Dr. Maynard McIntosh
Protecting your eyes starts with the food you eat. Nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids, Lutein, Zinc, and Vitamin C & E will help to reduce age related vision problems such as Macular Degeneration and Cataracts.
Maintaining a well balance diet also helps to maintain a healthy weight which makes it less likely to get obesity related diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, which is the leading cause of blindness in adults.
- Macular Degeneration
This affects the macular, which is in the center of the retina and controls sharp vision.
- Cataracts
Cataracts make the eyes cloudy. A cataract starts out small and at first has little effect on your vision. You may notice that your vision is blurred a little, like looking through a cloudy piece of glass. A cataract may make light from the sun or a lamp seem too bright or glaring. Or you may notice when you drive at night that the oncoming headlights cause more glare than before. Colors may not appear as bright as they once did. The lens can usually be removed by surgery.
- Diabetic Retinopathy
This causes damage to the retina as a result of diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is the result of damage to the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina. They leak blood and other fluids that cause swelling of retinal tissue and clouding of vision. The condition usually affects both eyes. The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they will develop diabetic retinopathy. If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness. It is sometimes treated with a laser. Control of diabetes is very important.
Prevention is a great way to avoid eye diseases. Getting your eyes checked every one to two years is vital to the health of your eyes, and is proven to be the best way to keep eye diseases at bay. Be sure to follow any treatments and take any medications that are prescribed by your eye doctor.
Dr. Maynard McIntosh, MBBS. D.O. (UWI), is an ophthalmologist with a practice at
Phoenix Optical, 65 Main Street, St. Ann’s Bay, St. Ann. You may also contact him at [email protected]
