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Ingredient ListLutein and zeaxanthin-rich foods:
Kale, dandelion greens, spinach, broccoli, Swiss chard, collard greens, chicory, mustard greens, red peppers, Brussels sprouts, peas, asparagus, watercress, paprika.
Retinol-rich foods
Beef liver, chicken liver, whole milk, hard cheese.
Beta carotene-rich foods
Sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, papaya, peaches.
Vitamin C-rich foods
Grapefruit, oranges, papaya, strawberries, kiwifruit, raspberries, tomatoes, broccoli.
Vitamin E-rich foods
Almonds, enriched wheat germ, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, peanuts, peanut butter.
Essential Fatty Acid-rich foods
Salmon, herring, mackerel, flaxseed oil, walnuts, olive oil, eggs.
Zinc-rich foods
Oysters, crab, lean beef, poultry, chickpeas, cashews, almonds.
Sulfur-rich foods
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, bok choy, eggs, poultry.
Lecithin-rich foods
Eggs, soybeans, cod, liver, peanuts, whole milk.
Anthocyanin-rich foods
Blueberries, eggplant, black currants, plums, asparagus, cranberries, bananas, red cabbage,
grapes, pomegranates, fiber-rich foods, oats, quinoa, brown rice, beans.
Ingredients for therapies Bilberry supplement, copper container (for water), hyaluronic acid supplement, mulberry leaf
tea or dried mulberry leaves, almonds, raisins, carrot juice, amla powder, gingko biloba
supplements, fennel essential oil, wild asparagus extract, eyebright tincture, chrysanthemum
tea, coleus supplement, gotu kola supplement, turmeric supplement, green tea.
Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................ 7
Facts and Figures about Vision and Vision Loss ......................................................8 What It’s Like to Experience Vision Loss ................................................................9 Overview of Topics to Be Covered ...................................................................... 11
How Vision Works ................................................................................ 14
The Anatomy of the Eye .................................................................................... 15 The Eye-Brain Connection .................................................................................. 18 How Vision Impacts Your Everyday Life ............................................................... 20
Understanding Vision Loss .................................................................... 24
What Is Vision Loss? .......................................................................................... 25 Common Types of Vision Loss ............................................................................ 25 Classifications of Vision Impairment .................................................................... 35
Vision Loss Treatments ......................................................................... 37
Diagnosing Vision Loss ...................................................................................... 38 Common Treatments for Vision Loss ................................................................... 41 Risks Associated with Treatments ....................................................................... 48 The Problem with Vision Loss Treatments ........................................................... 49
The Benefits of Natural Healing ............................................................ 50
A Brief History of Medicine ................................................................................. 51 The Trouble with Modern Medicine ..................................................................... 52 What Is Natural Healing? ................................................................................... 55 Natural Healing Facts and Figures ....................................................................... 56 A Comparison of Modern and Natural Healing ...................................................... 57 Understanding How the Body Heals Itself ............................................................ 58 The Mind-Body Connection ................................................................................ 59 Examples of Natural Therapies ........................................................................... 61
Natural Healing & Vision Loss ............................................................... 62
Nutrition and Vision ........................................................................................... 63 Foods to Avoid .................................................................................................. 66 Other Dietary Concerns ..................................................................................... 68 Therapies and Remedies to Help Restore Vision ................................................... 69 Eye-Strengthening Exercises .............................................................................. 72
21-Day Plan to Reverse Vision Loss .............................................. 75
Day 1 ............................................................................................................... 77 Day 2 ............................................................................................................... 78 Day 3 ............................................................................................................... 79 Day 4 ............................................................................................................... 80 Day 5 ............................................................................................................... 81 Day 6 ............................................................................................................... 82 Day 7 ............................................................................................................... 83 Day 8 ............................................................................................................... 83 Day 9 ............................................................................................................... 84 Day 10 ............................................................................................................. 85 Day 11 ............................................................................................................. 86 Day 12 ............................................................................................................. 86 Day 13 ............................................................................................................. 87 Day 14 ............................................................................................................. 88 Days 15 – 21 .................................................................................................... 89
Simplified Action Plan to Reverse Vision Loss ...................................... 91
Tips for Preventing Future Vision Loss ............................................... 101
Diet ................................................................................................................ 102 Therapies ....................................................................................................... 103 Exercises ........................................................................................................ 103 Lifestyle.......................................................................................................... 104 Mental Wellness .............................................................................................. 105
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 107
7
Introduction Vision is not just a sense; it’s a metaphor for
how we perceive the world. We use vision-
related words to describe more than what we
see. We use them to describe what we know,
too, and with good reason. We process visual
images much more quickly than we do other
sensory input. All of the senses are important,
but the sense of sight plays a huge role in how
we perceive the world around us.
When you know you can rely on your sense of
vision, it is easy to take it for granted. You
know you can use it when you need it, whether it’s for reading, driving or
recognizing a friend’s face in a crowd. Most people don’t spend very much time
considering all of the things they use their sense of vision to do because they
don’t have to.
For people who experience vision loss, though, it’s a different story. A sense that
you have counted on is suddenly impaired, and experiencing something like that
can leave you reeling. You have to find new ways to make sense of the world
around you. Your other senses have to try to make up for what is missing, and
you have to learn how to adapt to an environment that’s not as clear as it used
to be.
To understand how much we depend on vision and how many people have
experienced vision loss, let’s look at some statistics.
“Most of us who have healthy eyesight are extremely attached to our vision, often without being conscious that we are. We depend heavily on our eyes, and yet we rarely give them a second thought.”
Rosemary Mahoney
8
Facts and Figures about Vision and Vision Loss How important is our sense of vision? How big of a problem is vision loss? Here
are some facts and figures to consider:
The human brain can process a visual image in as little as 13 milliseconds.
As of 2011, over 285 million people worldwide have some degree of visual
impairment.
Of those, 39 million are blind.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 85% of all visual
impairment and 75% of all blindness is preventable or curable.
58% of people who are blind are over the age of 60.
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide.
Vision loss and vision-related diseases cost approximately $139 billion in
the United States in 2013.
A 2012 study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University revealed that the
incidence of vision impairment and blindness had increased 23% since
2000.
As of 2012, approximately 6.67 million people in the United States were
classified as having a visual disability.
9
A person is considered to be legally blind if their corrected vision is less
than 20/200 or they have a visual field of less than 20%.
Many people think of blindness as being a complete lack of vision, but the
National Federation of the Blind (NFB) says that a person is blind if he must use
alternate means to perform a task that a person with normal vision would
complete using their eyes.
What It’s Like to Experience Vision Loss What is like to experience vision loss? For people who have healthy vision, it
might be tempting to say something along the lines of, “Well, you still have four
other senses.” That’s true, but as it turns out, our sense of vision is responsible
for more than one-fifth of our perception.
It turns out that vision is our predominant sense, and by a significant amount.
Research shows that between 80% and 85% of our activities, cognition,
learning, and perception are informed by our sense of vision. That’s not to say
that hearing, taste, smell and touch don’t matter, but losing vision means losing
a lot more than our ideas of sensory perception might indicate.
Most of us rely heavily on our eyes. When we get up in the morning, we use our
eyes to locate our robe and slippers, find our way to the bathroom, and make
breakfast. We use them as we shower and get dressed. Driving to work would be
impossible without the ability to see road signs and other vehicles.
When we are out in public, we rely on vision to help us recognize the faces of
people we know, navigate our way through stores and along sidewalks, and
process information about potential threats. Healthy vision helps us do all of
10
these things without thinking about them because they happen in a split second.
I mentioned earlier that the human brain can process an image in as little as 13
milliseconds. That means that in one second, your brain can (and probably does)
process as many as 77 images.
Now, most of those images are not things that you notice on a conscious level.
Your eyes gather visual information and deliver it to your brain, and your brain
separates the wheat from the chaff.
Most people have a far easier time learning new things if they are presented
visually than they do if they are presented in another way. Our brains can
process and understand visual intake about 60,000 times faster than they
process written information. It turns out that it really is true that a picture is
worth a thousand words.
Regardless of what career you have, the chances are good that you rely on your
eyes for at least part of what you do. Most jobs have some visual component to
them. You navigate your way around the office, connect with coworkers or help
customers. When people start to lose their vision, they often find it difficult to
continue doing their jobs. The sense of disorientation can be overwhelming. For
people who have highly visual jobs, even minor vision loss can be devastating.
Another thing that’s affected by vision loss is communication. A huge percentage
of our communication with other people is non-verbal, and much of it is visual.
We use visual cues to evaluate a person’s body language and facial expressions.
Small changes can tip us off as to whether a person is being honest or not. One
of the first things we notice when we meet someone new is whether or not they
look us in the eye when they speak to us.
Navigating your way through life with an impaired sense of vision can feel like
being adrift, lost in a wilderness without a map. Our sense of vision provides us
with the information we need to navigate our way through our environment.
When we lose that sensor or it is seriously impaired, it can be devastating.
11
Overview of Topics to Be Covered Losing your vision can be a scary thing, but it’s not something you have to take
lying down. Remember the earlier statistic I quoted from the World Health
Organization? They said that a huge majority of vision loss is preventable or
curable, and that’s the goal of this book – to give you an all-natural way to
improve your vision in just three weeks.
Chapter 1 will explain how your sense of vision works. Most people tend to think
of vision as being only about the eyes, but it’s actually a complicated biochemical
process. Understanding how your vision works is essential to being able to
correct it.
The second chapter will go into great detail about what vision loss is, and how it
happens. Vision loss, as you might expect, is not just one thing. It can be caused
by a large number of diseases and underlying causes. I’ll tell you what those are
and how they happen. We’ll also talk about the most common signs and
symptoms of vision loss, and go into a bit more detail about the ways that losing
vision can impact your life.
The third chapter is about the way the medical profession treats vision loss.
Because there are so many different things that can cause vision loss, there are
also a large number of potential treatments. I’ll give you information about
everything from corrective lenses to prescription drugs to surgery. We’ll also talk
about some of the risks associated with the way vision loss is treated so you can
begin to understand why natural treatments are preferable.
