Dr. Cherry Prescribes...

Dr. Cherry Prescribes...

Antioxidants Shown to Lower Incidence of Cataracts

Cataracts are opaque areas (or opacities) that form in the normally transparent lens of the eye. These opacities cause a painless, gradual loss of vision that typically begins in middle age or later and, if left untreated, could eventually cause blindness.

In fact, cataracts are the number one cause of vision loss and about 50 percent of the American population between the ages of 65 and 74 are afflicted with cataracts. That percentage increases to an incredible 75 percent after age 75. Cataract removal is also the number one surgical procedure done by Medicare.

While cataracts are usually associated with advancing age or medical conditions such as diabetes, lack of proper nutrition has also been implicated in their development. Antioxidant deficiencies, in particular, may be most strongly associated with cataracts. Over a half dozen studies have observed a lower incidence of cataracts in those who regularly consume higher levels of antioxidant nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein and zeaxanthin (the last two being carotenoid antioxidants that have a special affinity for the tissues of the eye).

So far, it hasn’t been proven that you can reverse a cataract once it has begun to form, but several studies have shown that you can significantly slow its progression with a high intake of antioxidant nutrients. This is good news because cataracts progress very slowly anyway, so with the right type of diet and supplement program you may be able to protect your vision well into your future. You can further increase your chances of avoiding cataract disease by maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, not smoking and wearing UV-coated sunglasses while outdoors.