Eye health, macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, help is out there

Eye health is a subject close to my heart.

Why? Because my partner is an Optometrist (Optician) and every day he comes home with tales to tell of people who have chronic eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.

We all know that an appointment with our Optician is important for vision checks but did you know that it is also an important health check too?



Your optician can pick up early signs of a large number of health conditions as well as eye health conditions. It is really important to have regular eye checks, the earlier the diagnosis the better the prognosis. AMD and cataract incidence are growing. Worldwide, more than 25 million people are affected by age-related macular degeneration and the formation of cataracts. AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people over age 55 in the Western world and the incidence is expected to triple by 2025. (source: American Optometric Association)


If you have any of these conditions or want to maximise the chances that you won't develop any of these conditions then what can you do?

Lutein and zeaxanthin are important nutrients found in green leafy vegetables as well as other foods such as eggs. Many studies have shown that lutein and zeaxanthin reduce the risk of chronic eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.

So you could eat lots of green leafy vegetables and eggs (imagine the wind lol) or you could take just a simple supplement every day.

I have Crohns disease so both green vegetables and eggs are a real problem for me. Having Crohns disease makes me more prone to uveitis. If you have any autoimmune disease you are more prone to uveitis.
Common signs of uveitis include:

• pain in one or both eyes
• redness of eye
• blurred vision
• sensitivity to light (photophobia)
• floaters (shadows that move across your field of vision)

It is probably one of the most frightening things I have ever experienced. I was lucky that my GP recognised it straight away and called an ambulance. YES! An ambulance!! It can be so serious that you can lose your sight. The thought of not being able to see my 5 children's faces again was and is a terrifying thought. I have started taking a supplement that contains Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Bilberry, Vitamin A and Zinc. I am so impressed. After my initial frightening experience I have had some or all of the above symptoms on several occasions.  I haven't had any signs of uveitis for 2 years now. I believe it is because of the supplement I am taking.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids that filter harmful high-energy blue wavelengths of light and act as antioxidants in the eye, helping protect and maintain healthy cells. Of the 600 carotenoids found in nature, only two are deposited in high quantities in the retina (macula) of the eye: lutein and zeaxanthin. The quantity of lutein and zeaxanthin in the macular region of the retina can be measured as macular pigment optical density (MPOD). Recently, MPOD has become a useful biomarker for not only predicting disease but also visual function. Unfortunately, the human body does not synthesize the lutein and zeaxanthin it needs, which is the reason why green vegetables are essential to good nutrition. Daily intake of lutein and zeaxanthin through diet, nutritional supplements, or fortified foods and beverages is important for the maintenance of good eye health. ( Source:American optometric association)

This is the supplement I take and would recommend

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