In the fourth chapter, we’ll take a step back from vision and talk about natural
healing in general. Modern medicine can do some fantastic things, and there’s no
denying that pharmaceuticals, microsurgeries, and laser treatments have their
place. That being said, there’s a reason that many people are turning to natural
and alternative healing for treatment when they are ill. We’ll talk about different
12
kinds of natural healing, and the primary differences between modern medicine
and alternative medicine. We’ll also explore the mind-body connection and give
some examples of popular alternative therapies.
The fifth chapter will bring vision and natural healing together. We’ll talk about
some of the natural remedies that can be used to reverse vision loss. The
information will include details about nutrition, including the essential
micronutrients your body needs to keep your sense of vision strong and healthy.
We’ll also talk about foods that may be harming or impairing your sense of
vision. After that, I’ll give you descriptions of some specific natural remedies that
can help with vision loss, including herbs and home remedies. Finally, we’ll talk
about how you can exercise your eyes and strengthen the connection between
your mind and body to improve your vision.
The sixth chapter contains the detailed, day-by-day plan to help you reverse the
vision loss you have experienced. For each day of the plan, I’ll give you
nutritional tips, specific diet recommendations, therapies, and exercises. I’ll also
throw in a few lifestyle recommendations to help you protect your sense of sight.
The seventh chapter is an abbreviated version of the plan for easy reference.
The information in the plan is very detailed, and some readers may find it helpful
to have a shorter version to refer to.
The eighth and final chapter is a roadmap to help you maintain a healthy sense
of vision for years to come. You’ve probably heard the saying that an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure. This chapter is all about prevention, giving
you specific information about what to do going forward to keep your eyesight
strong.
Finally, in the conclusion I’ll give you some encouraging words and tips for
getting started.
13
Losing your eyesight can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. Your
body has a remarkable ability to heal itself if you give it the right fuel to do so.
This plan will teach you what your body needs to correct your sense of vision. As
you move through the plan, you will find that your vision will improve. The vision
loss you’ve experienced doesn’t need to take over your life.
Are your ready for your life to change?
Let’s get started!
14
~ Chapter 1 ~
How Vision Works
15
We all know that our sense of vision starts with our eyes, but very few of us
understand how our eyes work or how the sensory impulses our eyes receive
make their way to our brains. The goal of this chapter is to give you a simple
explanation of how your sense of sight works so that you can understand vision
loss. Vision is part of a complex biochemical process that involves your eyes,
your nervous system, and your brain. Let’s start with an explanation of the
anatomy of your eyes.
The Anatomy of the Eye Perhaps the easiest way to start to explain the way your eyes work is to say that
they are like cameras. When you take a picture, you look through the viewfinder,
and you adjust the focus to make sure the picture you take is crisp and clear.
You may also use a flash to make the image easier to see, and do things like
move to a different location or shift your perspective. Your eyes work in a similar
way.
The cornea is a transparent structure at the front of your eye that receives the
light your eyes take in, much the way a camera lens focuses an image. All vision
starts with light, which is reflected off of objects. While some parts of our body
can sustain damage and still work, the same cannot be said of the cornea. It is
highly sensitive, and even a minor injury can cause big problems with vision.
After the light passes through the
cornea, it encounters the crystalline
lens, which sits directly behind the
pupil. As its name implies, the
crystalline lens is transparent, and it is
filled with a colorless liquid called
aqueous humor. The lenses of our eyes
focus the light they receive in the same
16
way a camera lens focuses an image before you take a picture. The lens is held
in place by a ring of muscles known as ciliary muscles. The muscles don’t just
hold the lens in place; they also help the lens to make adjustments. For example,
when you are trying to see an object that’s far away, the muscles relax, causing
the lens to flatten so you can see farther. Conversely, when you are trying to see
something that’s close to you, the muscles contract and thicken the lens.
After the light is focused, it gets sent to the iris. The iris is a ring-shaped, colored
membrane – it’s the part of your eye that determines your eye color. At the
center of the iris is the pupil, which is the black circle in the middle of the eye.
Light passing through the pupil can make the pupil dilate (become larger) or
constrict (grow smaller.) If you are in a very bright light, your pupils typically
constrict, and when you are in dim light, they dilate to help you see better.
17
Behind the iris is the rest of your eyeball, which is filled with a jelly-like
substance called vitreous humor. This part of the eye also contains blood vessels
that supply the eye with nutrients and get rid of waste products. The light that
enters through your pupil and the iris must pass through the vitreous humor
before it reaches the retina.
The retina is the eye’s nerve center. It contains two types of nerve receptors
called rods and cones. The rods are used to process monochrome visual signals
in low light while the cones are used to detect colors and fine details. There are
three different types of cones: red absorbing, green absorbing, and blue
absorbing. Your brain interprets colors by evaluating the activity of the three
different kinds of cones. The cones are located in a part of the eye called the
fovea, which is responsible for the sharpness of your vision. After the light your
eye receives strikes either the rods or cones in your retina, it is converted into an
electric impulse. The impulse is then transmitted to your brain via the optic
nerve.
One of the things that makes human vision unique is that it is binocular, meaning
that we perceive the images received by both eyes as a single picture. This is
possible because the optic nerves from each eye intersect and transmit some of
their signals to the opposite side of the brain over something called the optic
chiasm in a process called decussation. That allows your brain to fuse the two
images into something cohesive, where otherwise you might end up with two
slightly different pictures as a result of looking with both eyes. It’s also important
to note here that the left side of your brain receives images from your right eye,
and vice versa.
Part of what the brain does is compress the data it receives via the optic nerve.
The reason for this is that there are approximately 125 million receptor cells in
the retina, but there are only about one million axons (nerve fibers) in the optic
nerve. That means that a 125 to 1 reduction of data needs to take place in order
for the axons to receive accurate information from the retina.
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Your brain receives the information in stages. First, it receives lines and edges.
Next, it gets movement, form and color, and then it creates a full, detailed
image. The information travels through your optic nerves to a section of the
brain called the thalamus – in particular, to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN).
The LGN is like a relay station for visual impulses. It sends visual signals to the
primary visual cortex using something called optic radiation. The primary visual
cortex is located at the back of the brain, in a section known as the occipital
cortex. You also have a secondary visual cortex, which is responsible for
processing more complex visual signals.
From the visual cortices, the information is sent to different parts of the brain.
The ventral pathway leads to the temporal lobe, where memory is stored, and it
is primarily used to help you recognize objects. The dorsal pathway leads to the
parietal lobe, and it is used to help you locate objects.
The Eye-Brain Connection To get an idea of how your brain processes visual information, let’s take a look at
something simple. You already understand how visual stimuli travel from your
eyes to your brain. Your memories are stored in different parts of your brain, and
many of those memories are visual in nature. Let’s say you are walking down the
street and you see a basketball sitting on the sidewalk. Your eyes take it in. You
notice its orange-brown color and its rough texture. You also see any writing
that’s on it, such as a brand name. The visual impulses travel through your eye.
The iris and lens focus the image, the retina reads the colors, and everything
that you see is translated into nerve impulses, reduced by the 125 to 1 ratio we
talked about earlier, and transmitted to your brain.
When your brain reassembles the impulses it receives into a cohesive image, it
recognizes that what you are seeing is a basketball. The processing takes place
incredibly quickly. Remember, earlier I told you that the brain can process a
19
visual image in as little as 13 milliseconds. Now, let’s say that you played
basketball in high school. Your brain would then have countless memories
associated with the visual images it just received, and they’re connected to just
about every other part of your brain. For example, the way the basketball looks
is attached via nerve connections called synapses, to your memories of the way
a basketball feels in your hands and the way it sounds when it bounces on a
gymnasium floor. It’s also connected to your memories of specific experiences,
such as when you made a three pointer right at the buzzer or your team won the
state championship.
When you lose vision, that means that your brain needs to find new ways to
connect those memories – or rather, to revise the connections. You will still have
memories of the way a basketball looks, but over time, those memories will fade,
and your other sensory memories will take their place.
When your brain receives visual stimuli and reassembles them into cohesive
images, it uses that information to alert other parts of the body as needed. Have
you ever watched a hockey game? Imagine a moment when a player takes a
shot on the goal. The puck goes flying through the air, to the left of the
opposing team’s goalie. He sees the puck coming and in a split second, the
image is transmitted to his brain. In turn, his brain sends signals to his body to
react, lunging to the side to stop the puck and prevent the other team from
scoring.
We rely on the images from our eyes in thousands of different ways. They help
us to navigate our way around obstacles, avoid stepping on things, and
recognize potentially dangerous situations. They help us to spot friendly faces in
a crowd, and to recall information. Every impulse that your eyes take in is sent to
your brain, and important information from this images is then relayed to other
parts of your body. Let’s look at another quick example. Imagine that you’re
swimming in the ocean. You look up, and you see a shark fin approaching you.
Your eyes send the image to your brain, and before you even have time to
consciously think “shark” your brain has signaled your adrenal glands to release
20
adrenaline so that you have the energy to get away. Without that visual impulse,
your brain wouldn’t be able to recognize the danger you were in. Of course, your
other senses play a part in sensing danger too, but the speed of visual
processing makes it particularly important.
How Vision Impacts Your Everyday Life Now that you have a basic understanding of the mechanics of your sense of
vision let’s take a closer look at the ways you use your eyesight on a day to day
basis.
Reading
One way that we use our vision on a regular basis is to read. Our eyes take in
the words on a page or computer screen and transmit the images – the shapes
of the letters – to the retina. The images are then encoded and sent to our brain,
which interprets them.
Interestingly, studies about
visual word recognition have
revealed that our eyes do not
take in every word on a page
when we read. Instead, our
eyes perform a series of
fixations, focusing on a single
word, interspersed with jerky
motions called saccades. In
other words, we don’t read
every word. We read some of
21
them and fill in the rest using context. Obviously this is a very complicated
process, but it all begins with the eyes.
Driving
Another area of our lives where we rely heavily on vision is driving. Reading
plays a part too – we need to be able to see road signs – but so do the kinds of
split-second reactions we talked about a little while ago using the examples of
the hockey goalie and the shark. When you drive, your eyes transmit rapid-fire
signals to your brain having to do with where you are on the road, and what
other vehicles are doing. When you see something that’s a problem, such as a
vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road or an obstruction, your brain uses
the information from your eyes to send signals to your body that allow you to
react. Your sense of vision also helps you to recognize landmarks and find your
way from one place to another.
