They say mothers know best, and when it comes to eating your
vegetables, well, she was right!
"Eat your carrots, they're good for your eyes," my mother used to
tell me. As a child, I didn't realize how true this statement was.
We all know proper nutrition and diet are key elements in
maintaining a healthy body. But did you know that certain
nutrients can actually reduce your likelihood of becoming
blind through eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, and
macular degeneration?
Research also indicates that low levels of certain nutrients in
your body can affect your everyday visual clarity, especially
your night vision.
For example, whether she knew it or not, there was a reason your
mother used to pile those carrots on your plate. Carrots contain
a carotenoid called beta-carotene. Your body converts
beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is an anti-oxidant.
Anti-oxidants such as vitamin A are essential to eye health.
*Carotenoids are pigments in plants that provide red and yellow
color.
*Beta-carotene is a carotenoid. It is contained in carrots and
other food sources. The body converts beta-carotene into vitamin
A.
*Vitamin A is an anti-oxidant that is very important to the
health of the eyes.
*An antioxidant is any substance that prevents or impedes cell
oxidation (destruction) by free radicals.
Vitamin A:
*helps your eyes adjust to light changes
*moistens the eyes, which can enhance visual acuity
*has been shown to prevent the forming of cataracts
*has been shown to help prevent blindness from macular
degeneration-the leading cause of blindness in the world
There are actually 17 different nutrients that are essential
in ensuring your vision is operating at 100%.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Why your Vision gets Worst at Night
If you need a nightlight to find your way to the kitchen for a
midnight snack, or have difficulty seeing while driving in the
evening, you may be suffering from a condition known as "night
blindness."
Unlike animals, human vision is generally not as keen at night.
Cats, for instance, see well at night because they have more rods
than cones in their retinas, unlike humans. (Rods are the
receptors that the eye uses for nighttime vision.)
It is estimated that most people take about 20 minutes to see
adequately in the dark. This time allows your eyes to adjust
from the brightness of daylight or indoor lights. As the light
dims, your pupils dilate (grow larger) to take in more light.
But your dilated pupils reduce your ability to change your focus
between near and far objects, so if you are driving, say, you may
be "blinded" by streetlights and oncoming headlights. Your pupils
constrict to block out the lights, but once those have passed,
they must dilate to readjust to the dark, making it difficult to
see the road.
Unlike a cat's, human pupils simply can't adjust
fast enough to keep up with the cycle of light and dark.
One of the most common causes of night blindness is deterioration
due to age. In the natural aging process, the eye lens becomes
less clear and grows cloudy over time, making it difficult to see
in dim light. It is estimated that seniors need up to 50% more
light to see clearly.
Another general cause is uncorrected myopia, or nearsightedness.
Even with vision correction, nearsighted people may find their
nearsightedness is exacerbated when their pupils dilate at night.
=================
Essential Tip #1
=================
Vitamin A supplements are often recommended for those with poor
night vision, along with a diet emphasizing Vitamin A-rich foods,
such as sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, spinach and cantaloupe.
=================
Essential Tip #2
=================
Bilberry is also thought to improve night vision. A close relative
of the blueberry, bilberry is high in a certain type of
bioflavonoid that speeds the regeneration of rhodopsin, the purple
pigment used by the eyes' rods.
================
Essential Tip #3
================
Keep your car windshield and car windows clean-inside and out.
Having dirt and debris on your windshield makes it harder to see
and exacerbate glare, especially at night.
================
Essential Tip #4
================
The exercises in the Rebuild Your Vision program combat both aging
vision and nearsightedness, thus helping with the root causes of
night blindness.
And when you get the Rebuild Your Vision Program you will also
receive a complimentary bottle of my 'Ocu-Plus Formula' which is a
proprietary blend of 17 nutrients, all in one vitamin, that
are essential in ensuring your eyes are operating at 100%.
To your vision -- for life,
Orlin Sorensen
midnight snack, or have difficulty seeing while driving in the
evening, you may be suffering from a condition known as "night
blindness."
Unlike animals, human vision is generally not as keen at night.
