Loading... Please wait...
- Home
- Learning Center
- articles
Learning Center
What is Cataracts
Posted by on
Eliezer Gruber, CN
Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over age 40 and the principal cause of blindness in the world. When we look at something, light rays travel into our eye through the pupil and are focused through the lens onto the retina. This process requires a clear lens; when a cataract (a filmy cloud) is present, vision is impeded.There are different kinds of cataracts; the type most commonly associated with aging form deep in the nucleus (central zone) of the lens.
Besides advancing age, cataract risk factors are believed to include exposure to ultraviolet radiation, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, prolonged use of corticosteroid medications and statin medicines for cholesterol, previous eye injury or inflammation, previous eye surgery, severe nearsightedness, hormone replacement therapy and family history.
Some experts now believe that cataracts can be caused by oxidative changes in the human lens, a theory supported by studies showing that fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants may help prevent certain types of cataracts
Preventing Vision Loss Through Nutrition
Preventing Vision Loss Through NutritionEdward Gruber, CNIncreasingly, research is showing that vision loss associated with aging may be prevented and slowed by vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants, or taken in supplement form. A small sampling of the studies follows below: * In 2001, the National Eye Institute (NEI) announced results of the Age Related Eye Disease [...]
What is Glaucoma?
What is Glaucoma?Edward Gruber, CNGlaucoma refers to a group of conditions that causes harm to the optic nerve that carries information from the eye to the brain. The two main types -- open-angle and angle-closure -- are associated with higher-than-normal pressure inside the eye. Angle-closure (which refers to the closing of the angle between the iris and cornea) is the far [...]
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?Edward Gruber, CNThe most common eye disease associated with diabetes, diabetic retinopathy is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina -- the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Diabetic retinopathy can cause blood vessels to swell and leak fluid; in other cases, it can cause abnormal new blood vessels to grow on [...]
What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?
What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?Edward Gruber, CNIn AMD, the light-sensing cells in the central area of vision (macula) deteriorate and eventually die. Symptoms of AMD include blurred or fuzzy vision, the illusion that straight lines (such as sentences on a page) are wavy, and the appearance of a dark or empty area in the center of vision. People with AMD typically [...]
Let’s Focus on Saving Our Sight!
Let’s Focus on Saving Our Sight!Edward Gruber, CNAnyone struggling with vision loss or who has an older friend or relative experiencing vision loss knows just how devastating the condition can be.Aside from its impact on everyday life activities like reading, cooking and driving – even simple tasks like dressing and eating become a challenge – impaired vision and blindness take [...]
B Gets a Grade “A” for Cognitive Function
B Gets a Grade “A” for Cognitive FunctionEdward Gruber, CNThe B vitamins have been shown to play a role in preventing cognitive decline as we age. A sampling of the evidence: *A January 2007 study published in the Archives of Neurology suggests that increasing intake of folate and vitamins B6 and B12, which lower homocysteine, may play [...]
Preventing Cognitive “D-cline” With Vitamin D
Preventing Cognitive “D-cline” With Vitamin DEdward Gruber, CNMore and more, research is demonstrating a link between vitamin D deficiency and cognitive impairment. Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School, the University of Cambridge and the University of Michigan, for example,identified a relationship between vitamin D and cognitive impairment in a large-scale study of almost 2000 adults aged 65. The [...]
The Link Between Omega-3 and Alzheimer ’s disease
The Link Between Omega-3 and Alzheimer ’s diseaseEdward Gruber, CNAs the American population ages -- according to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2050 people 65 and over will comprise 21 percent of the U.S. population -- science continues to confirm nutrition’s role in modifying the risk of age-related chronic disease and cognitive decline. The brain boosting benefits of [...]
Proper Nutrition for Healthy Aging
Proper Nutrition for Healthy AgingEdward Gruber, CNWe all want to grow old—we’re just not all that thrilled about aging. And who can blame us? As most baby boomers can attest, the “golden years” tend to bring with them an array of physical, mental and emotional challenges. Although people certainly age differently, scientists have identified certain [...]
Meet 
VIEW OUR 
A HEALTHY 