Learning
I mentioned earlier that as much as 85% of learning and cognition is visual in
nature. The visual nature of the human learning mechanism is well documented,
and it starts in early childhood. Children are far more likely to remember
information when it is presented both visually and verbally than they are to
remember information that is only presented verbally. Linking learning to visuals
also increases empathy. One study showed that children who learned about the
Holocaust with visual material and verbal material were more empathetic toward
the victims than people who learned without visuals.
There are different styles of visual learning. For example, reading – as discussed
above – is a form of visual processing. Young children and adolescents usually
learn more easily when they receive a combination of written and visual
instruction. Older students, such as those in late adolescence or college, are
22
readily able to identify the forms of learning that work best for them. They tend
to fall into two different groups: those who respond best to written instructions,
and those who respond best to instructions that are presented in graphic form.
Regardless of your personal preferences, learning and vision are closely
connected. A person who loses vision literally needs to rewire her brain to learn
in new ways.
Communication
When most of us think of communication, we think of talking or maybe of written
communication. The fact is, though, that the majority of what we say to one
another, we say without words. That’s not to say that verbal communication isn’t
important, but most of us don’t stop to think how much we rely on our eyesight
to interpret other people’s emotions and intentions. One statistic that’s quoted is
that 93% of communication is non-verbal. That is true, but of that 93%,
approximately 38% comes from vocal cues that aren’t affected by vision. Still,
that leaves 55% of communication that comes from things that are visual in
nature, including posture, hand gestures, and facial expressions.
Think about that for just a moment. More than half of the information you get
when you are carrying on a conversation with another person comes from things
that you see, not things you hear. When you lose your sense of vision, it means
you’re missing out on a huge amount of valuable data from other people. Let’s
look at a few examples, some obvious, and some not so obvious:
You’re talking to a friend, and you say something about your job. It’s
subtle, but you catch the fact that he gives a little roll of his eyes when you
bring up the topic. If his tone doesn’t betray his frustration and you don’t
see the eye roll, you’d have no way of knowing his true feelings.
23
A police officer brings in a suspect for questioning about a crime that’s
been committed. He relies heavily on visual cues to assess the suspect’s
veracity. For example, generally people who are telling the truth look down
and to the left when they are recalling something that happened in the
past. Liars tend to look up and to the right. If the officer couldn’t see the
suspect’s face, he might be taken in by a lie that he would have caught
otherwise. A person who’s being untruthful might also do things like cover
his mouth, jerk his head or stare without blinking – all visual cues you’d
miss if you didn’t have your eyesight.
You’ve probably heard it said that the eyes are the windows of the soul,
and there’s a reason for that. Most people tend to reveal emotions through
their eyes, and not just by moving them like the friend in our first example.
If you’ve ever had someone look at you with eyes full of love or hate, you
know what I’m talking about. If you can’t see the person you’re talking to,
you have to rely on their words, and you’d have no way of knowing if their
words and their facial expressions matched.
As you can see, our sense of vision has a huge
impact on our daily lives. It’s not just about
being able to see things in a visual sense. Our
sense of vision plays a direct role in how we
see things in a metaphorical sense, too.
There’s a reason we say “I see” when we
understand something.
Now that you understand how your sense of
vision works, it’s time to talk about vision
loss. That’s what we’ll cover in the next
chapter.
24
~ Chapter 2 ~
Understanding Vision Loss
25
Like many health problems, vision loss is not just one thing. It can be the
primary diagnosis a patient has or the vision loss may be a symptom or side
effect of something else. It can also occur at almost any point along the chain of
vision, starting in the cornea and ending in the visual cortices of the brain. What
that means is that understanding vision loss is about having an idea of the many
different things that can cause it and how they happen.
What Is Vision Loss? Let’s start by talking about what vision loss is. To begin with, it is a very broad
term that can stand for any amount of vision impairment, from a minor change
that can be corrected with glasses or contacts to full blindness. As stated above,
vision loss can occur in any part of the eye, and it can also be caused by damage
to the optical nerve or the brain.
Some people are born with impaired vision. Some forms of visual impairment,
such as astigmatism, are hereditary and have to do with the formation of the
eyes. Other forms of visual impairment can happen as the result of illness or
injury. In general, though, vision loss is a term that can be used to describe any
impairment of your sense of sight, whether it’s minor or severe.
Common Types of Vision Loss As I stated previously, there are many different types of vision loss, and also
many different causes of it. Here are some of the most common.
26
Refractive Errors
The first and most common type of vision loss comes from a refractive error.
Refraction is when light bends as it passes through an object. Part of the way
vision works is that light is refracted through the cornea and crystalline lens and
focused on the retina. Perfect focus – meaning 20/20 vision – relies on the
eyeball being free of any abnormalities. However, a lot of people have eyeballs
that are longer or shorter than they are supposed to be, and when that happens,
the light does not hit the retina in the right place. There are four different kinds
of refractive errors:
Myopia (nearsightedness) is what happens when light focuses in front of
the retina instead of on the retina itself. The result is that objects that are
close to you are clear, while objects that are far away are blurry.
Hyperopia (farsightedness) is what happens when light focuses behind the
retina. The result is that distant objects are easier to see than objects that
are close to you. However, people with severe hyperopia may find that
everything is blurry.
Astigmatism is what happens when the eyeball is shorter than it should be.
The result is that light is diffused before it hits the retina, which makes
objects appear to be stretched out and blurry.
Presbyopia is an age-related refraction error caused by the lens becoming
less flexible, and, therefore, less able to focus on objects that are close by.
Each type of refractive error can be mild or severe. These types of vision loss can
often be managed with corrective lenses.
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Cataracts
Cataracts are one of the most common causes of vision loss. In the United
States, more than half of all people who are over the age of 65 have them. A
cataract is caused by a buildup of proteins on the crystalline lens. When new lens
cells are formed, they always form on the outside of the lens which causes the
old cells to cluster in the middle. Eventually, the lens becomes cloudy. Some of
the symptoms of cataracts include cloudy vision, increased nearsightedness,
changes in the way the affected person perceives color, difficulty driving at night,
and double vision.
Most cataracts are caused by age, but there are some other causes:
Congenital cataracts may form in utero as a result of an injury, infection or
poor development. The cataracts may not be immediately apparent, and
may develop during childhood.
Secondary cataracts are cataracts that happen as a result of another
condition, such as diabetes, prescription drug use or exposure to radiation.
Traumatic cataracts are formed after a person’s eyes are injured.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a serious disease that can cause permanent vision loss if it is left
untreated. It is hereditary, and most people do not exhibit symptoms until vision
loss has started. Glaucoma causes damage to the optic nerve and is also
sometimes associated with a build-up of pressure behind the eyes. The buildup
of pressure happens when the aqueous humor is unable to flow through the eye
as it should. While glaucoma is often inherited, it can be caused by traumatic
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injuries, eye infections, blockages of the blood vessels in the eyes, and even
surgery. People who have diabetes have an increased risk of getting glaucoma.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
The macula is the central part of the retina. Age-related macular degeneration
occurs when the macula deteriorates as a result of age. There are two basic
kinds:
Dry macular degeneration is caused by the buildup of yellow deposits
called drusen on the macula. If there are only a few small drusen, there
may be no obvious vision loss; however, the disease is progressive and as
more drusen build up the affected person will typically notice dim or
distorted vision. In advanced stages of the disease, there may also be
atrophying of the light-sensitive cells of the macula. When that happens,
the person may lose some or all of the central vision.
Wet macular degeneration is typically more serious than the dry form of
the disease. It is caused by the formation of new blood vessels, also known
as neovascularization, underneath the macula. The new blood vessels leak
blood and other fluids into the retina, which can cause wavy or distorted
vision. The leakage from the new blood vessels will eventually cause
scarring, and when that happens it usually results in a permanent loss of
central vision.
Diabetic Retinopathy
As its name suggests, diabetic retinopathy is a form of vision loss that affects
people who have diabetes. Diabetes is caused by high blood sugar, and having
too much sugar in your bloodstream can damage your blood vessels, including
the ones that nourish the retina. The damage that occurs causes the vessels to
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leak blood and fluids, and over time, the buildup causes the retinal tissue to
swell up, resulting in cloudy vision. The usual symptoms of diabetic retinopathy
include blurry vision, floaters in your line of vision, an empty or dark spot in the
center of your vision, and difficulty driving in the dark. There are two basic forms
of the disease:
Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy is the early and less-serious form of
the disease. Damage to the blood vessels causes the formation of
microaneurysms (small bulges) in the blood vessels of the retina. The
microaneurysms can leak fluid, causing swelling of the macula.
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is the later and more serious form of the
disease. If the retina is deprived of oxygen due to damage to the blood
vessels, then new blood vessels can form in the retina, reaching back into
the vitreous humor. The blood vessels may end up leaking blood into the
vitreous, which can cause clouded vision. Left untreated, proliferative
diabetic retinopathy can lead to glaucoma, retinal detachment, and
blindness.
Corneal Clouding
Corneal clouding is also known as corneal opacity, and it can refer to a number
of things that cause damage to the delicate cornea. The symptoms of corneal
clouding include redness, swelling, tearing of the eyes, blurred vision, light
sensitivity, irritation, discharge, the sensation of having something in your eye,
and vision loss. Here are the things that can cause corneal clouding:
Corneal injuries. Some of the most common causes of corneal injuries are
chemicals, objects striking the eye, objects in the eye (such as dust or
sand), radiation injury (caused by glare from the sun or a bright light), and
complications of wearing contact lenses.
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Corneal infections. Corneal infections are also called keratitis, and they are
relatively rare. However, they can be caused by conjunctivitis, herpes
zoster, ocular herpes, and improper cleaning of contact lenses.
Corneal dystrophies. Corneal dystrophies are inherited malformations of
the cornea. There are several different kinds:
Fuchs’ dystrophy typically affects people in their 50s or 60s and
causes swelling and blistering of the cornea and blurred vision.
Keratoconus affects one in 500 people in the United States. It is a
progressive thinning of the cornea that can cause blurred or double
visions and halos.
Map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy is a mild form of dystrophy that
typically affects people between the ages of 40 and 70. It can cause
blurred vision and pain, but usually not permanent vision loss.
