Are You Protecting Your Vision?

Take this quiz to see how you’re doing:

1.      Do you eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruits each day? Plant foods are powerhouses of protective nutrients that help prevent degenerative eye diseases.

2.      Do you include several weekly servings of spinach, collard greens, and other leafy greens? Leafy greens are great sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids abundant in the eyes that filter out harmful radiation.

3.      Do you eat several eggs a week? Egg yolks are nature’s richest source of lutein and zeaxanthin. Aim for no more than one yolk a day.

4.      Do you take a daily high-potency multivitamin with high doses of antioxidants? You simply can’t rely on diet alone to provide the levels of antioxidants you need for optimal eye health. Antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E, beta-carotene and other carotenoids, and zinc protect the eyes from light-induced free-radical damage.

5.      Do you take supplements containing bilberry, Ginkgo biloba, taurine, and other nutrients that target the eyes? Scores of studies demonstrate the protective effects of certain nutrients on the eyes. Bilberry improves night vision and visual acuity, Ginkgo biloba enhances ocular circulation and boosts collagen production, and taurine protects against degenerative diseases of the eyes. The best way to ensure that you are getting optimal doses of these nutrients is through supplementation.

6.      Do you drink judicious amounts of red wine? Wine contains beneficial phytochemicals and has been shown to reduce risk of macular degeneration by 19 percent. A glass of red wine a day may help preserve your vision. If you don’t want to drink alcohol, try red grape juice instead.

Now it’s your turn: Are you doing any of these things to protect your vision?

You may also be interested in:

Research Alert: New Help for Glaucoma

Diabetes and Retinopathy