Tips for Healthy Eyes

Since our gud fren Kelapa Nyor was asking about her eye symptoms, this is a general advice regarding eye health. Read full article here

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


• 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


• Get regular, comprehensive eye examinations


• 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.

The following supplements have been shown to support general eye health:

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.take 1400 milligrams (mg) EPA and 1000 mg DHA daily

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.take 150 to 300 mg daily

N-acetyl-carnosine. This supplement has also been shown to support healthy eyes.

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.take 1 to 3 grams (g) daily

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.take at least 50 mg of each vitamin in the B family daily

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

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.take 5000 international units (IU) daily

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

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.take 200 to 400 micrograms (mcg) daily

Coenyzme Q10. This nutrient has been studied in the context of age-related macular degeneration.take 50 to 100 mg daily

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.take 4000 to 5000 IU daily with food

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 .take 15 to 30 mg daily