healthy you c
Y O U R H E A L T H
Eye Ope
Keeping your eyes healthy
requires a little foresight.
BY JEA N N E AM BROSE
m
any people only start
thinking about the state
of their eyes when they
have to move a menu a
little farther away. But a
decrease in near vision, normal as you age, is
only part of what can cloud eyesight. There’s
also glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration,
and diabetic retinopathy. In all, about
21
million people have vision loss or blindness,
according to the National Center for Health
Statistics. With a little eyesight insight, you
can reduce your risk.
UP THE ANTI
Antioxidant-rich foods, particularly those
loaded with lutein and omega
-3
fatty acids,
protect against age-related eye disorders, such
as cataracts and macular degeneration,
leading causes of blindness in those
50
and older. Eat spinach or kale frequently,
says optometrist Jeffrey Anshel, president
of the Optometric Nutrition Society. One
study found that V cup of spinach or kale
daily cut the risk of age-related macular
disease by a dramatic
70
percent. Other
lutein-rich foods include broccoli,
romaine lettuce, zucchini, and peas. You
need a small amount of fat to absorb
lutein, so drizzle on a little olive oil.
For a protective dose of omega-
3
s,
nibble on a handful of nuts or a couple
servings of fatty fish, such as salmon, at
least once a week.
BAN BUTTS
Smokers have twice the risk of losing their
sight as nonsmokers, according to the
National Council for the Blind. As if you
didn’t have enough reasons to quit.
GET GOGGLE-EYED
Home is where the harm is, says Dr.
George J. Florakis, an ophthalmologist at
Columbia University Medical Center in
New York. Most preventable eye injuries
occur at home, he says. Wear goggles
when undertaking home repair projects,
including tasks that involve hammering,
drilling, sawing, and sanding. Also, wear
eye protection when gardening or using
lawn tools—
likewise when playing games
such as racquetball or squash.
HAVE 20/20/20 VISION
In front of the computer a lot? To avoid
eye strain, dry eyes, or stiff necks, Anshel
suggests practicing the 20/20/20 rule.
“Every
20
minutes, take
20
seconds to
look away 20 feet,” he says.
SEE A DOCTOR
By age
40
, assuming no serious vision
problems or health conditions such as
diabetes, you should have had a baseline
eye exam. If you haven’t, get one. Then
follow up every two to four years. Eye
problems caught early are more treatable.
Seal Out
the Sun
You know to protect your
skin from the damages of
ultraviolet radiation. But
did you know it hurts your
eyes as well? You can
actually get a sunburn on
your corneas. Fortunately,
it’s reversible. Cataracts,
which can develop from
cumulative exposure,
aren’t so easily dealt with,
so always have a pair of
sunglasses handy that are
rated to block both UVA
and UVB rays (look on the
label). If you find yourself
forgettingto tote
sunglasses around,
consider buildingthem
into your prescription
lenses. Photochromic
lenses such as Transitions
(transitions.com)
automatically darken when
exposed to sunlight,
blocking 100 percent of
UVA and UVB rays. When
you go back inside, they
quickly return to being
clear. Photochromic lenses
are about $70 more than
regular lenses. If you’re a
contacts wearer, special
UV protective contact
lenses are now available
too. Acuvue Oasys contact
lenses block at least 90
percent of UVA rays and
99 percent of UVB rays.
"They should be worn
with sunglasses for full
protection,” says Susan
Resnick, an optometrist in
New York City. Learn more
at
acuvue.com.
220 MAY 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
PHOTO: JUPITER IMAGES
