The Eyes Have It

[Guest guest]

The Eyes Have ItA sure sign of creeping middle age is the day you discover that you can nolonger read a menu or use the phone book without eyeglasses. Blurred lettersmake presbyopia, the technical name for the problem, impossible to ignore, but

other conditions can develop down the road that have potentially much moretroubling consequences, including blindness. Especially serious problemsinclude age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic

retinopathy. Aging eyes are also prone to some annoying problems, such as thatof having too few tears or too many.Even though presbyopia and the need for reading glasses is a fait accompli,I still think it is important to share what people can do to keep their eyes

young and healthy. In speaking with several experts on the matter, I quicklydiscovered that first and foremost, the better your general health, thebetter you will retain your eyesight.I spoke with Lylas G. Mogk, MD, founding director of the Visual

Rehabilitation and Research Center at the Henry Ford Medical Center and coauthor of_Macular Degeneration: The Complete Guide to Saving and Maximizing Your Sight_(

http://dailyhealthnews.ed10.net/h/MVJY/WKHE/SN/U5A0A) (Ballantine). She has twoacross-the-board rules for keeping your eyes young, she says. The first isto eat well and take care of your whole self (more on that in a minute), and

the second is to wear sunglasses.She explains that wearing sunglasses on a regular basis is a crucialpreventive measure against both AMD and cataracts. Any kind of lenses that have agood UV filter are effective, unless you are at high risk for AMD -- you are a

smoker, are fair-skinned, have a family history of AMD or have had highexposure to sun without protection -- in which case you should get amber/orangelenses with UV protection to more effectively block the blue end of the light

spectrum. Polarized lenses will help further by reducing glare, or reflectedlow-angle light, which can cause eyestrain.Wearing sunglasses also helps prevent wrinkles around your eyes caused bysquinting... and prevents yellowing from pinguecula. Pinguecula are lesions --

caused by UV rays -- in the eye near the cornea that turn the white of theeye in the affected area yellow.As to diet, Dr. Mogk is adamant about getting sufficient omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in cold-water fish and fish oil supplements. Omega-3s are

important in preventing AMD and are valuable for keeping eyes properlylubricated, she says. The eyeball contains three layers -- a mucous layer, awater layer and over these, an oil slick. A healthy oil slick is necessary for

the eyes' comfort because it prevents evaporation from the water layer.Without a healthy oil layer, the eyes become dry (not to be confused with the disease of Sjogren's Syndrome, which affects all of the mucous membranes in

the body, that I discussed in Daily Health News on _April 12, 2005_(http://dailyhealthnews.ed10.net/h/PZNW/WKHE/SN/U5A0A

) ) or, conversely they can watertoo much. The reason: In response to the overly dry condition, the eyes putthe accessory tear glands -- the ones employed in crying -- into motion, andof course, the result is too many tears. The oil slick contains fatty acids

and depends heavily on omega-3 fatty acids to do its job properly as well asto maintain the proper consistency of its oil. Furthermore, omega-3 fattyacids are potent anti-inflammatory compounds, protecting against many forms of

irritation.Diabetics Take NoteDr. Mogk's other strong message concerns people who have diabetes of eithertype -- keep your sugar levels under control. She says this is the biggestfavor people with diabetes can do for their eyes because over time, uncontrolled

sugar levels will lead to diabetic retinopathy, which occurs when the smallvessels no longer feed the retina properly, resulting in vision loss andblindness.Inside Out Eye CareFor more information concerning nutrients and eye health, I spoke with Marc

R. Grossman, OD, coauthor of _Natural Eye Care; An Encyclopedia_(http://dailyhealthnews.ed10.net/h/I6EZ/WKHE/SN/U5A0A

) (Keats) and an internationalspeaker on natural eye care and nutrition. In addition to omega-3 fatty acids(1,000 mg for prevention, he says), he advises lutein (6 mg a day in supplementsand plenty of dark green vegetables, such as kale and collard greens) and

zeaxantin, the nutrient that contains the carotenoid believed to filter out UVblue rays and provide antioxidant protection to the center of the macula.Health-food stores now carry pharmaceutical-grade zeaxantin (take 2 mg to 3 mg a

day). It is also abundant in orange peppers and other brightly coloredvegetables. Remember that fresh, naturally ripened foods transmit the greatestflavonoid/carotenoid activity to the body.In addition, he advises taking 2,000 mg of vitamin C in divided doses

throughout the day and between meals. Dr. Grossman also recommends 300 mg of grapeseed extract and 120 mg of bilberry, both of which help maintain theintegrity of the blood vessels in the eyes. Be sure to review these recommendations

with a trained professional, since individual needs vary depending on age,weight and any other preexisting medical conditions or medications.Dr. Mogk recommends eye checkups every two years after age 40. Besides being

able to monitor for any sign of glaucoma, an eye checkup allows viewing ofthe blood vessels behind the eyes, and it is the only way doctors can see blood vessels without the protective tissue of the skin over them. This provides

the doctor with an excellent opportunity to review your blood vessel health in general and to see if their condition indicates the presence of high bloodpressure, diabetes or coronary artery disease.Sources...

The Eyes Have It * Lylas G. Mogk, MD, director, Visual Rehabilitation and ResearchCenter, Henry Ford Medical Center, coauthor, _Macular Degeneration: The CompleteGuide to Saving and Maximizing Your Sight_

( http://dailyhealthnews.ed10.net/h/3SCB/WKHE/SN/U5A0A) (Ballantine).

-- Diana Gonzalez Nothing wastes more energy than worrying - the longer a problem is carried, the heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously - live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

-Unknown