Video Games Improve Your Eyesight

If you’re anything like me, you have a stigma about time you spend in front of a screen. It doesn’t matter if it’s a computer screen, a TV screen, or a video game screen, I have this nagging voice in my head telling me that I’m rotting my brain.

That’s not really true, though. TV is a passive exercise without a lot of benefits beyond the occasionally entertaining show, but video games and computer time can be beneficial.

Your computer gives you the chance to discover useful information and to keep in closer contact with loved ones.

Video games have advantages, too. Most recently, research shows that playing video games may help improve certain aspects of your vision.

A study appearing in Nature Neuroscience reveals that adults who play action-based video games show a marked improvement in their ability to notice differences in shades of gray. Normally, improving your eye’s contrast perception requires glasses or even surgery.

Video games with a lot of action seem to train your brain’s visual centers to be more aware of subtle differences in shades of gray. Video game play can actually improve contrast vision by as much as 58 percent, and the improvements will last for months.

Eye doctors are excited about this news. It means that patients with poor night vision can improve their situation without surgery. They also believe that video game play may prove a useful complement to traditional eye-correction techniques.

Stay well,
Danny Wallace

What You Eat Affects Your Eyes

Your vision is precious. Just take a moment to imagine what your life would be like without it. It would be difficult to get from place to place. The simple process of preparing a meal would become a huge challenge. Not to mention that you'd never see the sunset or the waves crash on a beach or the faces of your grandchildren again.

It's important to take good care of your eyes. You might already know some ways to do this. You might visit your eye doctor on a regular basis and wear UV protective sunglasses on bright days. But did you know that your overall diet affects your eyes?

I don't just mean the micronutrients that support good vision. Things like beta carotene are important, it's true. But your overall approach to eating makes a difference, as well.

Research shows that a diet high in simple carbohydrates might hurt your eyes in the long run. Simple carbohydrates are those with a high glycemic index. A recent study appearing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating a lot of these foods can trigger the early development of age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to blindness.

People who got their carbohydrates from complex sources like fruits, vegetables, and oatmeal had better eye health for longer.

This is just one more reason to base your diet around lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This same diet will also help prevent heart disease, it will give you more energy, and it can even help protect against some cancers.

Stay well,
Meghan Krohn

More Americans are Going Blind

Age-related eye diseases are on the rise. Macular degeneration is the most common disease that can lead to partial loss of sight and even blindness. Diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma are other conditions that can slowly steal your eyesight.

Your risk of these conditions rises as you age. It's a good idea to start taking preventative steps now rather than wait until it's too late.

Each of these conditions works silently. They don't cause pain, and because your brain is so clever it will actually "fill in" the places where you've lost vision so you may not even be aware the damage is happening. Eventually, though, the damage becomes great enough that your brain can't compensate. Then you'll be plagued with blind spots or blurry patches in your vision.

Because these eye diseases don't have any tell-tale symptoms in their early stages, the best thing you can do is visit your eye doctor for a yearly check up. You should do this religiously, every year. Then you can be sure to catch any changes early when treatments are most effective and before any major damage occurs.

A variety of nutrients and lifestyle changes will also support your eye health. I recommend the following:
• Lutein and zeaxanthin are two potent antioxidants that may protect your eyes from age-related macular degeneration.
• Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and gingko biloba are associated with lower risks of glaucoma. ALA also helps protect you from diabetic retinopathy.
• Exercise boosts your circulation, which benefits your eyes. Regular exercise helps lower your risk of damaging eye diseases later in life.
• Smoking ups the risk of eye diseases, so if you smoke, start working on quitting. I know it's hard, but it's worth it. There's also effective help available through support groups, so check one out.

Taking good care of your eyes may seem unnecessary now, but you'll be happy you did later in life when you can still see and continue to enjoy the independence and joy that your sight brings.

Stay well,
Meghan Krohn