Cats, for instance, see well at night because they have more rods
than cones in their retinas, unlike humans. (Rods are the
receptors that the eye uses for nighttime vision.)
It is estimated that most people take about 20 minutes to see
adequately in the dark. This time allows your eyes to adjust
from the brightness of daylight or indoor lights. As the light
dims, your pupils dilate (grow larger) to take in more light.
But your dilated pupils reduce your ability to change your focus
between near and far objects, so if you are driving, say, you may
be "blinded" by streetlights and oncoming headlights. Your pupils
constrict to block out the lights, but once those have passed,
they must dilate to readjust to the dark, making it difficult to
see the road.
Unlike a cat's, human pupils simply can't adjust
fast enough to keep up with the cycle of light and dark.
One of the most common causes of night blindness is deterioration
due to age. In the natural aging process, the eye lens becomes
less clear and grows cloudy over time, making it difficult to see
in dim light. It is estimated that seniors need up to 50% more
light to see clearly.
Another general cause is uncorrected myopia, or nearsightedness.
Even with vision correction, nearsighted people may find their
nearsightedness is exacerbated when their pupils dilate at night.
=================
Essential Tip #1
=================
Vitamin A supplements are often recommended for those with poor
night vision, along with a diet emphasizing Vitamin A-rich foods,
such as sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, spinach and cantaloupe.
=================
Essential Tip #2
=================
Bilberry is also thought to improve night vision. A close relative
of the blueberry, bilberry is high in a certain type of
bioflavonoid that speeds the regeneration of rhodopsin, the purple
pigment used by the eyes' rods.
================
Essential Tip #3
================
Keep your car windshield and car windows clean-inside and out.
Having dirt and debris on your windshield makes it harder to see
and exacerbate glare, especially at night.
================
Essential Tip #4
================
The exercises in the Rebuild Your Vision program combat both aging
vision and nearsightedness, thus helping with the root causes of
night blindness.
And when you get the Rebuild Your Vision Program you will also
receive a complimentary bottle of my 'Ocu-Plus Formula' which is a
proprietary blend of 17 nutrients, all in one vitamin, that
are essential in ensuring your eyes are operating at 100%.
To your vision -- for life,
Orlin Sorensen
Friday, July 25, 2008
How to Maintain Youthful Looking Eyes
Aside from being the window of your soul, the eye (or at least the patch of skin surrounding it) is also a good indicator of skin aging. Since the area around the eyes is the most sensitive part of your face, even the slightest tugging or rubbing could damage it permanently and cause the formation of wrinkles.
If you are interested in maintaining your youthful glow and beautiful skin, you should also take utmost care of your eyes. No matter how soft and supple the skin on your face is, you will still look old, stressed out or haggard if you do not take care of your eyes and the areas surrounding it.
The lack of oil glands on the skin surrounding your eyes is the main reason why this area is quite susceptible to aging. Because of this, your eyelids and the skin under the eyes are prone to damage caused by environmental toxins, harmful UV rays and pollution. Dehydration is another reason why crow's feet and eye wrinkles develop.
If you want to look young forever, it is important that you do not forget to allocate some of your time to care for your eyes. It is also crucial that you know how to properly nurture and tend to this delicate area. Here are some tips that you need to remember on how to correctly care for your eyes:
Handle Your Eyes With Care
You need to treat the area surrounding your eyes gently. Constant rubbing, tugging (a lot of women do this when they apply eyeliner), stretching and mishandling can be the reason for the formation of the fine lines you are worrying about. Remember that as you age, your skin loses elasticity and manufactures less collagen. When this happens, your eyes will surely sag and droop, especially if you are fund of pulling your skin and rubbing it.
Shield Your Eyes From The Sun
As mentioned earlier, UV rays from the sun can be harmful to your skin because it contributes to loss of elasticity and damages collagen fibers. So what do you need to do to protect your eyes from the sun? Always wear sunglasses with UV protection every time you go out during the day. Refrain from going outdoors from 10AM to 3PM, when the sun is at its brightest. Lastly, look for a sunscreen that is formulated for the sensitive skin around your eyes.
