Vegetarian Diet Linked to Lower Cataract Risk

Hello all! I realize that it has been awhile since my last blog post. Does anyone else have a hard time keeping up with social media like I do? In any event, I wanted to share with you the results of a British study that I read about today published by Reuters Health. The study showed that eating less meat and more vegetables is tied to a lower risk of cataracts. Read on for details…

Results from this study showed a 30-40% lower cataract risk among vegetarians and vegans compared to the biggest meat eaters. These patients were watched over a 15 year period and the highest risk was seen among the heaviest meat-eaters—those who consumed 100grams (3.5 ounces) of meat daily. It is currently recommended to take in anywhere between 10-12 ounces of red meat weekly. So do the math: a person consuming roughly 3.5 ounces per day is taking in about 24 ounces per week--essentially doubling the weekly recommendation for a healthy diet (we are talking about eating a lot of red meat here)! Moderate meat eaters were only slightly less likely to develop cataracts. Fish eaters’ risk was 15% lower than that of the heavy meat eaters, vegetarians’ 30% and vegans’ 40% lower.

DON'T fret however if you enjoy a nice steak or a tasty burger like I do, the study does not prove that eating meat promotes cataracts. It does suggest that eating lots of vegetables might be protective. A vegetarian diet may also simply be a sign of other healthy behaviors that contribute to the lowered risk.

To review, a cataract is a cloudy or opaque area in the normally clear lens of the eye. Depending upon its size and location, it can interfere with normal vision. Most cataracts develop in people over age 55, but they occasionally occur in infants and young children. Usually cataracts develop in both eyes, but one may be worse that the other. I routinely tell my patients that cataracts are like wrinkles, everyone is going to develop them, it is just a matter of how fast they are going to progress and what kind they are going to be!

Remember, there are other factors that can elevate your risk of developing cataracts. Some of those include: smoking, diabetes and exposure to bright sunlight. So be pro-active: quit smoking if you do, (don’t start smoking if you are not a smoker), maintain a healthy weight through lifestyle choices like diet and exercise, and wear your sunglasses!

Questions? Just ask! Thanks for reading.

Keeping an Eye on You,

Betsy W. Fraser, O.D.

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Hello all! I hope you had a great holiday season and are ready for a great year! I wanted my first blog back to focus on something could affect all of us someday....GLAUCOMA. Have you heard of it? If so, you may have a family member or loved one with it, maybe you heard your eye doctor mention it or maybe you have even been told you are at risk for developing it. If you have no idea what Glaucoma is pay close attention! You need to learn what it is and things you can do to keep your eyes as healthy as possible!

I tell my patients that Glaucoma is a progressive disease that affects the optic nerve in the eye (which connects your brain to your eye--for you anatomy buffs out there). Glaucoma can cause blindness if left untreated. Sounds scary right? Now here is what I always follow up with. With today's technology and treatment methods there really is no reason for anyone to lose vision from Glaucoma if it is caught early enough. There is the key....IF IT IS CAUGHT EARLY ENOUGH. What does this mean? An eyecare professional needs to evaluate your eyes (with a dilated eye exam) to determine if you are at risk for developing this potentially sight threatening disease. So even if you think you see great you still really should have the health of your eyes evaluated to rule out Glaucoma, or the risk of it.

Glaucoma affects more than three million Americans, but over half of them don’t even know that they have it, according to Prevent Blindness America.

Glaucoma begins by attacking peripheral vision, typically causing objects to appear less clearly. At first, it is possible to compensate by squinting or turning the head to focus better. But be careful. These changes may seem minor, but glaucoma can accelerate quickly; causing eyesight to rapidly and irreversibly deteriorate.

Like many diseases, some factors can increase the risk of developing glaucoma, such as age, race or genetics. Glaucoma usually affects one in 200 people by age 50, but as many as one in 10 people by age 80. The risk of developing glaucoma is much higher among African Americans: four to five times higher. In fact, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in African Americans. Not only do African Americans usually develop glaucoma 10 years earlier than Caucasians, they are also six to 15 times more likely to be blinded by the disease.

What is my advice now that you have read this? Take some time out of your busy schedule to go see your optometrist. Your eyesight is a precious gift--value that gift by doing everything you can to preserve it!

Questions? Just ask. Thanks for reading.

Keeping an Eye on You,

Betsy W. Fraser, O.D.