Thank you for sharing this interesting article 👍👌. It is worthwhile to delve into the causes of vision deterioration and, above all, how to preserve our eye health through prevention.
Myopia is not solely determined by genetics; a lack of natural light and excessive near-vision work are significant factors, especially during childhood.
The rise in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is also a concern, with the number of affected individuals expected to grow as the population ages. In Europe, it is estimated that the number of people affected could increase from approximately 67 million to 77 million by 2050.
Regarding nutritional prevention, I would highlight the following:
* Lutein and zeaxanthin: found in green leafy vegetables; they protect the macula.
* Astaxanthin: a carotenoid of great interest due to its antioxidant properties and potential benefits for visual function.
* Anthocyanins: found in blueberries and other red/dark-colored berries.
* Vitamins C and E: contribute to protection against oxidative stress.
* Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA): important for the health of cell membranes and the ocular surface.
* Zinc: essential for the proper functioning of the retina.
The AREDS2 study demonstrated that a specific combination of these micronutrients can reduce the progression to advanced AMD by approximately 25% in certain patients.
We should also explore how to protect the eye's crystalline lens against aging and the progressive loss of elasticity that leads to presbyopia.
We need to move toward a more preventive and integrative approach to ophthalmology—one that goes beyond simply correcting refractive errors (diopters) and instead investigates the role of nutrition, natural light, metabolism, and cellular aging in preserving our vision.
Great report 👍👌. In addition to the historical contributions of Dr. William Bates—who, in the early 20th century, championed the importance of visual habits, ocular relaxation, and natural vision—it is also worth noting the subsequent work of Meir Schneider and Jacob Liberman, both of whom promoted various approaches to visual education and rehabilitation.
Currently, the work of Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman is particularly relevant.
Huberman has explored the relationship between the visual system, the brain, exposure to natural light, and the habits that can influence our eye health. He emphasizes the importance of spending time outdoors, alternating between near and far vision, taking visual breaks, and paying attention to circadian rhythms.
To delve deeper into the subject, I recommend his episode: "Andrew Huberman – The Science of Vision, Eye Health, and Seeing Better":
The biological clock and light play a fundamental role. Melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells detect ambient light and transmit information to the central biological clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Their peak sensitivity is around 480 nm, in the blue-cyan region of the visible spectrum. This pathway is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms, alertness, and sleep.
According to estimates shared by Huberman, approximately 40% to 50% of the brain's resources dedicated to sensory processing are related to vision. The brain does not merely receive images; it continuously interprets electrical signals from the retina, integrating information about colors, contrasts, shapes, movement, and depth to construct our visual perception. It is necessary to expand the scope of ophthalmology by investigating how to prevent myopia, preserve visual function, and address the growing challenge of age-related macular degeneration as the population ages. Supplementary scientific references:
1. Melanopsin and circadian rhythms: research on how retinal ganglion cells detect light and regulate our biological clock.
2. Natural light and myopia prevention: scientific reviews on the relationship between time spent outdoors and a reduced risk of myopia, particularly during childhood.
3. Macular degeneration and an aging population: studies on the global progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and projections for an increase in cases by 2050.
I’m 63 and have been wearing glasses for 20 years, the last 10 years permanently. My brother is one year younger and I discovered he can still read menus without glasses. He refused to wear glasses.
I’m going to start wearing mine less and see what happens.
This essay just feels true for me. I have been myopic since 7 or 8 and was diagnosed with astigmatism. My prescription was -10 or so, I cant remember exactly. Getting to 40 wasn’t so difficult for me because being so myopic, i could see clearly on close up by removing my glasses or contact lenses. I had laser surgery to change my vision at age 57 and it was brilliant to be able to see when I awoke and I had one eye left slightly myopic so that I could still read, its called monovision. Im 67 now and up until 2 months ago, i couldnt comfortably read without glasses but always bought reading glasses with a lower than comfortable prescription because I believed the prescription was just going to get stronger. About 2 months ago, i just stopped wearing reading glasses and I dont know why. I can comfortably read where once i needed +2 lenses (according to the ophthalmologist). I imagine it could be because the myopia has worsened but I feel my distance vision is good and because the improvement was so sudden, I suspect its due to my nutritional status changing. I added spirulina and collagen to my diet several months ago so wonder if either affected my eyes.
Fascinating. And it matches my experience 100%. My parents never experienced myopia. They grew up in a rural area in the 1920’s and 1930’s. We grew up in the city. 3 kids. I always read a lot and had my first glasses very young, probably 7 or 8 years old. New stronger glasses on a regular basis, just like the article mentions. I ended up with -7.5 (R) and 5.5 (L). It never made sense to me and instinctively assumed exactly what i now just read. Things fall into their place.
I am older now and started to have triuble reading. Using reading glasses (say +1). Then figured it was odd to have -7.5 and compensate with a +1. What if i tried -6.5 lenses? It worked and i could still see far away. I repeated that shuffle a couple of times. I am now on -4.25 (R) and 3.75 (L). Life style has changed as well. Retired, more outdoor. I just order the lenses online. With glasses it would be much more conplicated to scale down gradually. Trying to push this further of course. Thanks for the article!
I knew it! First glasses ever at 60ish years old. Wore them for a week or two and I swore they were making my eyes "lazy," the term that seemed accurate.
Thank you for sharing this interesting article 👍👌. It is worthwhile to delve into the causes of vision deterioration and, above all, how to preserve our eye health through prevention.
Myopia is not solely determined by genetics; a lack of natural light and excessive near-vision work are significant factors, especially during childhood.