Other causes of corneal opacity include iridocorneal endothelial syndrome,
which affects both the iris and the retina and can lead to glaucoma;
Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a dermatological condition that can also affect
a person’s eyes, and pterygium, which causes the growth of red vascular
tissue on the cornea.
Childhood Blindness
Childhood blindness refers to any form of blindness that affects children.
Typically a child is classified as blind if his vision is less than 3/60, meaning that
he cannot see something three feet a way that a child with normal vision could
see if it were sixty feet away.
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There are a number of causes of childhood blindness, including nutritional
deficiencies, premature birth, genetic mutations, injuries, and infections.
Infections
I’ve mentioned infections a few different times, but they need a special mention
here because of how many people they affect worldwide. Some of the most
common causes of blindness include leprosy and onchocerciasis, both of which
blind a million people every year. Other infections that can lead to vision loss or
blindness include congenital rubella syndrome and retinopathy of prematurity.
Blindness as a result of trachoma infection used to be more common, but it has
declined dramatically, from 6 million cases per year down to 1.3 million.
Brain Injuries
Not all vision loss starts in the eyes.
You already know that your eyes send
signals to your brain to help it interpret
what you see. If your occipital lobe is
damaged, it can impair your brain’s
ability to interpret what the eyes send
it, resulting in something called cortical
vision loss. People who have vision loss
are a result of occipital lobe injuries
and often notice that their vision
worsens over the course of the day.
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Prescription Drug Use
If you’ve ever seen a commercial for a prescription drug, you know that all
prescription drugs come with a laundry list of potential side effects. There are
several drugs that can cause vision loss, including:
Antibiotics can cause eyes to become red, itchy and irritated, leading to
blurred vision.
Antidepressants affect neural function, so it stands to reason they might
affect vision, too. They can cause dry eyes, double vision, dilated pupils,
and inability to focus.
Antihistamines are supposed to dry things up – it’s why they work so well
for allergies – but they can also dry out your eyes, leading to irritation and
vision problems.
Blood pressure medications are sometimes diuretics, which cause your
body to lose water. That can lead to dry eyes and blurry vision.
Appetite suppressants are often amphetamines or amphetamine
derivatives, which can cause your eyes to dry out and become irritated.
Hormone replacement therapy can lead to dry eyes.
Lovastatin is a drug that helps to lower cholesterol. There is some evidence
linking the use of this drug to cataracts.
Steroid usage (prednisone and other drugs) has been linked to the
development of both cataracts and glaucoma.
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Inflammation
Finally, certain types of inflammation can affect the eyes and cause vision loss.
For example, people who have an autoimmune disease such as multiple
sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and sarcoidosis may end up with inflammation
of the optic nerve, which can lead to vision loss. Other causes of inflammation
are infections with mumps, measles, Lyme disease and tuberculosis, as well as
adverse reactions after immunization.
Symptoms of Vision Loss As you might imagine, there are quite a few symptoms of vision loss, and many
of them overlap. Here are some of the most common:
Flashing lights, floaters, and gray spots. Floaters are a common symptom
and may occur with many of the above-listed diseases. However, a sudden
onset of floaters, flashing lights or gray spots can be a symptom of retinal
detachment.
Eye pain. Many types of vision loss do not cause eye pain, but pain can be
a symptom of glaucoma, corneal injury or cancer.
Redness. Typically, redness that occurs in only one eye is a symptom that
something else is wrong. Redness in both eyes may indicate the presence
of a cold or virus, but in one eye it can mean that there’s a foreign object
or other serious problem.
Blurry vision. Blurred vision is a very typical symptom of many of the
underlying causes of vision loss.
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Sudden loss of vision. If you suddenly lose sight in one eye, it can be a
symptom of a stroke. Other things that can cause sudden vision loss
include macular degeneration and glaucoma.
If you experience any of the symptoms of retinal detachment or stroke, it’s
important to get to a doctor right away.
Classifications of Vision Impairment When classifying visual impairment, we use a system based on the number of
feet that a person can see. Healthy vision is defined as 20/20, which means that
you can see from 20 feet away what you should be able to see from 20 feet
away. Here are some other classifications with an explanation of what they mean
in terms of vision:
Between 20/30 and 20/60 is considered near-normal vision or mild
vision loss. It means that you can see from 20 feet away what a person
with normal vision could see from 30 feet away, and so on.
20/70 to 20/160 is classified as moderate low vision or moderate vision
loss.
20/200 to 20/400 is severe vision loss, also known as severe low-vision.
20/500 to 20/1,000 is considered profound vision loss or profound low-
vision.
More than 20/1,000 is considered near-total vision loss or near-total
blindness.
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A person with no light perception at all is considered to be totally blind.
The World Health Organization says that any person with vision of 20/500 or less
in their best eye or a visual field lower than 20%, is considered to be blind.
The United States has some special classifications that deserve a mention here:
If a person is partially sighted, they have some visual impairment that mayrequire special education.
A person with low vision is considered to have serious visual impairment.
This descriptor may be used for people with both myopia and hyperopia. A
person described this way would be unable to read a newspaper at a
normal distance, even with corrective lenses.
A person is legally blind in the United States if their vision is less than
20/200 in their best eye with corrective lenses or they have a visual field of
less than 20%.
A person is considered totally blind if they have no light perception at all.
As a person’s vision gets progressively worse, the impact the vision loss has on
their daily lives increases. A person with mild vision loss can still function
normally. They can read, drive, and probably perform all of the duties of their
job with the help of corrective lenses. Once vision loss gets to the point where it
would be classified as low vision, you would begin to notice a serious impact on
your everyday life. If reading a newspaper is not possible even with corrective
lenses, then it is easy to imagine that doing a job that required you to be in front
of a computer wouldn’t be possible either. Neither would any occupation that
required detailed visual work or any job where you needed to be able to see for
your own safety.
In the next chapter, we’ll talk about how vision loss is diagnosed and treated.
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~ Chapter 3 ~
Vision Loss Treatments
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Because there are so many types of vision loss and so many causes of it, the
treatments are also very diverse. In this chapter, we will take a look at some of
the ways vision loss is treated, and why many of those options are less than
ideal. One of the most frustrating things about vision loss is the inadequacy of
the treatments that are available. Many people who experience vision loss are
told that there is no treatment. They think they have to resign themselves to
losing their sense of sight, and that’s a source of stress and disappointment.
Before we get into discussing some of the specific treatments for vision loss, let’s
talk briefly about the tools ophthalmologists use to diagnose and evaluate vision
loss.
Diagnosing Vision Loss When a person experiences vision loss or has some of the symptoms of vision
loss, the next step is to diagnose the problem. Typically, the first examination
(unless there was a previously-identified underlying cause, such as diabetes)
would be completed by an ophthalmologist. Here is an explanation of some of
the diagnostic tools that are commonly used:
Medical history. Because there are so many potential underlying causes,
it is very important to start by taking a complete family history to
determine risk factors and genetic issues.
Physical examination. A physical examination of the eye and
surrounding areas is usually the first step. The examination should include
the conjunctiva, cornea, iris, lens, and lids.
Tests for visual impairment. Once the physical examination has been
completed, the next step is to give a series of visual acuity tests that will
help to determine the extent of the vision loss. Here are some of the tests
that are used:
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The Snellen test is the name for the eye charts that
ophthalmologists have patients read. The chart consists of a
series of letters of progressively smaller sizes, with the largest
letters being at the top and the smallest at the bottom. Typically,
the patient is placed at a fixed distance from the chart and asked
to read, starting with the top row. This test helps to determine
the level of vision impairment (20/40, 20/100, etc.)
The visual field test is used to determine if a patient’s peripheral
vision has been impaired. It consists of a device that is strapped
onto the patient’s head. It then flashes lights in the patient’s
periphery, and he is asked to press a button every time he sees
a light. The patient’s responses help determine how big his field
of vision is.
Ocular motility assessment is a test used to determine if the
patient has a squint or other problems in the way a patient’s
eyeballs move.
Less common are tests that check to see if the signals from the
eyes are being communicated to the brain. These tests include
visually evoked potential (VEP), Electroretinogram (ERG) and
Electrooculogram (EOG). Use of these tests is usually restricted
to young children or people with issues that make diagnosis a
challenge, such as people with severe disabilities.
After a patient has been diagnosed with vision loss and the extent of loss has
been determined, the next step is to discuss treatments.
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Common Treatments for Vision Loss There is a wide range of treatments available for vision loss. The treatments
chosen are typically determined by the extent of vision loss and by the existence
of underlying causes. Let’s look at some of the most common treatments for
vision loss.
Eyeglasses & Contact Lenses
By far the most common treatment for vision loss is the use of prescription
corrective lenses. There are two basic types of corrective lenses: eyeglasses and
contact lenses. They both work on the same general principle, so I have
combined them here.
Earlier in the book we talked
about the fact that the most
common types of refractive errors
are caused by a problem with the
way the crystalline lens redirects
light toward the retina. Corrective
lenses work by correcting the
refraction of light before it hits
your eye. For people who have
myopia (nearsightedness), the
lens is concave. It bends the light
outward, which allows it to hit the
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crystalline lens in the right spot. Corrective lenses for hyperopia (farsightedness)
work in the opposite way. The lens of the glasses is convex, and it bends the
light inward.
Corrective lenses to treat astigmatism are a bit more complicated. Many patients
have myopia or hyperopia as well as astigmatism, so the lenses must correct
more than one thing. Correction of astigmatism calls for a cylindrical lens that
includes a magnification of lens power at a particular spot to help the eyes focus.
In addition to traditional eyeglasses and contact lenses, one possible treatment
for astigmatism includes wearing a series of rigid contact lenses that are specially
designed to correct the shape of the cornea. This treatment is called
orthokeratology.
Often, people with age-related vision loss or presbyopia, are both nearsighted
and farsighted. When that happens, the usual treatment is a split lens or bifocal.
The lens contains two different prescriptions, one to allow the patient to see
objects at a distance, and another to allow her to see objects that are close to
him.
Magnification
Some people with moderate to severe vision loss require something more than
corrective lenses to enable them to read. Traditionally, magnifying glasses have
been the tool of choice, but technology now allows for some more advanced
alternatives. For example, some people may rely on computer magnification
screens or closed circuit televisions to help them see items clearly.
