The Truth about the Vision Benefits of Eating Carrots

You may have heard that carrots improve night vision, but is it the
truth? Eye doctors know that carrots can't save you from needing eye
glasses. However, they do contain significant quantities of
beta-carotene, a vitamin that is beneficial for your eye health and
therefore ingesting foods rich in this vitamin is definitely a
recommendation for maintaining eye health.

Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, or orange pigment that converts into
vitamin A after it's absorbed in the human body. Vitamin A protects the
surface of the eye (cornea) and has been proven to be preventative for a
number of eye diseases such as corneal ulcers. Vitamin A, an
antioxidant compound, protects the surface of the eye to decrease the
frequency of eye infections as well as other infectious diseases.
Vitamin A is also known to be a successful solution for dry eyes and
other eye disorders. A lack of vitamin A (which is be more common in
poor and developing countries) often causes night blindness, corneal
ulcers and retinal damage which can contribute to blindness.

There are two forms of vitamin A, which depend upon the nutritional
source from which they come. Vitamin A originating from an animal is
called Retinol and can be obtained from foods such as beef, chicken
liver, or dairy products. Vitamin A that is produce-derived comes in the
form of ''provitamin A'' carotenoids, which convert to retinol after
the food is absorbed. In addition to carrots, carotenoids can be found
in colorful produce particularly those that are bright orange or green
in color.

It is proven that through most forms, vitamin A contributes to the
health of your eyes as well as your overall well being. Even though
carrots can't correct near or far-sightedness, grandma had it right
when she advised ''eat your carrots.''

UV Awareness Month - The Sun and Your Eyes

Due to education to increase knowledge of the hazards of Ultraviolet (UV) radiation to your skin, (such as sunburn and skin cancer), most are aware of the importance of using sunblock and avoiding direct contact with the sun particularly during the blazing summer months. What is less known is that ultraviolet rays and other harmful types of radiation from the sun are also a threat to your eyes.

If you are considering leaving the house without proper eye protection, think again. Extended contact with the sun's UV rays has been linked to damage to the eye.

UV Eye Damage

Intense UV exposure over a short amount of time can cause a ''sunburn of the eye'', which results in pain, blurry vision or even temporary vision loss. In the long run, UV exposure can result in more threatening eye diseases including cataracts, macular degeneration, and others, which can cause loss of sight. Just like the real thing, tanning beds pose a substantial threat of overexposure to UV.

How to Choose Protective Sunglasses

For effective UV defense, you should be careful to only purchase sunglasses that completely block all UV rays. Stick with sunglasses that specify they are ''UV 400'', which means that they block all UV light from entering your eyes (400 refers to the wavelength of light in nanometers).

You also want to choose sunglasses with full eye coverage. Wraparound sunglasses can prevent harmful ultraviolet rays from entering from the sides and back of the frame.

You don't have to pay a lot to have sufficient UV defense, but it's essential to be sure the sunglasses offer full UV protection. Many less expensive brands do offer proper UV coverage. The great news is that as well as defending your eyes from the harmful sunlight, stylish sunglasses are at the height of fashion, so pick up a pair (or two) and let the sun shine down!