Much to the delight of chocoholics everywhere, dark chocolate specifically. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants from the cocoa beans called cocoa flavanols or CFs.

In a recent study, the authors hypothesize that cocoa flavanols may improve blood flow by relaxing blood vessels, thereby enhancing the availability of oxygen and nutrients to the blood vessels of the eye and brain. This process is believed to potentially improve both visual and cognitive function.

The retina in particular, they point out, is very highly vascularized, meaning it is rich in blood vessels and may be the area of interest in these study findings. It is worth noting that this study was not supported by any cocoa or chocolate companies.

The study examined how consuming milk chocolate vs. dark chocolate affects visual acuity, as well as large and small letter contrast sensitivity. 

Milk chocolate can have as little as 10% of Coco flavanols but has more fat, were as dark chocolate contains 50 to 90% of Coco flavanols.

It was found to show improvements within two hours of ingesting a 47 g chocolate bar. 

The primary outcomes of the study were changes in retinal perfusion, using Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) is a noninvasive image modality that provides depth-resolved imaging of the retinal and choroidal vasculature. 

High flavonol, dark chocolate, help to activate stem cells and repairs, blood vessels.

Sources:

www.scientificamerican.com

www.health.harvard.edu

www.nature.com

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Zeaxanthin for Vision

 

n a recent blog post I discussed lutein, a carotenoid. Another carotenoid is zeaxanthin, which can be found in foods you eat daily. It also comes with a host of benefits, like promoting eye health. Zeaxanthin is the companion of Lutein and often appears side-by-side in foods. Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants. They give fruits and vegetables their vibrant hue.

Zeaxanthin and lutein are present in significant concentrations within the macula, where they are referred to as macular pigments. These antioxidants are present in various vegetables and also naturally occur in the lens, retina, and macula of your eyes.  That’s why doctors believe they play a key role in healthy vision. Zeaxanthin helps safeguard your eye tissues by filtering harmful sunlight and preventing oxidative damage caused by free radicals.

The macula is the most sensitive part of the retina and the part with the highest concentration of photoreceptors. These are special cells that convert light into signals that can be interpreted by your brain. As such, the macula is the place where your sharpest vision is produced. It is also responsible for your ability to perceive colors.

Five servings of fruits and vegetables daily provide enough zeaxanthin and lutein for your body. Make sure you choose each color of the rainbow, to help you continue to see rainbows.

Food Sources of Zeaxanthin:

If you are looking to boost your zeaxanthin intake, look for green, leafy vegetables since they have the highest amount of the carotenoid. The chlorophyll in dark green vegetables actually masks the lutein and zeaxanthin (yellow-orange) pigments, giving the vegetables their recognizable green color.

You shouldn't limit yourself to just a few veggies. In addition to greens, eggs and brightly colored fruits and vegetables are also good sources of both zeaxanthin and lutein. Eggs may be your best source. Although vegetables often contain more zeaxanthin, it isn't naturally combined with the fat-soluble enhancers needed for absorption, which lowers their bioavailability. Your body absorbs it more efficiently from eggs due to their fat content.

After ingestion, zeaxanthin is preferentially transported to the ocular tissues. It is incorporated into the lens, the transparent, curved structure located at the front of the eye. This yellow pigment functions as a protective barrier.

 

Sources:

www.webmd.com⁠

www.health.clevelandclinic.org⁠

www.verywellhealth.com⁠

 

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Lutein - How it Benefits Your Eyes

Lutein is an organic pigment that belongs to the carotenoid family, closely related to beta-carotene and vitamin A. Commonly called the "eye vitamin," lutein is made by plants. It's present in large amounts in the macula area of the eye, which plays a crucial role in vision.

These essential nutrients can improve eye health and reduce the risk of macular degeneration. Research shows that this antioxidant plays a key role in maintaining vision and supporting eye health. Lutein also has anti-inflammatory properties. 

Lutein is known to support the improvement or prevention of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, which are leading causes of blindness and vision impairment. 

Lutein can help protect the retina from phototoxic light damage.

Food sources rich in Lutein include:

• Berries
• Broccoli 
• Papaya 
• Peaches
• Mangoes
• Egg yolks
• Kales
• Spinach
• Peas
• Corn
• Bell peppers
• Pistachios

Sources:

www.aarp.org

www.healthcentral.com

www.webmd.com

www.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Common Refractive Errors

These conditions affect how the eye is shaped. Emmetropia is a normal shaped eye with correct refraction. 