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Other Devices
In addition to magnifying glasses, some patients may require other assistance in
order to read or perform daily tasks. The devices involved range from the
relatively low-tech to the very high-tech. Here are some examples:
Large print books. For people who prefer to read without a magnifying
glass, many books are available in large print editions that are easier to
read.
Electronic readers. E-readers such as Amazon’s popular Kindle have
features that allow readers to enlarge the text for easier reading. They also
have a voice option that is available for many Kindle books.
Reading machines have the ability to convert written text to spoken text or
Braille.
Special computers or software. One of the most interesting uses of
technology in treating vision impairment is the development of special
computer software that converts text on the screen to Braille. There are
also things like optical character recognition software. This software is
typically used in conjunction with a scanner. Pages of a printed book or
pages printed from the internet can be scanned and converted to Braille.
Surgery
Surgery to correct vision used to be a relatively rare thing, but today it is used
fairly frequently to treat refractive errors. Of course, there are also surgeries to
correct more serious vision problems too.
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LASIK, wavefront-guided LASIK, Epi-LASIK, photorefractive keratectomy
(PRK) and LASEK are all options to treat refractive errors. They all involve
the use of a laser to cut thin layers from the eyeball and reshape it to
correct the way it receives light. These surgeries can be used to correct
vision for many people with refractive errors, including those who have
astigmatism.
Implantable/intraocular lenses. Another type of surgery involves the
implantation of lenses, both with and without removal of the crystalline
lens first. A phakic implant is typically used for young people (under the
age of 40) who cannot wear corrective lenses. The crystalline lens is left in
place. Clear lens extraction or refractive lens extraction is often used for
older people and involves removal of the crystalline lens. This type of
surgery is sometimes used as a treatment for cataracts.
Corneal transplants. Corneal transplant or keratoplasty is one of the most
common types of organ transplantation. Penetrating cornea transplant
involves transplantation of all levels of the cornea from a donor while
lamellar cornea transplant involves only a partial transplantation. Corneal
transplants are used for people who have severe corneal scarring or
diseases that affect the corneas.
Glaucoma surgeries. Both laser and traditional surgeries are used as
treatments for glaucoma. There are two basic types of glaucoma
surgery:
Surgeries to increase drainage from the eyes and relieve pressure,
including trabeculectomy, tube-shunt surgery, laser trabeculoplasty,
and laser sclerotomy.
Surgeries to prevent a closure of the drainage angle, including
surgical iridectomy and laser iridectomy.
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Of course, there are other potential surgeries too. For example, a person with a
tumor of the optic nerve might have surgery to correct the underlying problem.
The procedures listed above are the most common surgeries used to treat vision
loss.
Mobility
People with very serious vision loss
may require assistance getting
around. Some of the most common
treatments for this particular
aspect of vision loss are canes
(used to help people avoid objects
in their path) and guide dogs. Using
these items may also require
additional training, such as
occupational therapy or dog training.
Therapy
Sometimes people who experience vision loss require therapy to help them
adjust to the changes in their lives. There are two basic types of therapy that
can be helpful:
Occupational therapy helps patients re-learn how to perform daily
activities. Examples include working with patients to rearrange their living
space, so they know where everything is and teaching them how to dress,
take care of personal hygiene, cook, and get around. It may also include
instruction on using new technologies, such as Braille telephones and
computer devices.
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Talk therapy can help people who experience vision loss deal with the
emotions they have as a result of the changes in their lives. Losing some or
all of your vision can be traumatic, and it can help to talk about it.
Prescription Drugs
Prescription drugs are often used to treat vision loss. Sometimes the intention is
to relieve symptoms such as pain while in other cases the medications may
actually be intended to help correct an underlying problem. Here are some of the
most common medications prescribed for people with vision loss.
Timoptic Ophthalmic. Timoptic ophthalmic is the name of prescription
eye drops used to treat glaucoma and other pressure-related vision loss.
They work by decreasing the amount of fluid in the eye, which helps to
relieve the pressure and pain associated with glaucoma. The most common
side effects include blurry vision, burning or stinging of the eyes, watery
eyes, dry eyes, and headache. Rare but more serious side effects include
dizziness, eye pain, irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, and cold and
numbness in the hands and feet.
Lumigan Ophthalmic. Like Timoptic, Lumigan is a brand of eye drops
used to treat glaucoma. It works by regulating the flow of fluid within the
eye, helping to maintain normal pressure and reduce pain. The most
common side effects include burning, itching and irritation of the eyes, dry
eyes, watery eyes, light sensitivity, and a brown discoloration of the iris.
Less common side effects include vision changes, eye pain and swelling,
and allergic reactions.
Xalatan. Xalatan helps to relieve the symptoms of glaucoma by increasing
the amount of liquid that drains from the eyes. Like Lumigan, use of
Xalatan can cause discoloration of the iris, as well as the eyelids and
eyelashes. It can also cause thickening of the eyelashes. The most
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common side effects include stuffy nose, headache, blurred vision, dry or
watery eyes, and the feeling that something is in your eyes. A small
number of people have a serious allergic reaction to Xalatan.
Restasis Ophthalmic. Restasis ophthalmic is a medication used to treat
dry eyes by increasing the amount of tears you make. The most common
side effects are burning, itching and stinging of the eyes, eye discharge,
blurred vision, and the feeling that something is in the eye. More serious
side effects include eye swelling, face swelling, and tongue swelling.
Lucentis Intravitreal. Lucentis intravitreal is a prescription medication
used to treat age-related macular degeneration, macular edema, and other
vision problems. It can help prevent vision loss, and it works by decreasing
the production of new blood vessels in the eyes. It also prevents blood
vessels from leaking fluid into the eyes. Unlike the other medications listed
here, Lucentis is administered by a medical professional and injected
directly into the eyes. The most common side effects of Lucentis include
increased tears, mild discomfort, and dizziness. Other more serious side
effects can include the formation of blood clots, which can lead to an
increased risk of heart attack or stroke. It can also increase your chances
of developing a serious eye condition called endophthalmitis. A small
number of people who receive Lucentis injections may experience a serious
allergic reaction, including hives, itching and swelling of the face and
tongue, dizziness, and difficulty breathing.
Over the Counter Medications
Some people who experience dry eyes may use over the counter eye drops to
treat themselves. Some over the counter eye drops are meant to treat or
minimize redness or clear up conjunctivitis, but the most common type used for
vision problems are lubricating eye drops. This type of eye drop is also called
artificial tear drops. Even though these are over the counter medications, people
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who use them may still experience side effects. Some of the most common side
effects are irritation, itching, redness, blurry vision, watery eyes and experiencing
an unpleasant taste in your mouth after using the drops. Artificial tears are much
milder than prescription eye drops, but there are still risks associated with using
them.
Risks Associated with Treatments Anything you put into or on your body carries some risk with it. When you use
something new – even something relatively benign, like lubricating eye drops –
you can’t know how your body will react to it until you try it. The same is true
with new foods. Severe food allergies are not common, but they do exist. Even if
you’re not allergic to something, a sensitivity to something can be very
unpleasant and uncomfortable.
All of the above treatments carry some risk, with the possible exception of
eyeglasses. Contact lenses require very careful cleaning and hygiene. If you’re
not careful about how you use them, a dirty lens can cause an infection in your
eye. As you know from reading the previous chapters, eye infections can lead
directly to vision loss. The chances are small that such a thing would occur, but
they do exist.
Any surgery poses a major risk. Even if it’s a minimally invasive surgery that’s
performed with a local anesthetic, the possibility of an adverse reaction is there.
There are also risks associated with the surgery itself. For example, a laser
malfunction in the middle of eye surgery could lead to very serious errors being
made. Given the delicacy of such a surgery, it’s important to take that possibility
into consideration.
With other surgeries, such as corneal transplant, the risks are significant. While
your corneas are relatively small, they are still considered an organ. Receiving
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new corneas from a donor carries the same risks of rejection that receiving a
new kidney or heart does. You will have to take immunosuppressant drugs to
convince your body to accept the transplant.
The Problem with Vision Loss Treatments There is one thing that almost every treatment I talked about in this chapter has
in common. If you’re wondering what corrective lenses, prescription eye drops,
and laser surgery could possibly have in common, I’ll tell you.
They don’t work…
Sure, eyeglasses will help you see clearly while you’re wearing them. Laser
surgery may improve your vision somewhat, although it’s not uncommon for
people to have to go back for a second surgery. Prescription eye drops can help
to relieve the pain associated with glaucoma or the dry eyes associated with
other vision-related diagnoses. None of them, though, actually address the
underlying problems. They don’t actually change things in a real way, and none
of them will help you regain the vision that you’ve lost.
That’s where my plan comes in. Before I tell you how natural healing can help
you reverse your vision loss, it’s important to take a step back and talk about
natural healing in general. That’s what we’ll cover in the next chapter.
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~ Chapter 4 ~
The Benefits of Natural
Healing
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Most of us are accustomed to going to a medical doctor for treatment when we
are ill. Because of that it might seem risky to consider pursuing alternative
treatment for your vision loss. Even if your doctor has told you that your vision
loss is untreatable, and you have to accept it, it might still seem like a huge leap
of faith to strike out on your own. That’s understandable. Doctors in our society
are respected and well paid. We look up to them.
There is no doubt that, for certain serious diseases, modern medicine is the best
option. Very few people would suggest that a person who has cancer should
avoid modern treatments altogether. However, there are legitimate reasons why
people might be interested in finding alternatives to modern medicine. To start,
let’s look at how medicine has evolved over the years.
A Brief History of Medicine The very first medical treatments that people used were, of necessity, home
remedies. Our earliest ancestors were hunters and gatherers who foraged plants
to use as both food and medicine. As they found and experimented with new
things, they recognized the medicinal properties of plants, herbs, and other
natural items. They refined their knowledge and passed it down through the
generations.
Some ancient civilizations had medical practices that were very advanced for
their time. Traditional Chinese medicine has been around for many thousands of
years and is still practiced today. Some examples of traditional Chinese
treatments are acupuncture, qi gong, and cupping.
The Chinese were not the only early civilization to have an organized system for
treating people who were sick. The Egyptians did too. They documented the
medicinal properties of thousands of herbs. They even practiced non-invasive
surgery on occasion.
