Serious Vision Problems and Eye Disease Climbing Rapidly in U.S.

A new report from the organization Prevent Blindness America says that numerous eye disorders are climbing at alarming rates—many of them with effects including blindness. Macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts are all included and seem to be affecting more and more people each day.

According to their report, which used Census data and new research, scientists compared Americans with vision problems now with those who had vision problems in 2000.

According to WebMD Health News, there has been:

• An 89% increase in diabetic retinopathy, with nearly 8 million people over the age of 40 affected.
• A 25% increase in age-related macular degeneration, with about 2 million over the age of 50 affected.
• “A 19% increase in cataracts, with more than 24 million people age 40 and older affected”.
• “A 22% increase in open angle glaucoma, with nearly 3 million people age 40 and older affected”.

These rates of growth are alarming, to say the least. While some increase would be worthy of note, an 89% increase of diabetic retinopathy, for example, is a sign that something needs to change or we’ll end up a nation of blind diabetics.

The rise in diabetic retinopathy is ”scary,” according to Anne Sumers, MD, a clinical correspondent for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

In other words, these vision problems and conditions are largely preventable, especially diabetic retinopathy, which stems from a complication of the lifestyle disease, diabetes. Proper diabetes management, or even reversal through diet, could completely prevent this frequent cause of loss of vision.

Ironically, the WebMD analysis of the findings only gives natural prevention a passing glance, saying in the last sentence of their analysis that, “eating healthy can help your eyes too.” But proper nutrition should always be the first source of treatment and prevention.

Taking a whole-body approach in the form of a complete lifestyle turnaround is ideal – eating organic, keeping active, consuming plenty of healthful foods while omitting the junk – but there are a number of foods for healthy eyes that can be consumed. Eggs, carrots, blueberries, and broccoli could all have a positive overall impact. In addition to eating a healthful diet, be sure to follow these 4 critical tips if you want to know how to improve your eyesight and protect what many individuals deem the most important of the 5 senses.

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2012-08-26 12:04:07

Source: http://www.activistpost.com/2012/08/serious-vision-problems-and-eye-disease.html