All good Opticians + Optometertrists will be aware that Lutein -Zeaxanthin is the primary anti-oxidant to provide good eyehealth and helps to reduce the risks of cataracts.

Macular degeneration is said to be uncureable BUT it is known that if detected in the early stages the progression can be slowed down by increased levels of Lutein-Zeaxanthin.

This anti-oxidant is primarily sourced from cruciferous vegetables - the dark green leafy vegetables such as Kale, Cabbage, Spinach, and Broccoli.

When parents say “eat your veg, it will put hairs on your chest” they could be better off saying ” you need to eat it to protect your eyes”

For some reason there seems to be a much more widely known saying for what causes blindness and it is not “playing with your food”.

So what is Macular Degeneration and how is it caused.

I am not an optician. I am just interested in food and how different foods can harm or help parts of the body. So put it very simply the macular is part of the eye behind the retina. When the macular degenerates ( common sign of ageing ) your ability to see well degenerates and could eventually lead to complete blindness.

This condition is usually labeled Adult Macular Degeneration ( AMD )

Genetic influences can be a factor of the onset of ( AMD )

Smoking can double the risks of Adult Macular Degeneration.

But on the good side, we can do something about preventing it in the first place. I have copied the Nutritional text below from http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/amd.shtml

Nutrition - the role of vitamins and minerals and antioxidants in helping to prevent AMD isn’t clear. Some scientific evidence suggests a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals may help reduce the risk of a person developing AMD, although other studies suggest the scientific evidence isn’t strong enough to recommend this.

However, a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals is unlikely to cause any harm. It makes sense to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables each day, particularly kale and leafy green vegetables.

I was prescribed prescription glasses about 10 years ago when I was a croupier, dealing cards for up to 3 hours at a time was making my sight blurry & giving me headaches so I needed them for my job.

My last visit to the opticians was about 3 years ago. I was 35 then and was surprised when I was bluntly told ” your sight is good at the moment but you will be struggling to see without strong glasses by the time you are 40″.

I’m glad I love my fruit & veg because now 38 i’m stil not needing spec’s and can see perfectly well.

Also now a reformed smoker so even more chance that I can dodge this and prove my optician wrong.