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The ancient Greeks were advanced in many ways, and they refined the practice
of medicine by introducing the concepts of diagnosis and prognosis. The
Hippocratic Oath, which is taken by all physicians today when they graduate
from medical school, is attributed to Hippocrates. He was a Greek teacher and
physician who is commonly referred to as the Father of Western Medicine.
Medicine as we know it went on to make big strides in the 19th century, as
healers realized the importance of hygiene and sanitation. The discovery of
anesthetics made invasive surgery possible. In the middle of the 20th century,
researchers discovered the first antibiotics. Nowadays organ transplantation and
robotic surgery are commonplace.
Modern medicine has found cures for many of the
diseases that have plagued mankind. We now
have vaccines for things like polio and smallpox,
and people no longer die of commonplace
infections and viruses. There is no denying that
people live longer, healthier lives thanks to the
advances of modern medicine. Yet in spite of that,
some people are still choosing to turn to natural
and alternative healing when they are sick. To
understand why, let’s take a closer look at some
of the issues people have with modern medicine.
The Trouble with Modern MedicineWhy are so many people turning to natural medicine instead of going to their
doctors? Given all of the advances made by modern medicine, why are people
reluctant to trust their doctors? Obviously there are plenty of good and ethical
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doctors out there, and the information here is not meant to malign them.
However, it is important to note that there are some legitimate reasons for
people to be concerned. Let’s look at a few of them.
Treating Symptoms instead of Root
Causes
One of the most common complaints about modern doctors is that they have a
tendency to treat symptoms instead of addressing the root causes of a patient’s
complaints. There are several reasons for this, and not all of them are the
doctors’ fault. However, some of these issues are intrinsic to the way doctors
approach patients, and it’s important to acknowledge that, too.
1. Patients generally come to see their doctors when they are experiencing
unpleasant or painful symptoms. While some patients might go to a doctor
demanding to know why they have a particular symptom, others might be
content to get relief. Doctors are sometimes under a lot of pressure to
relieve symptoms, which is why so many of them got into the habit of
prescribing antibiotics for patients with colds. A cold is a virus and doesn’t
require antibiotics, but patients wanted something to take, and doctors
gave it to them.
2. Doctors sometimes overschedule patients and end up with very little time
to spend with each one. When that happens, they can end up rushing and
taking the path of least resistance, which means writing a quick
prescription. They don’t take the time to inquire about a patient’s overall
health or other issues because they simply don’t have the time to do it.
3. Cost-cutting measures can sometimes make it difficult for doctors to order
comprehensive diagnostic tests. HMOs often set limits on the amount a
doctor who works for them can spend on diagnostics, and patients have to
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jump through hoops to get the tests they need. Approval processes can be
long and unwieldy, and so the patient ends up getting a short-term fix
instead of a permanent solution.
4. There is an unhealthy relationship between pharmaceutical companies and
doctors. Pharmaceutical sales representatives spend a lot of time in
doctors’ offices persuading doctors to prescribe their company’s drugs.
They offer the doctors free gifts, everything ranging to ordering lunch for
the office to expensive dinners out and even free trips. A lot of doctors,
particularly those working for HMOs, don’t make as much money as you
might think. Not only that, many doctors have huge amounts of student
loan debt. The offer of gifts is sometimes difficult to resist, but it can lead
to doctors prescribing medications that aren’t the right fit for a patient’s
symptoms.
5. When their symptoms go away, some people simply stop pursuing an
answer. If they’re taking a prescription drug and it’s alleviating whatever
symptom it was that brought them to the doctor in the first place, they
might be inclined to assume the problem is gone and go on with their lives.
6. As mentioned in the previous chapters, prescription drugs often come with
a boatload of potential side effects, and some of them are very serious.
While it would be nice to think we can rely on the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) to approve only those drugs that are safe for us to
use, we can’t. The FDA sometimes rushes approvals through because they
are under pressure from the pharmaceutical companies. Drugs are
inadequately tested and screened, and they are sometimes released to the
public with catastrophic results. The diet drug fen/Phen is a classic
example. The FDA approved it over the objections of their resident
physician, and several women died as a result of complications from taking
it.
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There are some doctors who go to great lengths for their patients, but as you
can see, there are some real problems with the way we treat illness. There is a
tendency to focus on relieving symptoms instead of looking for underlying
causes. Avoiding expensive diagnostic tests might make financial sense in the
short terms, but it’s not particularly smart as a long-term strategy. Patients who
don’t get proper treatment are far more likely to develop serious problems down
the line than those who get a thorough examination to determine the real
problem.
What Is Natural Healing? What do we mean when we talk about natural healing? “Natural healing” is an
umbrella term that can refer to many different kinds of treatment. Let’s take a
look at a few of them.
Naturopathy is a type of medical treatment that focuses on holistic health,
meaning that practitioners treat a patient’s entire body, not just symptoms.
Naturopaths are licensed by the state where they practice. They may
sometimes prescribe drugs, but they are more likely to recommend things
like lifestyle changes and vitamin therapy, rather than invasive procedures.
Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that dates back
thousands of years. It has become popular in the United States and is still
widely practiced in China. Practitioners treat chronic pain and other
illnesses by inserting long thin needles into pressure points on the body.
Acupuncture can be effective in treating things such as migraine
headaches, chronic pain, and the nausea caused by chemotherapy
treatments.
Reflexology is a form of massage that uses pressure points on the body,
mostly on the hands and feet, to relieve pain. The theory behind
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Reflexology is that specific areas of the feet, when massaged, connect to
other parts of the body.
Ayurvedic healing is an ancient Indian medical practice that uses herbal
remedies, massage, and nutritional therapy to treat illness.
These are just a few examples of the natural healing methods that are available.
Some people may seek out things like acupuncture because it appeals to some
part of their heritage while others try these treatments when modern medicine
fails to help them feel better.
Natural Healing Facts and Figures I mentioned earlier that more and more people are seeking out natural healing
and alternative healing to help them when they are sick. How many people go to
natural or alternative healers? The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducts
surveys in order to examine the way people seek out treatment when they’re ill.
The most recent survey was in 2012, and here are some of its findings:
Nutritional supplementation (excluding vitamins and minerals) is the most
commonly used type of natural medicine.
Deep breathing exercises were the second most popular form of natural or
alternative healing. These methods are frequently used in conjunction with
other methods.
Use of exercises that connect body and the mind, such as tai chi, yoga,
and qi gong, has increased steadily as a form of healing
Approximately one-third of all adults (18-44, 45-64 and 65+) use some
form of alternative or natural healing. The highest usage, 36.4%, was in
the 18-44 age group.
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People with higher levels of education are significantly more likely than
people with less education to look for and use alternative and
complementary treatments when they are unwell.
11.6% of all children in the United States have been treated with some
form of alternative or natural therapy.
Currently, the most popular forms of natural and alternative therapies are herbal
supplements, breathing and relaxation exercises, vitamin and mineral
supplementation, and yoga. Other therapies that are commonly used include
naturopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, massage therapy, and acupuncture.
A Comparison of Modern and Natural Healing To understand why so many people are choosing natural healing, it’s important
to know where we draw the line between modern medicine and natural or
alternative medicine. The practices overlap at times. Some practitioners of
natural medicine can legally prescribe drugs, and some medical doctors do
recommend alternative therapies to their patients. However, there are some
clear differences:
Medical doctors tend to focus on symptoms.
Natural healers often focus on a patient’s overall health. (This is known as
holistic healing.)
Medical doctors sometimes have very little time to spend with individual
patients and rely on nurses and physicians’ assistants to take medical
histories.
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Natural healers spend time with their patients and usually ask questions
about other areas of their lives, including work and relationships.
Medical doctors frequently prescribe medicines or recommend surgery as a
way of treating illness.
Natural healers use non-invasive methods and natural remedies to treat
their patients.
There are other differences, of course, but these are the most relevant ones.
Understanding How the Body Heals Itself One of the things that many people find appealing about natural healing is that
practitioners of alternative medicine rely less on prescriptions and chemicals than
doctors do. They understand something that it can be easy to lose sight of when
you rely on modern diagnostics and invasive procedures. The human body has a
remarkable ability to heal itself.
You might not think of your body as being able to heal, but it can. Here are just
a few of the things that our bodies do, without any help from us, to help us
recover from illnesses and injuries:
Our immune systems help us to fight off colds and other viruses. They may
not always stop us from catching them, but any virus that affects the
respiratory system has the potential to turn into an infection. Most of them
don’t, and that’s because our immune systems protect us. They can’t stop
the virus from running its course, but they can minimize the effects it has
on us.
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Our bodies have the natural ability to stop bleeding – that’s why our blood
clots. Now, obviously in certain situations – such as when they occur
internally – blood clots can be dangerous. But when they occur at the site
of a wound, they are a very good thing. They prevent you from losing too
much blood.
Scabs are another essential part of the healing process. When you get a
cut, your body forms a protective coating to help you heal. The scab allows
you to grow new skin to replace the skin that was cut or scraped.
Your body has the ability to regrow hair and skin, knit bones back together,
stop bleeding, prevent infections, and do a whole host of other things that
help keep you strong and healthy.
The Mind-Body Connection Another aspect of healing that modern medicine frequently
overlooks is the strong connection between our bodies
and minds. For all of the technological advances we’ve
made, in some ways we are still lagging behind the
wisdom of ancient Eastern healers, who understood
how important the mind-body connection is.
One field of medicine has started to catch up with Eastern
medicine. For thousands of years, Eastern mystics have
understood the power of meditation to change the way we feel
and think. Practices like yoga, tai chi, and qigong, as well as
martial arts such as judo and karate, work by strengthening the
connection between body and mind. In recent years, the
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medical field of neurology has started to explore the mind-body connection in a
scientific and methodical way.
What they have discovered is remarkable. The brain, it turns out, is far more
adaptable than we thought. It has the ability to reshape itself in response to both
trauma and training. Let’s look at a few examples:
A sleep study evaluated how sleep-deprived people performed on a
vocabulary test. The verbal centers of their brains were not functioning
properly due to the lack of rest. However, some subjects were able to re-
task the job of taking the test to other areas of their brains.
Patients who sustain damage to their brains as a result of strokes or
trauma can learn to use other parts of their brains to perform routine
tasks. A woman who loses her ability to speak after a stroke, for example,
might eventually learn to speak again despite the fact that the speech
center of her brain was damaged.
