concentration is highly dependent on soil content (Brown NA et al 1998).
Coenyzme Q10. This nutrient has been studied in the context of age-related macular degeneration. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examining the effects of coenzyme Q10 combined with acetyl-L-carnitine and omega-3 fatty acids, researchers found that the nutrient mix improved and stabilized visual functions in patients with early age-related macular degeneration (Feher J et al 2005). In an animal study, coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E, applied topically, were found to help reduce the risk of complications after laser cornea surgery (Brancato R et al 2002).
Vitamin A. Vitamin A, retinol, and retinyl palmitate are multifunctional and essential in virtually all tissues. Vitamin A is required by the photoreceptors of the retina for proper function. Vitamin A, as an antioxidant, has been shown to decrease lipid levels in coronary heart disease and therefore could be protective of the ocular vascular system (Singhal S et al 2001; Brown NA et al 1998).
Zinc. This mineral is required to maintain the integrity of the immune system and of carbohydrate and protein metabolism. The retina has the highest concentration of zinc of any organ system (Grahn BH et al 2001). Previous studies suggested that zinc may play a role in reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration. However, more recent studies have presented a complex picture. At lower doses, zinc does have a protective effect against macular degeneration by supporting epithelial cells in the retina. However, at higher doses, zinc has the opposite effect (Wood JP et al 2003). Fortunately, this dangerous effect of zinc is attenuated by antioxidants, such as vitamin E, taken at the same time as the zinc. Thus, for anyone consuming zinc to help prevent age-related macular degeneration, antioxidants are recommended (Wood JP et al 2003).
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