The rise in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is also a concern, with the number of affected individuals expected to grow as the population ages. In Europe, it is estimated that the number of people affected could increase from approximately 67 million to 77 million by 2050.
Regarding nutritional prevention, I would highlight the following:
* Lutein and zeaxanthin: found in green leafy vegetables; they protect the macula.
* Astaxanthin: a carotenoid of great interest due to its antioxidant properties and potential benefits for visual function.
* Anthocyanins: found in blueberries and other red/dark-colored berries.
* Vitamins C and E: contribute to protection against oxidative stress.
* Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA): important for the health of cell membranes and the ocular surface.
* Zinc: essential for the proper functioning of the retina.
The AREDS2 study demonstrated that a specific combination of these micronutrients can reduce the progression to advanced AMD by approximately 25% in certain patients.
We should also explore how to protect the eye's crystalline lens against aging and the progressive loss of elasticity that leads to presbyopia.
We need to move toward a more preventive and integrative approach to ophthalmology—one that goes beyond simply correcting refractive errors (diopters) and instead investigates the role of nutrition, natural light, metabolism, and cellular aging in preserving our vision.
Scientific references:
1. Myopia and exposure to natural light:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23406489/
2. Macular degeneration and European projections:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31712255/
3. AREDS2 study and macular protection:
https://www.nei.nih.gov/research/clinical-trials/age-related-eye-disease-studies-aredsareds2
4. Astaxanthin and visual function:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=astaxanthin+visual+function+clinica
Great report 👍👌. In addition to the historical contributions of Dr. William Bates—who, in the early 20th century, championed the importance of visual habits, ocular relaxation, and natural vision—it is also worth noting the subsequent work of Meir Schneider and Jacob Liberman, both of whom promoted various approaches to visual education and rehabilitation.
Currently, the work of Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman is particularly relevant.
Huberman has explored the relationship between the visual system, the brain, exposure to natural light, and the habits that can influence our eye health. He emphasizes the importance of spending time outdoors, alternating between near and far vision, taking visual breaks, and paying attention to circadian rhythms.
To delve deeper into the subject, I recommend his episode: "Andrew Huberman – The Science of Vision, Eye Health, and Seeing Better":
https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/the-science-of-vision-eye-health-and-seeing-better
The biological clock and light play a fundamental role. Melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells detect ambient light and transmit information to the central biological clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Their peak sensitivity is around 480 nm, in the blue-cyan region of the visible spectrum. This pathway is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms, alertness, and sleep.
According to estimates shared by Huberman, approximately 40% to 50% of the brain's resources dedicated to sensory processing are related to vision. The brain does not merely receive images; it continuously interprets electrical signals from the retina, integrating information about colors, contrasts, shapes, movement, and depth to construct our visual perception. It is necessary to expand the scope of ophthalmology by investigating how to prevent myopia, preserve visual function, and address the growing challenge of age-related macular degeneration as the population ages. Supplementary scientific references:
1. Melanopsin and circadian rhythms: research on how retinal ganglion cells detect light and regulate our biological clock.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31647894/
2. Natural light and myopia prevention: scientific reviews on the relationship between time spent outdoors and a reduced risk of myopia, particularly during childhood.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=time+outdoors+myopia+prevention+systematic+review
3. Macular degeneration and an aging population: studies on the global progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and projections for an increase in cases by 2050.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=global+burden+age-related+macular+degeneration+2050
I’m 63 and have been wearing glasses for 20 years, the last 10 years permanently. My brother is one year younger and I discovered he can still read menus without glasses. He refused to wear glasses.
I’m going to start wearing mine less and see what happens.
This essay just feels true for me. I have been myopic since 7 or 8 and was diagnosed with astigmatism. My prescription was -10 or so, I cant remember exactly. Getting to 40 wasn’t so difficult for me because being so myopic, i could see clearly on close up by removing my glasses or contact lenses. I had laser surgery to change my vision at age 57 and it was brilliant to be able to see when I awoke and I had one eye left slightly myopic so that I could still read, its called monovision. Im 67 now and up until 2 months ago, i couldnt comfortably read without glasses but always bought reading glasses with a lower than comfortable prescription because I believed the prescription was just going to get stronger. About 2 months ago, i just stopped wearing reading glasses and I dont know why. I can comfortably read where once i needed +2 lenses (according to the ophthalmologist). I imagine it could be because the myopia has worsened but I feel my distance vision is good and because the improvement was so sudden, I suspect its due to my nutritional status changing. I added spirulina and collagen to my diet several months ago so wonder if either affected my eyes.
Fascinating. And it matches my experience 100%. My parents never experienced myopia. They grew up in a rural area in the 1920’s and 1930’s. We grew up in the city. 3 kids. I always read a lot and had my first glasses very young, probably 7 or 8 years old. New stronger glasses on a regular basis, just like the article mentions. I ended up with -7.5 (R) and 5.5 (L). It never made sense to me and instinctively assumed exactly what i now just read. Things fall into their place.
I am older now and started to have triuble reading. Using reading glasses (say +1). Then figured it was odd to have -7.5 and compensate with a +1. What if i tried -6.5 lenses? It worked and i could still see far away. I repeated that shuffle a couple of times. I am now on -4.25 (R) and 3.75 (L). Life style has changed as well. Retired, more outdoor. I just order the lenses online. With glasses it would be much more conplicated to scale down gradually. Trying to push this further of course. Thanks for the article!
Thank you, gorgeous one - no surprise, and you confirm what I experienced as I stopped wearing glasses and improved the signal and the terrain.
I knew it! First glasses ever at 60ish years old. Wore them for a week or two and I swore they were making my eyes "lazy," the term that seemed accurate.