Doctors have conducted fMRI scans on meditating monks and seen the
way meditation changes their brain activity.
People who meditate report that they find it easier to deal with stressful
situations. One theory about why is that the act of meditation, which
requires being in the present moment, helps to calm the brain’s tendency
to worry about the future or fret about the past.
The brain’s ability to reshape itself is known as neuroplasticity. While those
Eastern mystics might not have had access to the advanced diagnostics that
modern doctors do, they understood something crucial about the way the human
mind worked long before modern medicine caught up.
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Examples of Natural Therapies Before we talk about the natural therapies that can be used to reverse vision
loss, let’s look at a few examples of natural therapies for common ailments:
Nutritional deficiencies are surprisingly common due to the lack of nutrients
in the modern American diet. Naturopaths frequently recommend
nutritional supplementation to their patients as a way of curing chronic
ailments. For example, Vitamin D deficiency is very common and can cause
issues with the immune system, among other things. Taking a supplement
to fix the deficiency can get rid of the symptoms.
Reiki is a form of massage therapy that originated in Japan. It rechannels
the body’s energy by the laying on of hands and is commonly used to
relieve stress.
Mint and ginger are common home remedies for nausea.
Apple cider vinegar can be used to treat acne, genital herpes, high blood
sugar, and many other common ailments.
Those are just a few examples of natural healing and remedies. In the next
chapter, we’ll talk about the specific ways that natural healing can help you
reverse your vision loss.
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~ Chapter 5 ~
Natural Healing
& Vision Loss
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This chapter is the final step before I give you the detailed day-by-day plan that
will help you reverse your vision loss and keep your eyes strong and healthy. In
the last chapter, I talked about some different kinds of natural healing, and in
this one, I’m going to explain the specific treatments and therapies that will
make up the plan.
As I mentioned previously, the information in the plan is going to break down
into a few essential parts: nutrition, therapies, exercises, and a few lifestyle tips.
With that in mind, let’s start with nutrition.
Nutrition and Vision You’ve probably heard the saying “You are what you eat,” and it’s just as true
when it comes to your sense of sight as it is with any other aspect of your
health. Nutrition plays a significant role in how your body feels. While your body
can produce many of the chemicals and substances it needs in order to function,
it relies on you to take in everything else through the food you eat.
Nutrition is made up of two main things,
macronutrients and micronutrients.
Macronutrients are the major components
of your diet, and there are three kinds,
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Whatever the current low-carb diet
craze would have you think, you
need all three macronutrients.
Micronutrients are what most
of us think of as vitamins and
minerals. They plan essential
roles in the way our bodies
function, but we need them
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in very small amounts.
Micronutrients
Let’s start by talking about the micronutrients that help support your sense of
vision. There are ten of them:
Lutein. Lutein is a type of micronutrient called a carotenoid. Carotenoids
are actually plant pigments, in particular, the ones that give yellow,
orange, and red fruits and vegetables their bright colors. Some
carotenoids, including lutein, can be converted into Vitamin A by your
body. They are also powerful anti-oxidants. Lutein is something that exists
naturally in various parts of your eyes, including the lens, macula, and
retina. While it is very important to vision, it is not something your body
can produce. The specific role lutein plays is to protect your eyes from
ultraviolet light.
Zeaxanthin. Like lutein, zeaxanthin is a carotenoid. These two
micronutrients are in many of the same foods. Zeaxanthin is helpful in
preventing cataracts – in fact, one study found that people who ate foods
that were rich in zeaxanthin were 50% less likely to develop cataracts than
people who didn’t. It can also help prevent macular degeneration. The
foods richest in zeaxanthin and lutein are green leafy vegetables like
spinach and kale – the dark green chlorophyll in these vegetables masks
the carotenoids distinctive yellow color.
Vitamin A. Vitamin A is an important antioxidant that plays a significant
role in healthy vision. Specifically, it helps protect the mucous membranes
of the eyes, helping to protect your eyes from viral and bacterial infections.
It also plays a role in the health of your immune system, which is
important for protecting against inflammation. Lutein and zeaxanthin play a
role in your body’s Vitamin A production, but it’s also important to get beta
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carotene, which is one of the most effective carotenoids. Retinol, the type
of Vitamin A found in animal products, is also important because it can be
used by your body immediately.
Vitamin C. Vitamin C is another important antioxidant that plays a big role
in keeping your eyes healthy. You probably already know that it boosts
your immune system, but it also helps to protect your eyes against
cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Antioxidants help to
prevent inflammation, and inflammation is a significant risk to your eyes.
Vitamin E. Like Vitamins A and C, Vitamin E has antioxidant properties
that help protect your whole body from oxidative stress and inflammation.
It also works to help prevent cataracts and age-related macular
degeneration.
Essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are fats that your body cannot
manufacture, and they are very important for healthy vision. There is
evidence that Omega-3 found in breast milk and baby formula plays a big
role in the development of healthy vision in babies. It’s equally as
important in adults. Essential fatty acids help protect your eyes from dry
eye syndrome and macular degeneration. They also help to maintain
proper drainage of fluid from your eyes, which can help to decrease your
chances of getting glaucoma.
Zinc. Zinc is something called a “helper mineral” because it helps transport
Vitamin A from your liver to your retinas so that they can produce melanin.
Melanin is a color pigment that protects your eyes. Zinc is normally
concentrated in the eyes, particularly in and around the retina. Zinc
deficiency has been directly linked to vision loss and development of
cataracts.
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Sulfur. Sulfur helps with the transport of oxygen through the cornea and
crystalline lens. It’s not mentioned as often as some of the above
micronutrients, but it plays a very important role in healthy vision.
Lecithin. Lecithin is an enzyme that enables your body to convert Vitamin
A to its most usable form for eye health, retinyl ester. Retinyl ester is
especially important for maintaining the rods and cones in your retina so
you can see in bright and dim light.
Anthocyanin. Anthocyanins are compounds that play a very important
part in maintaining healthy vision. They can help prevent myopia and
retinal detachment, and they also accelerate the regeneration of rhodopsin,
which helps with visual acuity. Anthocyanins also help keep your eyes
pliable, and they ensure that the tiny veins in your eyes remain permeable
and that oxygen can pass through them.
All of these micronutrients are very important to the health of your eyes, and
they will all play a part in the plan to reverse vision loss.
Foods to Avoid While eating a healthy diet that’s rich in the proper micronutrients is very
important for your sense of vision, it is equally important to avoid foods that can
damage your vision. Here are the things to avoid:
Sugar. You need some sugar in your diet, but most people in the United
States eat far more than they need to be healthy. Processed foods are
packed with added sugar, and it can lurk even in foods that don’t taste
overtly sweet such as condiments and salad dressing. We’ve talked already
about the link between diabetes and vision problems, and it’s not possible
to overstate that. When the level of glucose in your blood is too high, it
damages your blood vessels. Having healthy blood vessels in your eyes is
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essential to good vision. Your eyes need nutrients and oxygen, and your
blood vessels provide both.
Artificial sweeteners. Contrary to what many people in the food industry
would have you believe, artificial sweeteners are not better than sugar. In
many cases, they’re worse. Let’s look at just one common artificial
sweetener, aspartame. Aspartame contains two chemicals that can be very
harmful to vision: formaldehyde, and methanol. Formaldehyde can cause
blurred vision, visual hallucinations, eye pain, and vision loss. Methanol has
been linked to changes in vision and even blindness. You are far better off
eating a small amount of real sugar than you are using artificial
sweeteners.
Monosodium glutamate. Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is a flavor
enhancer that is a common additive in processed foods. It is also one of
the major culprits in terms of causing inflammation in the human body, and
inflammation can lead to macular degeneration. Another big reason to
avoid MSG is that it has been directly linked to myopia. The Chinese started
using MSG in their food in approximately 1908, and since then the rate of
myopia among young people there has risen from 15% to 50%. One
theory is that MSG saps the body of taurine, an amino acid that babies
need to develop healthy vision.
Gluten. Gluten is the protein found in grains such as wheat and barley.
Some people have a hard time digesting gluten, and those issues can lead
to serious inflammation in the body. Severe gluten intolerance is called
Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that makes your body attack
gluten as if it were an infection or virus. Some people who are sensitive to
gluten report experiencing blurred vision when they eat it – and they also
report that their vision improved when they went gluten free.
Dairy. Like gluten, the lactose (sugar) in milk can be difficult for many
people to digest. It can cause digestive problems and general inflammation
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in the whole body, including the eyes. Lactose intolerance acts on the body
in a way similar to allergies.
Saturated Fat. Saturated fat is the kind of fat found in meat and other
animal products, including eggs and dairy. Your body needs some
saturated fat, but eating too much of it can cause serious problems. One of
the major risks associated with consumption of saturated fat is
cardiovascular disease. Anything that compromises the ability of your
arteries and veins to carry blood to your eyes has the potential of causing
vision problems. Saturated fats can be especially dangerous when eaten in
combination with high amounts of sugar.
Sodium. Your body needs sodium, but too much of it can be a very bad
thing. Sodium works with potassium to balance the amount of fluid in your
body. You need to have sufficient fluid in your eyes for them to work
properly. However, when you eat a diet that’s very high in sodium, it can
harm your vision in a couple of ways. First, it can increase your blood
pressure and harm your veins and arteries, and we’ve already talked about
why healthy circulation is so important for vision. Second, research shows
that people who ate a diet with 3000 milligrams of sodium per day were
twice as likely to develop cataracts as people who ate a diet with around
1200 milligrams of sodium per day.
You have probably noticed that most of the things that can harm your vision are
things that are present in processed foods. The average North American diet is
full of processed foods, and it’s very unhealthy.
Other Dietary Concerns Before we move on to talking about therapies, there are a couple of additional
dietary concerns that are important to mention:
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Hydration is very important for good eyesight. You already know
that your eyes need fluid to say properly lubricated. When you don’t get
enough water, it can lead to dry eye and eye strain. Over a prolonged
period, dehydration can cause serious vision problems. Dry eye might seem
like a minor thing, but when your eyes are dry they are susceptible to
injury and strain. Many people don’t get enough water. It’s important to
note that caffeinated beverages do not count in terms of daily water intake
because caffeine is a diuretic. You need to make sure to get plenty of
water. As a rule, you should drink about 64 ounces every day.
