Supplement For Eye Health
05 July 2008
Have you ever been told eating carrots will help you see in the dark? Bausch & Lomb have produced a list of eye myths and the truth behind them. They’ve also got a new supplement Ocuvite Lutein available, which protects the macula and maintains good eye health.
Declining eye health only affects the elderly
FICTION! An eye test is a vital health check, and can detect eye conditions before you notice the effect they are having on your vision regardless of your age. Adults between 16-59 year olds should have a full eye test every two years, and others should be tested annually.
The darker your sunglasses the better they are for your eyes
FICTION! If your sunglasses do not have UV protection and carry the CE mark, the dark lenses may actually damage your eyes by dilating your pupil and letting in more of the harmful UV rays. Go for brown or amber lenses, which reduce the amount of blue light allowed through!
You can't take a vitamin to help protect your sight
FICTION! Supplements are useful for boosting eye health. Bausch & Lomb's Ocuvite Lutein contains antioxidant vitamins and lutein, a carotenoid pigment found naturally in green leafy vegetables, as well as the retina of the eye. It's available over the counter at most Boots stores, and pharmacies, at £7.49 for 30 capsules.
Vitamin and mineral supplements can also be effective in preserving eye health in those susceptible to age-related changes such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Bausch & Lomb's PreserVision Soft Gels are high potency antioxidant supplements developed to help with eye health in those susceptible to age-related changes, and may be helpful in treating those diagnosed with AMD.
PreserVision Original and Lutein Soft Gels are available over the counter at most Boots stores, and pharmacies, priced at £14.95 (RRP) for 60 Soft Gels, each pack providing one month’s supply.
Eating carrots improves eyesight.
FACT! There's some truth in this as carrots are a source of vitamin A, which is important for the eyes. But before embarking on an all-carrot diet, bear in mind that it's more important for eye health to have a balanced diet that supports your all-round health. Poor nutrition is implicated in diseases such as AMD.
Smoking can make you go blind
FACT! The UK’s 13 million smokers are doubling their chances of going blind as a result of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the UK's leading cause of blindness according to recent research. Of the 500,000 people in the UK who have been diagnosed with the condition, an estimated 54,000 have AMD as a result of smoking. The message is simple – stop smoking.
Reading in dim light can damage your eyes.
FICTION! Reading in dim light can cause eye fatigue but will not actually hurt your eyes.
If you cross your eyes when the wind changes, they can get stuck there.
FICTION! There is no known link between the wind and your eyes!
Watching TV too much will damage eyes.
FACT and FICTION! Children will be delighted to know that this warning isn't strictly true, but parents can fall back on the fact that too much viewing can make your eyes tired or cause a headache. You're particularly vulnerable if TV is viewed in a darkened room.
All babies are born with blue eyes
FACT! Babies' eyes change from blue to their natural colour by the age of three, by which time their eyes have produced and stored enough brown pigment to take on their natural shade – be that blue, green, grey, brown or hazel!
See the Bausch & Lomb website for information on PreserVision, Ocuvite Lutein and Hycosan.