Macular Degeneration Treatment Tips

Calling all tanorexics! Beware of macular degeneration vision loss.

Are you one of the thousands of people who have visited a solarium in the past few months? Maybe you have a sun bed or tanning lamp at home. If so are you aware of the tanning bed dangers?

World health authorities are extremely alarmed at the increase in solarium use. One of the most worrying aspects of solarium or UV tanning is the damage it causes to your eyes.

Sun beds can emit radiation five times stronger than the Australian sun at midday.
Many people are aware of the risk of developing skin cancer from sun exposure but  the majority do not realize that sun and light radiation from other sources can cause damage to the eye.

Sources of UV Radiation Dangers include:

    •    the sun
    •    sun lamps or tanning beds
    •    electric arcs used by welders  
    •    furnaces used in steelmaking and glass blowing.

The UV radiation from these sources is emitted in three different wavebands:

    •    UV-A
    •    UV-B
    •    UV-C

Damage to the eyes from UV exposure is caused by photochemical and thermal mechanisms. Photochemical damage is mainly caused by UV-C and UV-B wavebands. Thermal damage is caused by UV-A.

Solarium sources are rich in UV-A and also contain UV-B.

The reason UV light damages the eye thermally or photochemically is because the eye is designed to protect against radiation by absorbing it. So eye damage is caused by an excess of absorbed radiation. Depending on the type of radiation or UV rays your eyes have been exposed to the consequences could include:
 
    •    cataracts - damage to the eye lens
    •    photokeratitis - corneal sunburn
    •    pterygium -  a thickening of the skin on the white of the eye
    •    pinguecula - a yellowish discoloration of the eyeball
    •    retinal damage
    •    skin cancer around the eyelids
    •    and ultimately Macular Degeneration which is the leading cause of vision loss in people over sixty years of age.

Avoiding an excess of UV rays is one the most important forms of eye protection you can practice.

Experts also advise:

Stay out of the sun between 10am and 2pm. This is when the UV dangers are at their peak.

Wear sunglasses which offer 90-100% protection from UV-A and UV-B rays. Sunglasses should also wrap around the temples and cover the entire eye area.

Avoid UV tanning whether by sun or artificial light sources. If you insist on using sun beds make sure you always wear full eye protection.

Be aware that certain drugs and prescription medicines increase the eyes’ sensitivity to light and therefore make them more susceptible to light or UV damage.

It is almost inevitable that UV-related eye disorders will increase over the next decade. This is due to the thinning of the ozone layer and growing popularity of activities such as using solariums.

Macular Degeneration vision loss and other eye health problems can be prevented or slowed by taking eye health supplements.  Use a quality macular degeneration formula to protect your eyes.

Click here for the best supplement to protect your eyes from macular degeneration vision loss.

Technorati Tags: eye health supplements, macular degeneration formula, macular degeneration vision, radiation dangers, tanning bed dangers, UV dangers

Research from two studies has recently shown that exercise, specifically running, has a positive effect on macular health.

Look after your vision with  Visulyn , formulated with care specifically for your macular health.
 

Technorati Tags: age-related macular degeneration, macular degeneration, macular health, Visulyn

In our last post we talked about how eye color influences your chances of developing macular degenerative disease. We also asked the question "What do rainbows have to do with macular degenerative disease?" The main answer is that "iris" is Greek for "rainbow"!

If you do have light colored irides (iris) you are at higher risk of eye degeneration because you don’t have enough natural pigment to protect your eyes from the damaging effects of sun and UV rays.

And that is why also a "rainbow" of foods is very important. Foods are colored or pigmented by substances such as carotenoids and chlorophyll. Carotenoids are found in orange or red colored plants and vegies like carrots and butternut squash or pumpkin. They are also found in leafy greens such as kale, broccoli and spinach. In these green plants the carotenoid is masked by the chlorophyll.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are two of the most important carotenoids to prevent eye degeneration. According to experts,  Zeaxanthin is the most needed carotenoid antioxidant but it is also the hardest to fulfill from our daily diet.

Zeaxanthin is available in its most concentrated form in marigold flowers. It’s a great idea to sprinkle your salad with marigold petals - but will you get the recommended dose you need to have any effect on eye health?

We have done a lot of research to choose the supplement we think is the best to take specifically to strengthen the macula and eyesight. We found a product that contains both Lutein and Zeaxanthin (along with other special eye ingredients) in high doses - 10mg of Zeaxanthin - from the best natural source, marigold flowers.

The idea of the rainbow also leads to the concept of synergy. It’s how the colors of the rainbow work together that gives a rainbow its beauty. It’s the same with our nutritional needs. It is what we eat or take with what that makes the difference.

To prevent eye degeneration think rainbow. 

And if you want to slow the progress of macular degenerative disease, or protect yourself from it, take the supplement we use:  Visulyn. 

Technorati Tags: eye degeneration, macular degenerative disease

If you have blue, green or light-colored eyes you are at higher risk of developing macular degenerative disease.

This is simply because there is less pigment in the iris. Pigment in the iris is just like pigment in the skin in that it gives some protection from the damaging rays of the sun. In the eyes it prevents damaging light from entering the retina.

Fair-eyed, fair-skinned people are at higher risk of macular degenerative disease. Nutritional supplements for your eyes, like Visulyn, contain a substance called Lutein. To learn more about Lutein see our previous posts. Basically Lutein is a carotenoid pigment naturally occurring in the macular, like melanin. New research shows that supplementation with Lutein is an effective way of boosting your eye pigment and protecting your macula.

Read the next post to find out.

Technorati Tags: macular degenerative disease

One very simple and recommended thing to do to save your macula is to protect your eyes from the sun’s damaging rays. High sun exposure is a recognized risk factor in macular degeneration vision loss.

Interestingly the vitamins and minerals recommended to protect the skin against sun damage are the same ones that are needed for optimum eye health. 
 
The natural product we recommend for eye health and for treating macular degeneration vision problems is called Visulyn. You can find out more about Visulyn by clicking here.

Technorati Tags: macular degeneration vision, macular dry, macular protect