Quit Smoking
Just like sun damage, smoking is bad not only in the area all over your eyes, but also for your entire skin, not to mention your health. Smokers usually have wrinkles, even when they are young, because this habit causes the blood vessels underneath the skin to constrict or narrow. Since smokers squint more, probably because of the fumes they emit, they also have the tendency to have crow's feet on their eyes and wrinkles around their lips.
Clean Before You Sleep
Unless you are stuck inside your room and virtually impervious to pollution and dirt, then you need to clean your face and eyes before you go to sleep. This is especially true if you love eye makeup. By the way, don't just use any type of soap. What you need is a makeup remover that is specially designed for your eyes. Gentle cleansers are also recommended. Those facial scrubs with beads may not be good for your eyes.
Always Moisturize
Even before you reach the age of 30, an eye cream should already be a part of your anti-aging arsenal. The skin surrounding your eyes need all the help it can get in order to keep the area hydrated, smooth, and wrinkle free. Moreover, you also need to find an eye cream, such as Eyevive, that is also effective in banishing discoloration or eye bags because these problems can really make you look older than you really are.
If you are interested in maintaining your youthful glow and beautiful skin, you should also take utmost care of your eyes. No matter how soft and supple the skin on your face is, you will still look old, stressed out or haggard if you do not take care of your eyes and the areas surrounding it.
The lack of oil glands on the skin surrounding your eyes is the main reason why this area is quite susceptible to aging. Because of this, your eyelids and the skin under the eyes are prone to damage caused by environmental toxins, harmful UV rays and pollution. Dehydration is another reason why crow's feet and eye wrinkles develop.
If you want to look young forever, it is important that you do not forget to allocate some of your time to care for your eyes. It is also crucial that you know how to properly nurture and tend to this delicate area. Here are some tips that you need to remember on how to correctly care for your eyes:
Handle Your Eyes With Care
You need to treat the area surrounding your eyes gently. Constant rubbing, tugging (a lot of women do this when they apply eyeliner), stretching and mishandling can be the reason for the formation of the fine lines you are worrying about. Remember that as you age, your skin loses elasticity and manufactures less collagen. When this happens, your eyes will surely sag and droop, especially if you are fund of pulling your skin and rubbing it.
Shield Your Eyes From The Sun
As mentioned earlier, UV rays from the sun can be harmful to your skin because it contributes to loss of elasticity and damages collagen fibers. So what do you need to do to protect your eyes from the sun? Always wear sunglasses with UV protection every time you go out during the day. Refrain from going outdoors from 10AM to 3PM, when the sun is at its brightest. Lastly, look for a sunscreen that is formulated for the sensitive skin around your eyes.
Quit Smoking
Just like sun damage, smoking is bad not only in the area all over your eyes, but also for your entire skin, not to mention your health. Smokers usually have wrinkles, even when they are young, because this habit causes the blood vessels underneath the skin to constrict or narrow. Since smokers squint more, probably because of the fumes they emit, they also have the tendency to have crow's feet on their eyes and wrinkles around their lips.
Clean Before You Sleep
Unless you are stuck inside your room and virtually impervious to pollution and dirt, then you need to clean your face and eyes before you go to sleep. This is especially true if you love eye makeup. By the way, don't just use any type of soap. What you need is a makeup remover that is specially designed for your eyes. Gentle cleansers are also recommended. Those facial scrubs with beads may not be good for your eyes.
Always Moisturize
Even before you reach the age of 30, an eye cream should already be a part of your anti-aging arsenal. The skin surrounding your eyes need all the help it can get in order to keep the area hydrated, smooth, and wrinkle free. Moreover, you also need to find an eye cream, such as Eyevive, that is also effective in banishing discoloration or eye bags because these problems can really make you look older than you really are.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
What Exactly is 20/20 Vision?
Herman Snellen, a Dutch ophthalmologist, designed the first eye
chart, which measures visual acuity. Referred to as the Snellen
Chart, it was developed in 1862 and is still used today.
