Sufficient evidence exists that diet and nutritional therapy play a significant role in cataract risk. - Contributed

Of all the five senses, eyesight is the one we probably treasure the most. Fear of blindness is a major concern for many people as they age.

Eyes provide a window to the world and in many ways function like a camera. The human eye has a lens, an object about the size of an aspirin tablet. A clear lens is vital for good eyesight and a common cause of poor vision and even blindness is a clouding or opacification of the lens. This abnormality called a cataract. Surgery to remove cataracts is one of the commonest surgical procedures in the world today.

CAUSES OF CATARACTS

The lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and allows light to pass through it. A cataract starts when the lens protein is damaged and a cloudy area develops. Over time, it may enlarge with pro.gressive loss of vision.

The lens has no blood vessels supplying it with nutrients. It gets its nutrition indirectly from the fluid that surrounds it inside the eye. In order to maintain transparency, the lens must receive adequate amounts of protective substances called antioxidants.

I believe that most cataracts simply reflect inadequate antioxidant protection for the lens. Eye specialists, however, rarely emphasise this and would rather focus on treating the effect than the cause. Risk factors for cataracts formation include:

AGE: The experts say that the lens loses about one per cent of its transparency each year of life, so if a person lives long enough, he or she will develop cataracts. I do not believe that cataracts are inevitable. Below, I will share strategies for preventing cataracts.

SUNSHINE: The lens of the eye is under unusual stress because it is exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. For the really healthy individual, this should do no damage, but without adequate antioxidant protection, the proteins in the lens may be damaged, resulting in cataracts.

DIABETES: The lens is sensitive to high blood sugar (and high insulin) levels, which can cause inflammation, vision changes and eventually diabetic cataracts. Elevated blood sugar (glucose) can oxidise and harden in the lens, a destructive process among diabetics called glycation. Nutrition is the primary solution to this problem.

DRUGS: Photosensitising drugs (drugs that make you more sensitive to the sun) are commonly prescribed and can make you more susceptible to cataracts. Some are listed below:

- Antihistamines

- Birth-control pills

- Tranquillisers

- Sulfa drugs

- Antidiabetic drugs

- Antidepressants

- NSAIDS (aspirin, ibuprofen,

advil, meclofen, etc)

- Steroids

Other medications that have been linked to cataracts include tamoxifen (for breast cancer), allopurinol (for gout), and amiodarone (for irregularities in heartbeat).

VEGGIES AND FRUITS

Sufficient evidence exists that diet and nutritional therapy play a significant role in cataract risk. In one study, individuals who do not eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day are five to 13 times more likely to develop cataracts.

In 1992, researchers at Harvard Medical School in Boston surveyed over 50,000 nurses and found women who consumed spinach five or more times per week reduced their risk of cataract surgery by more than 45 per cent.

Another study found that individuals who consume the highest amounts of butter and salt have double the cataract risk compared to those who consume the lowest amounts of these foods, while eating spinach, peppers, melons, tomatoes and citrus fruits halve the risk of needing cataract surgery.

PLENTY OF LUTEIN

Lutein is a carotenoid (one of over 650) found in green, leafy vegetables and fruits. It acts as an antioxidant, protecting the lens from free radical damage. Unfortunately, most people don't eat enough of these foods and don't get enough lutein.

Adding lutein-rich foods to your diet or taking lutein-containing supplements solves the problem. Some excellent sources include kale, collard greens, and spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and egg yolk. Nutrition experts recommend consuming 6mg or more of lutein a day.

Zeaxanthin, another carotenoid, may be equally as effective as lutein in protecting eyesight.

TAKE ANTIOXIDANTS

Insufficient dietary antioxidant intake dramatically increases cataract risk. In 1990, James Robertson, of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Western Ontario in Canada, compared adults with cataracts to those without. He found that taking 300-600mg supplemental vitamin C reduced cataract risk by 70 per cent and 400 IU vitamin E for more than a year reduced cataract risk by 50 per cent.

USE NAC EYE DROPS

For well over a decade, Russian scientists have been researching a special eye drop called n-acetylcarnosine, or NAC, for the treatment of cataracts. NAC eye drops act as a powerful ocular antioxidant.

In 1999, a Chinese study was done by A.M. Wang in 96 patients having senile cataracts. The result showed that NAC eye drops gave a pronounced benefit on over 80 per cent of the cases.

Russian research published in 2002 in the journal Drugs Research and Development showed that after six months, 90 per cent of cataract affected eyes treated with NAC showed improvements in visual acuity ranging from seven per cent to 100 per cent. No worsening of vision or side effects were found in any eyes treated with NAC.

The NAC eye-drop treatment has now been used on thousands of cataract patients in China and Russia with clear evidence that NAC eye drops are safe and effective. After much resistance, its use in the United States and the United Kingdom is now being reluctantly accepted.

This product is available from the Life Extension Foundation in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Sadly, Jamaicans can expect to be unreasonably frustrated by local customs and health officials should they attempt to import these drops.

STOP SMOKING

Finally, avoid cigarette smoke as well as other forms of pollution. They accelerate free-radical damage to the lens, while compromising your vision.

Bottom line: Take care of your eyes. Cataracts can be prevented or even reversed.