Well, most people ignore it until they have a problem with seeing at night, or presbyopia (far sightedness), cataracts or glaucoma. One of the leading causes of age-related blindness is MACULAR DEGENERATION, which can be affected by diet . Diet and overall lifestyle is so important to the health of your eyes. It’s not about eating more carrots , which your body does convert to retinol, vitamin A. Contrary to popular belief, eating carrots is not going to give you better eyesight. That is propaganda from WW2 era.
Have you heard of CITICOLINE ( a derivative of choline)? It not only enhances brain ( memory, clarity) function, but is beneficial in EYE HEALTH. Choline is found in eggs.
👉Eating organ meats, such as liver, brain ( take a supplement), kidney can only help your overall health. Do you ingest too many CARBS, as in rice, pasta and bread? Your glycemic load increases by the consumption of these foods and directly affects your retina and photoreceptors making you TWICE as likely to have vision problems.
👉Eat more fiber or take BETA GLUCAN to slow down the glycemic load and remove those high sugars from your diet. High blood glucose, which 54% of the population have, is very damaging to the vessels in the eye.Those toxins are waste products and can collect in the eye and form the fatty deposits you may see in yellow clumps on the cornea called “ DRUSEN”. Keep the MACULA ( the center of the retina) pigment dense with photoreceptors by consuming the raw materials to make vitamin A. Do not take SYNTHETIC VITAMIN A. More nutrients to support eye ( macula, retina and photoreceptors) health: Leafy green VEGETABLES (3 servings a week) , Oily Fish (high in Omega-3, also 2-3 x/week) like sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, or Krill oil supplements, antioxidants such as Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Astaxanthin, Gingko Biloba, Bilberry, Resveratrol, COD LIVER OIL are best for eye and brain health. This is why also eating yellow and orange fruits and vegetables can be protective and can even REVERSE DAMAGE.
* Pay attention to excess BLUE LIGHT ( from screens, cell phone , etc) . Double the distance from your cell phone and that can reduce blue light damage by 75%. The early morning SUN provides all the blue light you need and can help with balancing circadian rhythm. Do NOT star-gaze!
* Protect your eyes with BLUE LIGHT BLOCKER glasses- cheap and easy to find . Especially wear them after 5 pm or expose your eyes to beneficial red light as in SUNSET.
* Avoid SMOKING.
* Do NOT let your children use cell phones/pads and keep them close to their faces
* Get outdoors more; movement, sunlight, distance viewing, grounding is all beneficial to your eye health. If you sit in front of a computer all day, practice the 20-20-20 RULE : every 20 minutes look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. You can be proactive in your eye health and possibly reverse night blindness and prevent macular degeneration.
According to Dr Joseph Allen (see link below) , nearsightedness (myopia) is on the rise and will be affecting 50% of the American population by 2050.
If you need help locating any of these products or want more information, please reach out.
Dr. MaryAnn Ley
