What can you do to keep your eyes healthy?

There are many things you can do to keep your eyes healthy.

To keep your eyes healthy, avoid...

* caffeine, sugar, white flour, and nicotine

* Valium, Haldol, antidepressants, quinine, adrenocorticotropic hormone or ACTH (Acthar, Cortrosyn), Allopurinol (Zyloprim used for gout), anticoagulants (heparin, warfarin, Coumadin), aspirin, Decadron, Cortenema, Hydrocortone, Solu-Cortef, VoSolHC, prednisolone (Blephamide, Hydeltra-T.B.A.) and prednisone (Deltasone), diuretics, antihistamines, digitalis, Diabinese(for diabetes), Indocin(for arthritis), marijuana, continued use of niacin (nicotinic acid), streptomycin, tetracycline and sulfa drugs --- they may hasten eye abnormalities

* Extended wear contact lenses --- users are 15 times more likely to suffer ulcerative keratitis

*Using hair dyes containing coal tar on your eyelashes or eyebrows.

To keep your eyes healthy, ingest...

* 100 mg of zinc a day (no more than that)

* Eyebright tea or capsules (health food store) or SP-23 Eyebright Blend from Solaray to promote good eyesight

* Bilberry tea or capsules; follow directions on the label to nourish the eye and enhance visual function

* 1-2 glasses of fresh carrot juice a day

* 2 tablespoons of cod liver oil a day

* lots of fruits and vegetables --- they are good sources of the vitamins and minerals that keep your eyes healthy, especially yellow and yellow-orange foods (carrots, yams, and cantaloupes). Other foods to concentrate on include raw cabbage, cauliflower, green vegetables, sunflower seeds, watercress, and squash.

To keep your eyes healthy, use/do...

* Blink often ---especially important if you watch TV or a computer screen for hours

* Palm your eyes twice a day. Lie down or sit down and put your palms over your eyes. Let your eyes relax. If you see spots or flashing or bright lights, palm more often.

* Obtain sufficient sleep.

* Place a wet, warm compress or wash cloth over your eyes and relax.

Sources and Resources:

Balch and Balch, Prescription for Nutirtional Healing, Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing Group,1997.

Russell Wild. The Complete Book of Natural and Medicinal Cures. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1994.

Janet Zand, Allan Spreen, James LaValle, Smart Medicine for Healthier Living. Garden City Park, NY: Avery, 1999.