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Traveling the Road to Wellness
The Alphabet Soup of Healthy Vision
February 2009
Perfect peepers? No family history of eye concerns? Go ahead and embrace your good fortune, but you still need to take care of your eyes for healthy vision over the long haul. Although it’s much easier to rely on your good genes to help you get through the older years, your best bet is to be proactive and take charge of your eye health. Why? Free radical damage has been linked to a variety of eye problems associated with aging, and vision is one of the greatest factors in quality of life issues among seniors. Therefore, eye health becomes even more important to your eye and vision health as you age. Below you will find a few hints—most of them courtesy of Mother Nature—to help maintain healthy vision:
Astaxanthin: Part of the carotenoid family, this yellow pigment is a potent antioxidant found in microalgae, krill, salmon and shrimp. Taken as a dietary supplement, it fights free radicals without converting into vitamin A. Astaxanthin’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier has piqued researchers’ interest for its role in reducing oxidative stress within the body, especially sensitive eye tissues. Eat foods or supplement with this free radical fighter.
Bilberry: Supplement with bilberry. Also known as huckleberry, wineberry and the European blueberry, Bilberry contains active flavonoid compounds called anthocyanidins, which exhibit powerful antioxidant activity. Studies conducted in Germany indicate bilberry may help strengthen blood vessels in the retina.
Carotenoids: Eat your veggies! Associated with provitamin A and powerful free-radical-fighting abilities, carotenoids are fat-soluble nutrients responsible for the pigment in many fruits, vegetables, algae, plants and animals. Beta-carotene, responsible for the orange pigment in carrots, is probably the most well-known cartenoid. Other members of this group include lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, lycopene and cryptoxanthin.
Don’t Smoke: Among its myriad of related health problems, researchers also believe that smoking decreases the level of carotenoids in the body.
Eyebright: A traditional European favorite, Euphrasia officinalis or eyebright was often used in tea and in topical preparations for eye and sinus health. Today it is frequently used in combination with other botanicals for vision support. Do a little research on this herb and see if it’s right for you.
Kale: Eat some of these tasty greens! Toss in some collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, broccoli and spinach. Obviously vitamin-rich, these greens also contain free-radical-fighting lutein and zeaxanthin.
Lutein: Not a big fan of kale? No problem, just work some lutein into your diet by eating egg yolks or peas. Keep in mind that lutein is common in supplement form and is often added to multivitamins. But it’s much more potent as a supplement on its own due to higher milligram content. A member of the carotenoid family, it’s been studied extensively for its role in protecting the eye from age-related vision decline.
Ophthalmologists: Visit your ophthalmologist regularly. These medical doctors, who can treat eye disorders, prescribe medications and perform surgery, have the medical skill to deal with all eye health issues, including cataracts and macular degeneration. Many ophthalmologists and optometrists support supplementing with vitamins, minerals and carotenoids such as lutein.
Vitamins A-E: Take a good multivitamin with the basics—vitamin A, C, D & E— and a good B complex. The antioxidant power of vitamins C and E, combine with regular vitamin A for eye tissue health. Vitamin A is a key component of rhodopsin, a pigment needed by the eye to initiate biochemical responses to visual stimuli. Interestingly, low serum vitamin A levels have been associated with night blindness. The B family of vitamins works synergistically to support metabolic health. Everyone needs to get enough vitamin D, so it’s tossed in this list, too.
Zeaxanthin: Found in some of the same leafy green foods as lutein, zeaxanthin is another carotenoid known to support eye health, especially the macula. Zeaxanthin works with lutein to filter out near-to-UV blue sunlight. Start growing some kale or take it together in supplement form.
Zinc: Eye tissues contain a high amount of this essential mineral, so check to make sure your multivitamin contains zinc. Or eat foods rich in zinc: shellfish (especially oysters), fish, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
