There are several things that could cause that. Ask your doctor. Depending on the condition, you may or may not be able to slow or stop the process through a healthy diet, but you can help prevent other conditions that could decrease your vision or cause blurriness that cannot be corrected by glasses.
Each year I go to my eye doctor, he changes my prescription even though my vision hasn’t changed. Why does he do that?
Go ahead and ask your doctor. You are entitled to have your questions and concerns answered by your doctor.
My son started wearing glasses at 16. He is a little nearsighted, but I have a significant astigmatism. How can we prevent his eyes from getting worse?
You may not be able to stop his need to wear glasses through a healthy diet, but you can help prevent other conditions that could decrease your vision or cause blurriness that cannot be corrected by glasses. It’s hard for me to tell without examining him, so go ahead and talk to your doctor about your son and what to expect.
What can I do or take for early signs of glaucoma?
There is a misconception that glaucoma is a disorder of pressure in the eye. It is actually a disorder of the health of the nerve behind the eye. Keeping that nerve in good health is essential. Nutrition can go a long way to help keeping the nerve in back of the eye healthy.
My doctor says I have astigmatism in my left eye that gets worse each year. What can I do to improve it or is there a cure?
Good healthy nutrition is essential for the cornea, the window in the front of the eye, often the source of astigmatism. In addition, a healthy diet can help prevent other conditions that could decrease your vision or cause blurriness that cannot be corrected by glasses.
Why is it harder for me to see far away and focus? Is it because I’m in my 40’s?
Go ahead and get your eyes checked. There are many things that can cause difficulty seeing far away, and probably not be related to reaching age 40, when the lens in the eye has difficulty focusing.
I know that you can get migraines with an aura with the flashes of light in the eye. But can you get the aura without the migraine? Is that normal?
Yes, it is certainly common and possible to get the lights without the headache. Talk to your doctor and get a good eye exam to make sure you’re not missing anything else that needs treatment.
I don’t smoke or drink but my eyes are very red and the left one aches. Sometimes I have blurry vision.
Red, achy, blurry vision — go see your doctor. Eye doctors are a wonderful asset and we’re here to help, but it needs to start with an eye exam. So, yes, go to your doctor.
Should a diabetic take lutein to take to help with eye health?
Lutein is a powerful antioxidant and in the back of the eye, it forms a layer that acts like natural sunglasses to protect your eyes from damaging effects of the sun and sunlight. And it’s not only good for diabetics. There’s a lot in lutein in my book.
Is there a cure for diabetic retinopathy?
Depending on the type and severity, yes, sometimes there is, and a healthy diet is an essential component of the treatment. There is a chapter devoted to diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in the book.
How does high blood pressure and smoking effect your sight?
Believe it or not, the highest blood flow of anywhere in your body, per square millimeter, is in the back of your eyes, so toxins from smoking can accumulate and cause damage to the back of your eyes. High blood pressure can damage all those delicate blood vessels in your eyes. Stop smoking and see your doctor to help you control your blood pressure.
I am 33 with keratoconus. I see my eye doctor yearly. Do you have any advice for me?
A good healthy diet can go a long ways. The eye demands high levels of nutrients, so help out your eyes and vision with good foods. There are a lot of good nutrient choices in my book. And keep going to your eye doctor….we’re here to help!
Did I hear you say coffee is good for your eyes?
Yes, coffee is loaded with bioflavonoids that act as antioxidants to protect your eyes. Chocolate (unsweetened) is another top source. There are lot more exciting delicious nutrient sources in the book.
I’ve always heard carrots are good for your eyes.
Carrots are wonderful and loaded with a powerful nutrient called beta-carotene. But don’t just limit yourself to carrots. A broad spectrum of vegetables can do wonders for the body and the eyes specifically.
What types of fish are best for eye health?
The best fish are those with higher amounts of omega-3 oils, particularly one called DHA. Salmon is one of the best sources. There’s a nice table in the book with various fish and how much fish oils they have.
If you’re over 50, can you really improve eye health with diet?
It is possible. There are many conditions of the eyes that can be improved, alleviated, prevented, or protected against, such as dry eye, glaucoma, cataract, diabetes, or macular degeneration.
My eye pressure readings are always high, but I always pass the vision field test. What can I do to keep my pressure down?
There is a misconception that glaucoma is a disorder of pressure in the eye. It is actually a disorder of the health of the nerve behind the eye. Keeping that nerve in good health is essential. Nutrition can go a long way to help keeping the nerve in back of the eye healthy.
What are the effects of taking insulin on your eyes?
In some people, the body does not produce enough insulin so it cannot control sugars well, resulting in diabetes. Insulin helps control sugar levels in the bloodstream. High sugars can damage the eyes, particularly the blood vessels in the back of the eyes.
Do you have any suggestions for retinitis pigmentosa patients?
There is a lot of good advice for those with retinitis pigmentosa, and nutrition does indeed go a long way. There’s quite a bit in the book about nutrition and retinitis pigmentosa.
Is macular degeneration correctable?
There are different forms of macular degeneration. There was one good study that showed that good nutrition can reverse some of the changes in macular degeneration. While, in many people, macular degeneration may not be reversible, it may certainly be stopped in its tracks or its progression may be slowed. There are also other measures for macular degeneration that I talk about in the book.
I am diabetic, but not on insulin. How often should I have my eyes dilated to check for eye damage?
You should have an eye exam soon if you haven’t already. Then, depending on what is found, the follow-ups may range from weeks to up to a year.
I suffer from advanced glaucoma. I had surgery 15 years ago to relieve pressure. What can I do to keep it stable?
There is a misconception that glaucoma is a disorder of pressure in the eye. It is actually a disorder of the health of the nerve behind the eye. Keeping that nerve in good health is essential. Nutrition can go a long way to help keeping the nerve in back of the eye healthy.
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Get Well Wednesdays: Dr. Neal Adams Answers All Your Eye Health Questions was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
