Basic Eye Protection 

The single greatest long-term risk to the eyes comes from two wavelengths of ultraviolet (UV) light, UVA and UVB. Both are present in sunlight, even on cloudy days. Furthermore, UV rays are stronger at higher altitudes—think Colorado and most other Western states—because the thinner air absorbs fewer UV rays. The rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the sun is highest. UV rays are also intense when they bounce off reflective surfaces, such as snow, water, and auto windshields. You’re also exposed to UV rays in tanning beds. And some drugs, including some antibiotics and birth control pills, increase the eyes’ sensitivity to UV rays.

As a general rule, it’s worthwhile thinking in terms of “inside-out” eye protection. In practical terms, this means taking steps to physically reduce your eyes’ exposure to UV rays while also fortifying your eyes’ internal defenses against UV rays and other factors that can harm your vision.

You can use two simple methods to physically protect your eyes. One is wearing a hat with a wide brim over the front. The other is always wearing sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays. Plastic lenses offer better protection compared with glass ones, and UV-blocking contact lenses are also available.

Some preventable health conditions increase the risk of serious eye diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Chief among these health problems are prediabetes and type-2 diabetes. The reason is that chronically elevated blood sugar over many years damages blood vessels and nerves, including the tiny ones needed for normal functioning of the eyes and vision. Both prediabetes and type-2 diabetes also boost the risk of highblood pressure, another factor that can damage blood vessels in the eyes.

Dietary Suggestions: To reduce your risk of prediabetes and type-2 diabetes, minimize your intake of processed carbohydrates, including foods with added sugars. Consume a protein-rich diet with a variety of high-fiber vegetables. In addition, be mindful of your coffee and alcohol consumption. Coffee is a vasoconstrictor, and alcohol is a vasodilator—drinking too much of both gives your blood vessels mixed signals. Keep your consumption of both beverages moderate.

Supplement Suggestions: Several supplements can help maintain normal blood sugar levels. These include vitamin D (2,000-5,000 IU daily), ^{1 2 3 4} silymarin (600 mg daily), and chromium (1,000 mcg daily). ^{8  9 10 11 12} Each of these supplements has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels and to increase the efficiency of insulin. For lowering blood pressure, try L-arginine (1,000-2,000 mg). ^{13 14 15}

Common Eye Problems

Many people experience one of several common eye problems at some point in their lives. Fortunately, none of these threaten vision and most are easily corrected.

Dry Eyes Syndrome. No doubt you’ve seen the ads and television commercials for an expensive prescription drug treatment for dry eyes. The condition leaves the eyes feeling dry, gritty, and sometimes painful. Several studies have found that omega-3 fish oil supplements can greatly reduce the symptoms of dry eyes, suggesting that the disorder may result from a deficiency of these nutrients. In two recent studies, people’s symptoms decreased significantly after three months of taking omega-3 fish oil capsules. Suggestion: Take 500-1,000 mg of an omega-3 supplement with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).^{16  17 17 18 19 20}

Subconjunctival Hemorrhage. Sometimes called red eye, one or both eyes may have what look like bloody spots, but subconjunctival hemorrhage is far less serious than it looks. The condition may develop after an injury to the eye, heavy lifting, aggressive rubbing of the eye, or coughing. Blood leaks from tiny blood vessels and gets trapped under the eyes’ clear conjunctival tissue, similar to how blood becomes trapped in a bruise under the skin. Fortunately, subconjunctival hemorrhage does not affect vision. Although red eye usually resolves on its own within a month, it helps to avoid anti-coagulant drugs, such as aspirin, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Suggestions: Repeated occurrences of subconjunctival hemorrhage suggest a weakness in blood vessel walls. To strengthen blood vessel walls, try taking vitamin C (1,000-2,000 mg) with bioflavonoids (1,000 mg) daily.

Visual Acuity. Low visual acuity is characterized by poor sensitivity to contrast, difficulty seeing in low-light situations, and glare, such as from a computer monitor. Several studies have found that lutein supplements reduce glare and improve visual acuity in both healthy people and those with eye diseases. This antioxidant is deposited in the retina and works somewhat like polarizing lenses in that it helps organize light entering this central region of the retina, helping to sharpen vision.^{21 22 23 24} Suggestion: Take 10 mg of lutein daily.

Night Blindness

Night blindness, also known as nyctalopia, may be the most common—and most easily treated—type of serious eye disorder. It’s characterized by the inability of the eyes to rapidly adjust to changes in light intensity, such as when walking from daylight into a darkened movie theater. People who are blinded by the glare of headlights, and have difficulty recovering from the glare, may have night blindness as well. Night blindness often overlaps with other serious eye diseases.