He set the baseline of measurement at 20 feet, the approximate
distance at which light rays entering the eye are parallel
and do not require our eyes to bend the rays to focus them
upon the retina.
Snellen set the standard of 20/20 vision to represent "normal
sight," or what a person with normal vision could see at a
distance of 20 feet.
This means that a person with 20/40 vision must be 20 feet away
to read what he or she should be able to read at 40 feet; a
person with 20/85 vision must be 20 feet away to read what he
or she should be able to read at 85 feet away, and so on.
This standard does not measure visual acuity at close distances.
Similar charts were devised with smaller letters to read at
close range for the measurement of near vision.
chart, which measures visual acuity. Referred to as the Snellen
Chart, it was developed in 1862 and is still used today.
He set the baseline of measurement at 20 feet, the approximate
distance at which light rays entering the eye are parallel
and do not require our eyes to bend the rays to focus them
upon the retina.
Snellen set the standard of 20/20 vision to represent "normal
sight," or what a person with normal vision could see at a
distance of 20 feet.
This means that a person with 20/40 vision must be 20 feet away
to read what he or she should be able to read at 40 feet; a
person with 20/85 vision must be 20 feet away to read what he
or she should be able to read at 85 feet away, and so on.
This standard does not measure visual acuity at close distances.
Similar charts were devised with smaller letters to read at
close range for the measurement of near vision.
How Computer Damage Your Vision
Over 175 million Americans use a computer either on the job or
at home. Nearly 75% of these people report vision problems as
a result of their computer use.
Are you one them?
Dry and irritated eyes, difficulty focusing, headaches, backaches,
neck strain, and double vision are just a few of the symptoms
caused by computer use.
Collectively, these symptoms are known as "Computer Vision
Syndrome," which the American Optometric Association (AOA)
defines as being "related to near work - experienced during
computer use."
You might recognize that phrase "near work" from an earlier
lesson. Computer use causes near-point stress-reported by
the AOA as one of the leading causes of nearsightedness
and its progression.
How does the computer hurt your eyes?
Human eyes were not made to look at a computer screen. The screen
you are viewing right now is actually made up of thousands of
pixels. Pixels are, essentially, colored dots that make up the
image you see or the text you read. The more pixels on your screen
for a given image, the clearer the image will appear.
But your eyes cannot focus directly on each of these thousands of
pixels. Instead, you have to focus over and over to keep the
images sharp-which causes strain and tension in your eyes.
Computer screens have also been shown to reduce blink rates by
up to five times! This is why your eyes feel dry and irritated
after staring at the screen.
Think of blinking like breathing: you can't do without it. Reduced
blinking could be said to be the asthma of the eyes.
So, short of quitting your job, what can you do about Computer
Vision Syndrome?
In the long term, following the Rebuild Your Vision program will help
you combat the deterioration caused by the near-point stress of
computer use.
And in the short term, here are some tips your eyes will
appreciate.
=====================================
Essential Tip #1: Monitor Your Monitor
=====================================
Repositioning your monitor is an easy and effective way to avoid
awkward head or eye movements. It should be squarely in front of
you at a distance of 18 to 28 inches, with the top of the monitor
(not the screen) level with your eyes.
You may also have to adjust the angle of your monitor to allow
your eyes to remain in a natural position (straight ahead and
slightly down).
=============================
Essential Tip #2: Glare Care
=============================
Modifying your office lighting will eliminate glare and harsh
reflections. First, find the source of the glare: is it coming
from a window, task light, or the computer screen itself?
Adjust blinds or curtains to minimize sunlight. Turn down
overhead lights so that the brightness of the screen and the
surrounding room are balanced. Task lights should be positioned
to provide direct light for reading and other office work but
should not shine directly on the computer.
===================================================
Essential Tip #3: Take a Break-the "10-10-10" Rule
===================================================
It's easy to lose track of time at the computer. So you need to
learn how to take a break. Here's how:
Every time you are performing close vision work for over 10
consecutive minutes, look up and focus on anything that is
at least 10 feet away, for at least 10 seconds.
