Eat your carrots & leafy greens - and take your Vision Support, too!

by Kate A. Griffith

When you were a child, did your mom tell you to eat your carrots to keep your eyes healthy? In theory, she was right. Carrots contain beta-carotene, a carotenoid pigment found in bright orange fruits and vegetables that is also a precursor for vitamin A. Vitamin A plays a major role in eyesight by preventing night blindness and helping with the maintenance of a healthy, clear cornea (outer membrane of the eye). Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, mango, cantaloupe and apricots are all rich sources of beta-carotene.

Carrots also contain a compound called lutein, an antioxidant almost always paired with zeaxanthin.

Vision Support formulas

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS)—a major study conducted by the National Institute of Eye Health—found that certain combinations of vitamins and antioxidants truly protect and promote eye health.

In the study, scientists looked at the effects of zinc and antioxidants, and a combination of both, on patients with cataracts, and on those with varying stages and types of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The study showed that high levels of antioxidants and zinc can significantly reduce the risk of vision loss from advanced AMD.

So, based on Mom’s advice, it begs the question:

Can diet alone provide the same high levels of antioxidants and zinc as the AREDS Formulation?

No. The high levels of vitamins and minerals are difficult to achieve from diet alone. Previous studies have suggested that people who have diets rich in green, leafy vegetables have a lower risk of developing AMD. But diet alone won’t offer your eyes the measure of protection that supplements provide.

Additional studies have proven that the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin lower the risk of developing both AMD and cataracts.

The authors of the Lutein Antioxidant Supplementation Trial (LAST) concluded that the improvements seen in this study participants may be due to the protective role of lutein as a blue light filter and an antioxidant that specifically protects and strengthens eye tissue.

The LAST study indicates what scientific evidence has been unveiling for many years now: lutein may play an important role in eye health as a useful bioactive agent in reducing the risk of AMD. Using macular pigment optical density (MPOD) as a biomarker of macular health, significant increases in MPOD were observed in the lutein supplemented groups. Low MPOD has been associated with increased AMD risk.

The results from this study led the researchers to strongly suggest that AMD may be a lutein-responsive disorder. Moreover, the specific and extensive battery of ophthalmic tests performed in the LAST study—measuring objective central vision outcomes—are consistent with the increase in MPOD, suggesting a link between MPOD and visual function.

Omega 3 fatty acids

Equally compelling studies have proven that consuming omega 3 fatty acids and fatty fish may reduce the risk of developing AMD by nearly 40 percent.

Australian researchers pooled the data from nine separate studies to conclude that the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids have a profound and pronounced affect against the formation of AMD. They also found that eating the fish rich in these oils was associated with a reduced risk of both early and advanced AMD. So be sure to add a serving of wild Alaskan salmon to your plate of leafy greens. When choosing a fish oil supplement, look for one that promises molecular distillation and purity, provided by the Freshlife brand.

Multivitamins

According to a study published in the 2000 journal Ophthalmology, the risk for cataracts is 60-percent lower among persons who use multivitamins or supplements containing vitamins C or E for more than 10 years. Use of vitamins for shorter duration is not associated with reduced risk for cataracts. Vitamin C reduces the risk of cortical cataracts in women aged 60 years or less & carotenoids reduce the risk of posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) in women who have never smoked. Higher intakes of protein, vitamin A, niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin (i.e. vitamin B-complex) are associated with reduced prevalence of nuclear cataracts.

Bilberry

Bilberry has a long history of use for various eye conditions. The active components, flavonoid anthocyanosides, are potent antioxidants with a particular affinity for the eye and vascular tissues. Interest in bilberry was first aroused during World War II when British Royal Air Force pilots reported improved night visual acuity on bombing raids after consuming bilberries. Subsequent claims have been made that the administration of bilberry extracts results in improved night visual acuity, quicker adjustment to darkness and faster restoration of visual acuity after exposure to glare. In a report of 50 patients with age-related cataracts, a combination of bilberry and vitamin E delayed the progression of cataracts. Bilberry has been used in the treatment of glaucoma as well. (Blueberries are a close cousin of bilberries and offer similar benefits.)

Ginkgo Biloba

An extract of ginkgo has several biological actions which combine to make it a potentially useful agent in the treatment of glaucoma: improved circulation, reduced arterial spasticity, increased antioxidant activity, reduced blood platelet “stickiness,” decreased cell death and inhibition of the formation of unhealthy brain cells from chemical toxins such as aspartame.

Research also shows that supplementing with ginkgo can help people with macular degeneration, an oxidation-related disorder causing decreased or lost vision. Studies have also shown that ginkgo improves the distance-vision of people who show signs of degeneration in the retina. By strengthening the tiny blood vessels in the eye, and by acting as an antioxidant, ginkgo provides strong protection against several eye diseases.

By all means, pile your plate full of kale, spinach, collard greens, and, of course, carrots. In addition, be sure to add some of these critical vision-supporting supplements to ensure life-long vision health.