Guest Author - Carolyn Chambers Clark, ARNP, EdD

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.