The best way to incorporate the 10-10-10 rule while at your
computer is by using our Vision Defense Software, included
as a bonus with the Rebuild Your Vision Program.
This simple rule helps to prevent the damaging effects of
near-point stress and could literally save your eyesight! (And a
computer break is a perfect excuse to perform your Rebuild Your
Vision eye exercises.)
================================================
Essential Tip #4: Some Folks Have Special Needs
================================================
Seniors should take extra care arranging their work stations. The
AOA notes that workers over 50 years of age require twice the
light levels of younger adults for comfortable work.
By the same token, very often small children share the same
computer as their parents, a situation that can lead to injury,
as monitor distance and position have been set up to accommodate
the adults.
To your vision -- for life,
Orlin Sorensen
at home. Nearly 75% of these people report vision problems as
a result of their computer use.
Are you one them?
Dry and irritated eyes, difficulty focusing, headaches, backaches,
neck strain, and double vision are just a few of the symptoms
caused by computer use.
Collectively, these symptoms are known as "Computer Vision
Syndrome," which the American Optometric Association (AOA)
defines as being "related to near work - experienced during
computer use."
You might recognize that phrase "near work" from an earlier
lesson. Computer use causes near-point stress-reported by
the AOA as one of the leading causes of nearsightedness
and its progression.
How does the computer hurt your eyes?
Human eyes were not made to look at a computer screen. The screen
you are viewing right now is actually made up of thousands of
pixels. Pixels are, essentially, colored dots that make up the
image you see or the text you read. The more pixels on your screen
for a given image, the clearer the image will appear.
But your eyes cannot focus directly on each of these thousands of
pixels. Instead, you have to focus over and over to keep the
images sharp-which causes strain and tension in your eyes.
Computer screens have also been shown to reduce blink rates by
up to five times! This is why your eyes feel dry and irritated
after staring at the screen.
Think of blinking like breathing: you can't do without it. Reduced
blinking could be said to be the asthma of the eyes.
So, short of quitting your job, what can you do about Computer
Vision Syndrome?
In the long term, following the Rebuild Your Vision program will help
you combat the deterioration caused by the near-point stress of
computer use.
And in the short term, here are some tips your eyes will
appreciate.
=====================================
Essential Tip #1: Monitor Your Monitor
=====================================
Repositioning your monitor is an easy and effective way to avoid
awkward head or eye movements. It should be squarely in front of
you at a distance of 18 to 28 inches, with the top of the monitor
(not the screen) level with your eyes.
You may also have to adjust the angle of your monitor to allow
your eyes to remain in a natural position (straight ahead and
slightly down).
=============================
Essential Tip #2: Glare Care
=============================
Modifying your office lighting will eliminate glare and harsh
reflections. First, find the source of the glare: is it coming
from a window, task light, or the computer screen itself?
Adjust blinds or curtains to minimize sunlight. Turn down
overhead lights so that the brightness of the screen and the
surrounding room are balanced. Task lights should be positioned
to provide direct light for reading and other office work but
should not shine directly on the computer.
===================================================
Essential Tip #3: Take a Break-the "10-10-10" Rule
===================================================
It's easy to lose track of time at the computer. So you need to
learn how to take a break. Here's how:
Every time you are performing close vision work for over 10
consecutive minutes, look up and focus on anything that is
at least 10 feet away, for at least 10 seconds.
The best way to incorporate the 10-10-10 rule while at your
computer is by using our Vision Defense Software, included
as a bonus with the Rebuild Your Vision Program.
This simple rule helps to prevent the damaging effects of
near-point stress and could literally save your eyesight! (And a
computer break is a perfect excuse to perform your Rebuild Your
Vision eye exercises.)
================================================
Essential Tip #4: Some Folks Have Special Needs
================================================
Seniors should take extra care arranging their work stations. The
AOA notes that workers over 50 years of age require twice the
light levels of younger adults for comfortable work.
By the same token, very often small children share the same
computer as their parents, a situation that can lead to injury,
as monitor distance and position have been set up to accommodate
the adults.
To your vision -- for life,
Orlin Sorensen
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