Macular Degeneration

Whenever the sun is shining, drivers need to wear sunglasses. Glare from the sun is unsafe and can cause accidents. The eyes are vulnerable to damage from sunlight. Which types of sunglasses are best for driving? How do sunglasses protect the eyes?

Driving Safety

New drivers have the mantra drilled into them: “Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road.” Bright sunlight streaming through the windshield is hard on the eyes. Even a slightly
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The eyes are small, but they have many parts including the eyelids, sclera, cornea, lens, optic nerve and retina. We depend heavily on our vision. When something goes wrong, the eyes are disproportionately affected. For example, a senior at risk of heart disease is also at risk of an ocular arterial or vein occlusion. Also, the macula requires a yellow-colored nutrient (lutein and zeaxanthin) found in certain vegetables such as green leafy vegetables, red, yellow and green peppers, corn and eggs. And antioxidants found in fresh fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce oxidative eye damage and eye disease.
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The main indicator of age at first glance is facial wrinkles. Seniors who wish to maintain a youthful appearance are tempted to purchase wrinkle creams and supplements. Before buying, consumers should look at objective research. One supplement called astaxanthin has been shown in small studies to reduce wrinkling and enhance the skin. Astaxanthin is also excellent for the eyes. What is Astaxanthin made from? What are the benefits to the eyes and skin?
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Your doctor may have mentioned that gut health affects mood, cholesterol levels, immunity and cardiovascular health. Reducing sugar intake and increasing fiber is good advice. However, new research has found that a specific gut microorganism has a strong influence on gut health. Unfortunately, the champion bifidobacteria declines significantly with age. Scientists have found an antidote: a probiotic called xylooligosaccharides (XOS). Taking very small doses of XOS increased bifidobacteria populations in the gut.
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Eye vitamins are crucial to vision health. In fact, the eye is the most vitamin-hungry organ in the body proportional to its size. It is the second most physiologically active part of our body only second to our brain. We believe the eyes require approximately 25% of the nutrients taken into the body to maintain full health. Any less may eventually result in eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts.

Many seniors suffer from these eye diseases. A lifetime of eye stressors, including excessive sunlight and poor diet, catches up with seniors. They also have less efficient digestion, poorer circulation and may have risk factors such as diabetes, long-term smoking, and lack of exercise. Dr. Grossman, a New York-based
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People who have advanced eye disease have waited too long to improve their vision health. Keeping the eyes health is a lifetime endeavor. An unhealthy lifestyle and poor nutrition lead to a higher risk of eye diseases. Researchers have linked cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, optic neuropathy, retinal vein occlusions, and other eye conditions to mostly-controllable risk factors. Seniors are especially at risk. Natural Eye Care offers this guide to improving vision health.
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Did you know that certain vision changes can indicate early-stage Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s is the #3 killer in the United States, right behind cancer and heart disease. Scientists are researching early detection. Catching this disease in its earliest stages opens up potential treatments, before significant brain damage sets in. Treatments for early Alzheimer’s are also being heavily researched. The retina develops from neural tissue, and the entire eye reflects the health of an individual. Therefore, non-invasive screening
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Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory spice. Inflammation plays a role in many eye conditions, including uveitis, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Used for millennia in Indian cooking, curcumin is the main ingredient in turmeric. Turmeric gives mustard its yellow color.  When combined with black pepper, this spice is easier to absorb. You can use turmeric in cooking and take it as a supplement.

Uveitis Curcumin Study

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Have you ever heard that your eyes need plenty of nutrition? It’s true, and research backs this up. But did you know that the Standard American Diet tends to be very low in some eye-essential nutrients? The eyes are the second most physiologically active part of our body (#1 is the brain). At Natural Eye Care, we believe the eyes require approximately 25% of the nutrients we take into our body, if we eat a healthy diet. Even though most Americans consume enough calories, we may still have poor nutrition for the eyes. No wonder Macular Degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, optic nerve
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The eye has a delicate vascular system. Eye circulation brings oxygen and nutrients to the eyes. It also removes waste products. The “choroid” is the part of the eye that circulates blood. Fats and blood clots that damage the arteries can also clog the arteries and veins in the eyes. This condition is common as people age. Poor circulation is associated with many eye diseases:

• Retinal vein occlusion is a sudden blockage that can cause serious, permanent eye damage.
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration patients have thinner choroids (thinning of the retina) – often due to lack of essential nutrients reaching the retina.
• If the choroid does not have enough oxygen, new blood vessels can form. These blood vessels unfortunately are of poor quality and often leak blood and fluids in the retina, which can result in severe vision loss (“wet” macular degeneration or choroidal neovascularization) if not treated (common treatment is an injection of either Lucentis, Avastin or EyLea to dry up the blood vessels and reduce related inflammation).

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