Night blindness is a sign of vitamin A deficiency. The earliest known discussion of the disorder was recorded by the Roman medical writer Aulus Cornelius Celsus in 30 A.D. He described night blindness and recommended a treatment—consuming the vitamin A- rich drippings of cooked goat liver. Scientists now know that vitamin A forms part of a light-sensitive pigment called rhodopsin, found in the retina’s light-sensing cells called rods. Rhodopsin stores are depleted whenever we use our eyes, and a deficiency of vitamin A impairs rhodopsin production.

According to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A and which, in theory, the body can convert to vitamin A, is not as effective as the vitamin in resolving night blindness.xxv The reason may be that individuals’ conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A is highly variable and depends on healthy gut bacteria, among other things.

Suggestions: Try taking 25,000 IU of vitamin A daily for one month, then decreasing the amount to 10,000 IU daily. Most vitamin A supplements are either from fish liver oil (natural) or synthetic sources (vitamin A palmitate). If you are pregnant or if there is a chance that you may become pregnant, do not take more 5,000 IU of vitamin A daily. Taking zinc and B-complex vitamins may enhance the benefits of vitamin A, and probiotics may improve the conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A.

Macular Degeneration

The macula is a tiny yellowish spot in the center of the retina, and it is necessary for seeing fine details, such as when reading. It also filters out harmful blue wavelengths of light. In the most common form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the macula becomes abnormally thin and shows signs of free radical damage.

Several risk factors exist for AMD, which is the leading nontreatable cause of blindness among seniors. High blood pressure and smoking constrict blood vessels, which reduces the amount of nutrition being delivered to the eyes. In addition, eating a diet low in dark green vegetables is associated with a greater risk of AMD.

Leafy dark green vegetables are rich in two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, which form the macular pigment. (Chlorophyll in the veggies masks these yellow pigments.) Zeaxanthin tends to concentrate toward the center of the macula, whereas lutein predominates toward its periphery. Not surprisingly, many studies have shown that either eating more leafy green vegetables or taking lutein supplements can increase the thickness of the macular pigment, presumably slowing the progression of AMD.^{26 27 28 29 30 31 32} Other studies have found that the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA and B vitamins can also reduce the risk of AMD. ^{36 37 38}

Suggestions: To reduce the risk and perhaps to slow the progression of AMD, take 10 mg of natural-source lutein. Because lutein and zeaxanthin are packaged together in nature, lutein supplements will also typically contain zeaxanthin. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly 100 to 800 mg of DHA, and a high-potency B-complex supplement also offer protection.

Cataracts

The eye’s lens focuses images on the retina, much the way a camera lens focuses an image on a digital sensor. Cataracts are a clouding of the lens that results from damage to the protein-forming lens tissue. Living at a high altitude, significant lifetime sun exposure, flying frequently in aircraft, and smoking tobacco increases the risk of cataracts.

While cataracts are difficult to reverse, considerable research indicates that a diet high in antioxidants,³⁹ along with vitamin C supplements, may reduce the risk of developing this type of eye damage. In one study, women taking 400 mg or more of supplemental (but not dietary) vitamin C for at least 10 years had an 83 percent lower risk of developing cataracts.⁴⁰ Several studies have found that lutein supplements can improve visual acuity in people with cataracts and other eye disorders, even though it doesn’t affect the cataract itself. ⁴¹

Suggestions: Eat a diet rich in vegetables and take a multi-antioxidant ACES-type supplement (vitamins A, C, and E). Add extra vitamin C, so your total daily intake is 400 mg to 2,000 mg.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma, caused by an increase in fluid pressure inside the eye, is one of the most serious of all eye diseases. The higher inner eye pressure can damage the optic nerve and narrows the field of vision.

Impaired glucose tolerance—i.e., prediabetes and diabetes—is a major risk factor for glaucoma. Two studies found that alpha-lipoic acid, which can help improve glucose tolerance, can reduce intraocular pressure in people with glaucoma.^{42 43 44 45} In addition, a preclinical study by Russian researchers found that L-carnosine may also protect against glaucoma.⁴⁶

Suggestions: Adopt a low-carb diet that emphasizes quality protein and non-starchy vegetables. Then add 150-400 mg of alpha-lipoic acid daily. Also consider taking 50 mg of L-carnosine.

Retinitis Pigmentosa

This genetic disease that leads to a breakdown of the retina is relatively rare, affecting an estimated 100,000 Americans. Night blindness is an early sign, followed by a narrowing of the visual field, with the effect being similar to looking through a tunnel.

Several nutritional supplements show promise in compensating for the defect causing retinitis pigmentosa and slowing its progression. Chief among these supplements is vitamin A.^{47 48 49} l Adding DHA might also be helpful.⁵⁰

Suggestions: Take 15,000 IU of vitamin A daily, and consider adding 1,200 mg of DHA.

If you think about it, we could live without most of our five senses, such as touch, taste, smell, and hearing. But it would be extremely difficult to live without our ability to see. It’s never too late to be proactive in protecting your vision—start now and enjoy healthy vision for years to come.

References available upon request