Symptoms of refractive errors can be:

• Squinting
• Eyestrain
• Difficulty seeing at night
• Blurry or fuzzy vision
• Headaches

Common refractive errors can be corrected by eyeglasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery.

Annual eye exams are recommended every year before age 18, and after age 65, every two years in between. Unless a medical or eye problem occurs that requires more frequent attention.

To avoid these common disorders and injury to the eye:

•  Regular Eye Exams
• Wear protective eyewear
• Take breaks during screen time
• Maintain a healthy diet
• Limit alcohol intake

To schedule a comprehensive eye exam with Dr. Wendel go online: Click here or call (412) 788-1288

Sources:

www.clevelandclinic.org

www.health.ny.gov

www.pearlevision.com

Photo source: www.eyedoctorophthalmologistnyc.com

 

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Hydration for the Eyes

 

Dehydration is a condition that is caused by the loss of 

fluid from the body. It occurs when you’re losing more fluids than you're taking in, and your body doesn't have enough fluid to function properly.

Dehydration can be mild to life-threatening. Get to the ER at once if you experience: 

• Confusion
• Fainting
• Lack of urination
• Rapid heartbeat
• Rapid breathing
• Shock

It is well known that dehydration can cause dry skin and lips and can also harm the kidneys and other organs. What most people don’t know is that not drinking enough water can make the moist surfaces in your body dry out. This includes the surface of your eyes.

Dehydration causes a condition called tear hyperosmolarity, which is high levels of salt in tears.

The body’s response to a lack of hydration can be:

• Dry eye, cataracts, reflective changes, and retinal vascular disease
• Burning eyes, sensitivity to light, and the feeling of a foreign body in the eye.
• Certain medications can also cause dehydration.
• Dehydration can cause dark circles and sunken eyes.
• Dry, red, and irritated eyes.
• Blurred and double vision
• Eyesight is critically dependent on healthy blood flow; dehydration restricts blood flow.
• The cornea can become cloudy from too little water

Conditions that may cause the body to need more hydration:

• Diabetes
• Thyroid problems
• Sjogren's disease
• Addison’s disease

Dehydration can cause these problems with the eyes:

• Dark circles and sunken eyes.
• Dry, red and irritated eyes.
• Blurred and double vision.
• Eyesight is critically dependent on healthy blood flow dehydration can restrict blood flow to the eyes.
• Dry eye
• The cornea can become cloudy from too little hydration.

The body‘s other physical responses to loss of fluid includes:

• Thirst
• Dry mouth
• Decreased urine output
• Muscle cramps
• Headache
• Lightheadedness
• Sleepiness
• Lack of tear production, which leads to dry eye and eye strain.

To prevent dehydration stay hydrated:

• Drink plenty of water
• Drink a sports type of drink to help replenish electrolytes
• Reduce the intake of caffeine: alcohol, high protein, foods, and excess salt.

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Eye Movement

Eye movement encompasses both voluntary and involuntary movements of the eyes.

There are four basic types of eye movement: 

• Saccades
• Smooth pursuit movements
• Vergence movements 
• Vestibulo-ocular movements

Saccades are rapid, jerky movements of the eyes that shift focus from one point to another, such as when reading or during the rapid eye movement stage of sleep. These movements can be performed voluntarily but mostly occur automatically to adjust for areas without vision receptors.

Smooth pursuit movement is the ability of the eyes to track a target that typically moves along smoothly. During these movements, the nervous system tries to maintain the velocity of the eye at the same level as the velocity of the target.

Vergence movements are slow, simultaneous movements of both eyes in opposite directions (toward or away from each other) to maintain focus on objects at different distances, helping with depth perception.

Vestibulo-ocular movements are automatic adjustments of the eyes that stabilize vision during head movements. Controlled by the inner ear, they help maintain clear vision and support coordination during activities that involve movement.

Sources:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

www.imotions.com

www.sciencedirect.com

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Iconic Eyewear in Movie History 4

 

1. Abigail Breslin as Olive in Little Miss Sunshine
2.  Robert Wagner as Number 2 in Austin Powers
3.  Jonathan Lipinicki in Stuart Little
4. Brendon Gleeson as Mad Eye Moody in Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
5.  Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken in Escape from New York

 

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