Is it possible to prevent cataracts or slow down their progression, or even reverse them? Begin by protecting your eyes.
UV light creates free radical reactions in the lens.
Choose to wear sunglasses that filter 100% of the UV light and that wrap around to block as much light seepage as possible.
Wearing a hat with a brim or a visor, particularly a visor that is dark on the underside can reduce UV rays entering from above and being reflected from below.
This is important for everyone from young children to seniors.
The real base of nutritional protection is in antioxidants.
Sadly, many of the anti-oxidant nutrients are oxygen-sensitive.
What that means is by the time you get your veggies and fruits home from the market they have been off the vine long enough that the anti-oxidant levels are sagging sadly.
I'm not saying 'don't eat fresh produce' I'm saying 'don't count on it' to do the complete antioxidant job.
Be sure to eat at least a fist-sized serving of veggies for every 25 pounds of your body weight every day.
That will give you a good base to build on.
We'll talk about antioxidant supplements more in a moment.
Read food labels.
Cut out the junk food and anything that has an 'ose' ingredient.
Junk foods and sugar-laden foods (even natural sugars) cause rapid oxidation in the body in general.
Drink lots of purified water.
The rule of thumb is at least one-half ounce of water for every pound of body weight.
Deal with sinus congestion quickly.
There are excellent dietary and herbal ways to correct sinus issues.
When the sinuses are congested they impede blood flow to parts of the eyes.
Use anti-oxidant supplements that include Vitamin A, beta-carotene, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E.
The concentration of vitamin C in the lens is the second highest of any organ in the body.
Some sources report that vitamin C not only prevents cataracts but can also reverse them.
Bioflavonoids, specifically quercetin and rutin, make vitamin C more potent.
Nature's Sunshine's Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids has both of these bioflavonoids.
Low levels of glutathione, an antioxidant that your body can make from the amino acids l-cysteine, l-glutamic acid, and glycine, have been found in most people with age-related cataracts.
Other nutrients that support glutathione production are n-acetyl-cysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, selenium, and zinc.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine age-related cataracts are disturbances in the wood (liver) and water (kidney) elements.
Using TCM herbal blends like K-C (Chinese Kidney Activator) and BP-C (Chinese Blood Builder) together can clear the liver energy and strengthen the kidneys.
More recently n-acetylcarnosine (an amino acid) has come up as a possible supplement to actually reverse cataracts.
Used as eye drops in a product like Can-C, some people have found great benefit while others report no change at all, and some got worse.
The big question to consider here is "what else was each of these people doing to support their eye health?" as it is unlikely that the eye drops or any nutritional supplements would be strong enough to counteract smoking a pack a day or eating a diet replete with low-nutrient foods.
In short, there are things you can and should do that are just plain good for your health that may also protect your vision well into your advanced years.