My family doctor told me that I have a small cataract in one eye and that I should have it removed at some time. Can this cataract make me go blind?
Cataract is a common disease of eyes. The condition usually affects both eyes but almost always one eye is affected earlier than the other. Though various health conditions can cause cataract, the most common causes are aging, family history, diabetes, injury to the eye, long term unprotected exposure to sunlight, side effects of drugs, excessive intake of alcoholic drinks and vitamin deficiencies. Cataracts typically progress slowly to cause vision loss and are potentially blinding if left untreated.
The first symptom of cataract is blurred vision. As the disease progresses, you may experience double vision or spots. In the advanced stage, there is a whitish discoloration in the pupil.
In healthy eyes, the lens in the eye is composed of a transparent, jelly-like material that is rich in protein. Over time, the protein in the lens may become damaged, causing it to become cloudy.
To better understand this process, think of an egg: While raw egg white is transparent, it becomes solid and impenetrable when the protein within it is “damaged” during the cooking process. The damage to the lens that can ultimately lead to cataract formation is caused by destructive molecules known as free radicals. Getting rid of free radicals is believed to be one of the keys to reducing cataract risk.
Research has found that consuming foods rich in antioxidants known as carotenoids may protect against cataract development. While some antioxidants are manufactured within our body, many come directly from the food we eat. If you and I do not include enough of these anti-oxidants in our diet, they will not be present in our eyes to offer us protection from oxidative damage.
Although Beta-carotene is perhaps the best-known carotenoid, we cannot disregard or neglect its “less celebrated cousins” called lutein (pronounced loo-teen) and zeaxanthin (pronounced zee-ah-zanthin). They are believed to have a special role to play in terms of combating free radical damage in the eye. One food that is rich in both lutein and zeaxanthin is spinach. In one study, spinach was the food most consistently associated with a reduced cataract risk, and it might help you to include plenty of this in your diet.
I am sure there are other vegetables that are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin. Also high on the list are vitamins C and E, the minerals selenium and zinc and the herbs ashwaganda, bilberry and eyebright.
When you are having your eyes examined, always ask your doctor whether cataract has commenced or if there are any signs that it might develop. If the answer is not satisfactory or clear, be insistent. If a cataract has started to develop, instead of waiting for it to be “ripe” enough for surgery, seek ocular nutritional therapy at once since more help can obviously be given in the early stages than in the latter.
Whether you want to prevent cataract or have it in one or both eyes, the following lifestyle adjustments may help you:
- Regular eye exams
- Use supplements for healthy eye maintenance.
- Quit smoking or do not start
- Wear sunglasses
- Rest your eyes
In closing, I recommend that you take a supplement that contains and supports as many of the aforementioned as possible and moreover has been specifically formulated to help in the maintenance of healthy eyes.
“Our eyes are the window to the soul” so take care of them.
