How do eye love thee?

The last time I had my eyes checked, my ophthalmologist was shocked that my reading grade went up 50 points. Admittedly, I truly abuse my eyes. There is not a day that passes that I don’t have eyestrain.  I am addicted to watching shows on YouTube till the wee hours, and I could watch three movies in a row on DVD — which amounts to almost  six continuous hours of using my eyes.  Not to mention the pile of magazines and books that I read. 

Last month, my eyestrain turned into severe migraine. It was time to visit my ophthalmologist again.  My good doctor (who prefers to remain anonymous) was shocked at the way I abuse my eyes.  He warned me of the eye diseases that could happen if I don’t change my lifestyle. 

For starters, I have a condition that he calls “hyperopia,” which occurs when the eyeball is too shallow and the lens is incapable of thickening properly, or the cornea is less curved than normal. (The cornea is the transparent part of the coat of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupil, and admits light to the interior).  In patients with these conditions, light rays from near objects do not converge in the eye, making vision of close objects blurred, while distant objects are seen clearly. This is farsightedness in layman’s language. With advancing age, the lens loses its elasticity, making it more difficult for the lens to change shape and focus on near images. For my condition, I have to use reading glasses. 

Other common eye diseases he warned about are : 

• Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a common eye condition among people 50 and older. The macula is the most sensitive part of the retina (the sensory membrane that lines the eye, composed of several layers including one that contains rods and cones), which is located at the back of the eye. It is made up of millions of light-sensing cells that provide sharp detailed central vision.  The retina quickly turns light into electrical signals and then sends these signals to the brain through the optic nerve.  The brain then translates the electrical signals into the images that we see. 

If the macula is damaged, the fine points in these images are not clear. The picture is there, but the fine points are lost.  In some people, AMD advances slowly, but in others, it progresses faster and may lead to vision loss in one or both eyes. This results in difficulty to recognize faces, drive a car, read, print, or do close work such as sewing or doing work around the house. 

• The opposite of hyperopia is myopia, which is also called nearsightedness. This occurs when the lens is incapable of flattening properly or if the cornea is abnormally convex.  This causes blurred vision for distant objects, and the person can only focus on near objects. 

Some people cannot see neither near nor far. They suffer from both hyperopia and myopia. They have to use two kinds of eyeglasses: to see distant objects (like for driving, doing sports, seeing your surroundings, and recognizing people) and to see near objects (reading, recognizing people near you).  My doctor joked that he has to put on his glasses upon waking up to make sure that he slept with the right woman. During a recent wedding, I was seated next to a friend who, I didn’t realize, was suffering from the same condition. He was using a pair of eyeglasses to recognize the people around him and changed to another pair when the dinner started. “I have to see the food I am eating,” he said. 

• Astigmatism is a structural defect of the cornea or crystalline lens that prevents light rays from converging at the same point on the retina, thus creating indistinct messages. For example, light rays from one part of the image may converge behind or in front of the retina, while light rays from another part of the image may converge on the retina.  As a result, the image as a whole is distorted. 

• Cataract is a buildup of protein in the lens that makes it cloudy. This prevents light from passing clearly through the lens, causing some loss of vision. Since new lens forms on the outside of the lens, all the older cells are compacted into the center of the lens, resulting in the cataract. Cloudy or blurry vision, double vision, problems with glare during the day, sudden changes in glass prescription, changes in the way you see color, and progressive nearsightedness wherein you don’t need glasses to read are signs of cataract. My doctor says I could be prone to this condition so I better start treating my eyes with a lot of love.  

A prescription of VitaClear, a kind of eye vitamin that has lutein and zeaxanthin, was dispensed.  I am not one to just pop any pill without doing a research on it, but he made it easy for me by giving me all the facts.  Vitaclear is distributed by Vendiz  Pharmaceuticals Inc., and is available at our local drugstores. Aside from lutein and zeaxanthin,which are derived from fruits and vegetables that are especially good for the eyes (like spinach, broccoli and leafy greens, kiwi, grapes, corn), VitaClear also has vitamins B3, B12, C, and E, zinc, selenium, and omega 3.  These vitamins are proven to help prevent and retard the progression of eye diseases, especially if you don’t eat as well as you should. 

I have religiously been taking VitaClear for a month now and I notice that my eyes are not as tired and strained as they used to be. When I feel I am using my eyes a lot, I take two capsules a day; otherwise, one capsule after dinner is prescribed.  VitaClear sells for only P16.50 per tablet, which is an inexpensive price to keep our eyes healthy. 

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Source:  WebMD.  For inquiries about VitaClear, call Vendiz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 929-1358 or 929-4261.