Wellness Center

Take Care of Your Eyes, Naturally

As you age, you might notice a few more problems with your eyesight. Before your arms get too short for you to read the newspaper, implement some eyesight-saving measures.

Nutrition Factors

Some health experts believe that vision problems - including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration - occur because of a build up of free radicals (unstable molecules formed when your body burns oxygen). Foods feed your eyes with important nutrients. To help keep your eyes healthy and your vision clear:

Eat liberally:

• Anti-oxidants: black currents, berries, green tea, pink grapefruit, tomatoes, watermelon, orange and yellow vegetables, broccoli, purple grape juice, red wine
  
  
• Beta carotene: carrots, carrot juice, sweet potatoes, dark green vegetables, winter squash, fruits like cantaloupe, papaya, and mango
  
  
• Vitamin B complex: whole grains, seeds (especially sunflower), nuts, green vegetables, avocados, potatoes, bananas, fish, poultry, lean meat
  
  
• Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, tomatoes, dark green vegetables, melons
  
  
• Vitamin E: Wheat germ, legumes, dried fruits, fresh green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils, fish, liver
  
  
• Zinc and Selenium: whole grains, eggs, seafood, poultry, lean meat

Avoid or limit:

• Caffeine
  
  
• Saturated fats
  
  
• Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke
  
  
• Sugar
  
  
• White flour and white rice

Environmental Contributors

Beginning at middle age, you are at increased risk of eye redness. A red spot on the white part of your eye is nothing to worry about. It will go away after about two weeks. There's nothing you can do to make it disappear any faster. If you see any red on the iris or pupil of your eye however, contact an eye specialist immediately. If your eye hurts and you have blurred vision or a pinkish haze to your vision, see a doctor right away.

To avoid red or bloodshot eyes:

• Get enough sleep.
  
  
• Keep your eyes moist.
  
  
• Blink more often.
  
  
• Use eye drops sparingly, if at all. They temporarily eliminate the redness, but can ultimately exacerbate your condition.

Eyestrain is bothersome but harmless. Your eyes will burn or water a little after working under harsh fluorescent lights or in front of a computer screen for several hours.

Here are some ideas that might help:

• Keep light from shining into your eyes. If you work at a computer screen, darken the screen.
  
  
• Eliminate glare. Use ambient lighting. Turn off or dim overhead lights when working on your computer or watching television.
  
  
• Reading in dim light won't worsen your eyesight, but low-contrast lighting can cause eyestrain.
  
  
• Try reading glasses. You can purchase them without a prescription from various grocery, drug, or variety stores. Experiment with the different strengths to see which makes reading easiest.
  
  
• If you're in front of a computer screen six hours or more per day, take a ten minute break every two or three hours. You can still work, but turn your focus to filing, reading mail, or making phone calls.
  
  
• Close your eyes more often. If you ride the bus or train to work, rest your eyes instead of reading the newspaper. Try shutting your eyes while talking on the phone or dictating.

These measures will not cure vision problems, but they can help delay or prevent them. Be sure to have regular vision tests.

Sources:

1. Antioxidant Vitamins and Zinc Reduce Risk of vision Loss from Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Press Release. National Institutes of Health. Available online at: http://www.nih.gov/ news/pr/ oct2001/ nei-12.htm. Accessed March 12, 2007.

2. Weiss SE project editor. Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal,/i>. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. Pleasantville, New York/Montreal, 1997.

3. Tkac D. editor. The Doctors Book of Home Remedies. Prevention Magazine Health Books, Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania, 1990.

4. Balch JF et al. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Avery Publishing Group, Garden City Park, New York, 1997.

This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis of specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt professional medical attention if you have a particular concern about your health or specific symptoms. Wellsource, Inc. is not liable for any health consequences resulting from your use of this site.