In your long-range fitness plan, in addition to cutting out sugars and fatty foods, you should also consider whether you are doing everything you can to protect your eyes and keep them in good health. According to her response by a great doctor, eye surgery can be a good option for protecting your eyes.
In your long-range fitness plan, in addition to cutting out sugars and fatty foods, you should also consider whether you are doing everything you can to protect your eyes and keep them in good health.
We asked Dr. Ameet Goyal, ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon, who has had a practice in Rye for over 16 years, for his thoughts.
How can we ensure that we are doing everything we can to ensure eye health?
Dr. Goyal: For people who have certain eye diseases there are definitely lifestyle changes that have been found to be very helpful. For example, if you have macular degeneration, green leafy vegetables are very important to incorporate in your diet. They are also essential for other parts of the body as well, including the colon.
Wearing sunglasses with ultraviolet protection to protect the lens and the retina of the eye helps to prevent the progression of cataracts and macular degeneration and in the long run, also prevents people from undergoing cataract surgery. Finally, there are certain trace elements, such as Zinc and Selenium that are helpful for eye health. There are over-the-counter eye vitamins, such as Icaps and Ocuvite that have these elements.
All of theses changes have scientific merit and are backed by medical research.
What things do we routinely do that damage our eyes, vision?
People tend to rub their eyes a lot. The skin around the eyes is the thinnest in the body. Over time the skin becomes loose and, as a result, the eyes can become droopy or develop the excess skin that forms over the eyelids. Dermatochalsis is the medical term for this condition.
Excess sun exposure can cause skin cancer, termed basal cell carcinoma, around the eyes. Wearing sunglasses keeps the sun’s rays from damaging the skin around the eyes. With more outdoor activities, it is important to keep in mind the amount of sun exposure that one may have.
Smoking is a big problem, not only because it can cause lung cancer and emphysema. People who smoke and have surgery will have delayed healing and increase their risk of infection as well. Smoking also causes problems in people with macular degeneration and cataracts.
What kinds of eye surgery pose the greatest risk/greatest benefit?
Ophthalmic surgery has made such great advances in all areas. In cataract surgery, the old implants were mono-focal and only allowed people to see at a distance. For the most part, gasses were required. Now there are multi-focal implants. There are also implants that correct for astigmatism.
There is a new laser machine that assists in cataract surgery. The precision of the laser allows for even better and more predictable results.
Eyelid surgery can also provide a great deal of benefit. People with droopy eyelids lose a significant part of their peripheral vision. By removing the excess skin and lifting the eyelid, the peripheral vision is improved and people see better. It is like lifting a shade or veil from your eyes.