Getting enough fiber in your diet is also very important for good
vision. Fiber helps slow down your digestion of sugars and starches, which
is important for keeping your blood sugar levels under control. You already
know that eating refined sugars is not a good idea, and the same goes for
white flour. Stick to whole grains. To avoid gluten, try breads that contain
oats.
That covers all of the nutritional information regarding vision. It is important to
note here that a lot of people rely on multivitamins to get the micronutrients
they need. Most nutritionists agree that it is preferable to get the nutrition you
need from fresh whole foods. Nutritional supplements are sometimes necessary,
but as a rule, try to get what you need from your diet.
Therapies and Remedies to Help Restore Vision The next thing we’re going to talk about are therapies and remedies that can
help to restore vision. There are many different herbal remedies that can help
provide your body with what it needs to keep your sense of vision healthy and
strong.
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Bilberry. Bilberries are a dark blue berry related to blueberries,
huckleberries and cranberries. They contain some of the same compounds
that blueberries do, namely anthocyanins. Bilberries can help improve your
vision at night or in situations where there is light glare. Since bilberries are
not widely available, the best way to get what you need to is to take
bilberry extract.
Copper water. Drinking water stored in a copper container is a mainstay
of Ayurvedic medicine, a form of natural healing common in India. The
copper is thought to help keep the eyes strong and healthy.
Hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a substance that’s found in your eyes,
specifically in the vitreous humor. It works as a lubricant and shock
protector, keeping your eyes protected from being jarred as you walk. It
also helps deliver nutrients to your eyes. It is available as a nutritional
supplement.
Mulberry leaf tea. Mulberry leaf tea is an ancient Chinese remedy that
helps reduce inflammation and maintain a healthy level of glucose in the
blood. As previously stated, high blood sugar can lead directly to loss of
vision.
Soaked almonds and fruit. Soaking almonds and fruit overnight helps
plump up the fiber they contain. Eating a mixture of soaked almonds and
fruit on an empty stomach first thing in the morning is a great way to
detox your system and keep your sense of vision strong.
Gingko biloba. You’ve probably heard that Gingko biloba can help
improve your brain function and memory, but it helps with vision too. It
improves circulation, including blood flow to the optic nerve. It has also
been shown to reduce visual field damage in people who have glaucoma.
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Carrot juice and Amla.
You already know that
carrots are a great
source of beta carotene.
When you combine with
Amla, also known as
Indian gooseberry, you
get a powerful one-two
punch of antioxidants to
help keep your immune
system strong and your
eyes healthy.
Fennel seeds. Fennel seeds contain a compound called trans-anethole,
which has been shown to reduce ocular pressure such as the pain caused
by glaucoma. It also has proven to be effective at preventing diabetic
retinopathy. It is available as an extract, or you can soak and eat the
seeds.
Wild asparagus (Shatavari). Wild asparagus is a popular herbal remedy
in both traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. It is difficult
to find fresh, but it is widely available as both a powder and an extract.
Eyebright. As its name suggests, eyebright is an herb that is a popular
home remedy for vision loss. It can help to reduce inflammation of the
conjunctiva and cure conjunctivitis, and it also has been proven to lower
blood sugar in mice. It is commonly available as a tea and a tincture, as
well as in the form of eyedrops.
Chrysanthemum tea. Chrysanthemum tea is another ancient Chinese
remedy that helps with eyesight. It helps to clear the eyes and liver, and
may also relieve eye pain. In addition, it is used as a treatment for blurred
vision, diminished vision and spots before the eyes.
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Coleus. Coleus contains a compound called forskolin, which works to
reduce the production of fluid inside the eyes. The buildup of pressure
from fluid inside the eyes is one of the primary causes of glaucoma.
Gotu Kola. Gotu kola is a popular herb in India, although it is not as well
known here. It is used for a variety of ailments. One of its most beneficial
uses is to strengthen the walls of the blood vessels, including those in the
eyes. As you know from reading this book, when the blood vessels in your
eyes leak, it can cause serious vision problems including retinopathy and
retinal detachment.
Green tea. Green tea has powerful antioxidant properties and it can help
to protect your eyes from damage caused by the ultraviolet light of the
sun. It can also help to prevent oxidative damage, which can lead to age-
related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Turmeric. Turmeric is a spice that’s commonly used in Indian cooking –
it’s the thing that gives curry powder its bright yellow color. It has powerful
antioxidant properties, and recent research at the University of California at
San Diego shows that it has helped to prevent retinal degeneration in mice.
Turmeric can be used in cooking, and it is also available as a supplement.
All of the above remedies have the ability to strengthen your vision, and to
reduce the risk factors that are associated with vision loss, such as high blood
pressure, high blood sugar, and poor circulation.
Eye-Strengthening Exercises The next type of natural healing we will discuss involves exercises to strengthen
the eyes.
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Palming involves rubbing your hands together to warm them, and then
holding your warmed hands over your eyes with your fingers over your
eyebrows.
Improve your focus by holding a pen at arm’s length and then bringing it
about six inches from your face. Repeat, refocusing your eyes every time
you move the pen.
Massaging the area around your eyes can help to improve circulation and
relax your eyes.
Blinking is a natural reflex that helps hydrate and relax your eyes. Blinking
in a deliberate way is a good way to exercise your eyes.
Tracing an imaginary figure eight in the middle distance is a good way to
exercise your eyes and keep them lubricated.
Another focusing exercise involves holding a pen or other object about ten
inches from your face, and then choosing an object ten to twenty feet
away. Switch your focus between the near (the object in your hand) and
the far (the distant object).
Zooming is another way to give your eyes a workout. Think of it like the
zoom on a camera’s lens. Use your thumb as a point of focus, and zoom it
in and out while your eyes follow it.
A variation on rolling your eyes is moving them in a square. Imagine that
you are standing very close to a picture frame. Look up at one corner of it,
move your eyes over to the other top corner, then down and across.
Give your eyes a diagonal workout by switching your focus between the
upper right and lower left corners of a picture frame, then switch directions
and alternate between the upper left and lower right corners.
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Work on relieving eye strain by holding a letter or book and forcing your
eyes to look only at the top of the letter and not trying to strain your eyes
by seeing the bottom at the same time.
Switch up the letter exercise by forcing your eyes to make rapid jumps
down the page, focusing again as you move.
Sit in front of a calendar hanging on the wall, at a point where the
numbers are barely legible to you. Look with both eyes several times,
palming between attempts. Then alternate eyes.
Lifestyle Changes
The final component of natural healing and vision is talking about a few lifestyle
changes, some big and some small.
The first lifestyle tip involves giving your eyes a break from looking atcomputer and television screens. If you work in front of a computer all day,make sure to give your eyes a short break once an hour. You can do thisby palming your eyes, or even just taking a quick walk to get away fromthe screen.
Sleep is hugely important for your eyes, and most of us don’t get enough
of it. Make sure to get seven to nine hours every night.
Smoking is very dangerous for your eyes and can really hurt your eyesight.
If you smoke, consider quitting. You can wean yourself off of it so you
don’t have to quit cold turkey.
All of the things in this chapter are easy and natural things you can do to
improve your vision and keep your eyes strong and healthy. And all of them will
play a part in the 21-day plan to reverse vision loss, which I will lay out for you
in the next chapter.
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~ Chapter 6 ~
21-Day Planto Reverse
Vision Loss
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This chapter has the information you’ve been waiting for – the detailed 21-day
plan to help you reverse the vision loss you have experienced. The information in
the previous chapter is there to lay the groundwork for the plan you’ll be
following. Before I give you the plan, I want to take a minute to talk about how
it works, and also give you some general advice about how to follow it.
Each day of the plan will consist of three or four parts. The first part will be
nutrition. The goal of the plan is to help you build a healthy diet that’s rich in all
of the essential micronutrients you need to maintain a good sense of vision. I’ll
include specific food recommendations to help you get the amount you need,
and alternatives in case a particular food isn’t available. Many of the
micronutrients that are part of the plan are most commonly found in fruits and
vegetables. In the cases where they are more common in animal proteins, I will
make sure to include vegetarian options for you to choose from.
Some days will include information about foods to avoid, too. I’ll give you specific
advice on how to weed unhealthy foods out of your diet. It’s important to note
here that if you’ve been eating a diet that’s very high in processed foods and
sugar, the dietary part of the plan is going to be a challenge for you. Your body
is going to feel the effects of cutting back on the amount of sugar and fat you
eat. At first it may be difficult, but what I ask you to do in those difficult times is
to think about your sense of sight and how important it is to you. Cutting back
on processed foods might be difficult, but it won’t be as difficult as losing your
ability to see.
The second part of the plan will give you specific therapies and remedies to help
restore your vision. Many of them will be herbal supplements, while others will
be home remedies. Most of the supplements should be available at your local
health food or vitamin store, but in some cases, you may need to order them
online. For that reason, I strongly suggest that you read all the way through the
plan – and review the attached ingredient list – to make sure you have
everything you need before you start.
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The third part of the plan has to do with exercises for your eyes, as well as some
things to help you reduce stress and improve your overall health. It might sound
strange to think of exercising your eyes, but they are muscles and it is important
to keep them strong and healthy. Every day, I’ll give you a specific exercise to
add to your repertoire.
Finally, on some days I will give you a lifestyle tip to help you eliminate
behaviors that might be contributing to your vision problems.
In addition to reading through the plan to familiarize yourself with it and gather
the ingredients you will need, I also want you to get a notebook and use it to
record your body’s responses to each day of the plan. You don’t have to write
much, but it is important to pay attention and make notes regarding the effect
that the day’s therapies and exercises have on you. The reason this is so
important is that in the final week of the plan, you will be customizing your own
daily therapies and exercises so that you are repeating the things that work the
best for you. Everybody is different, and there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-
all plan to reverse vision loss. You have to be an active partner in the plan in
order for it to work.
That’s everything you need to know – it’s time to get started.
Day 1 Nutrition: This is the first day of the plan, and we’re going to start by adding
two of the most important micronutrients for vision to your diet, lutein and
zeaxanthin. These two carotenoids are found in many of the same foods, so it
makes sense to talk about them together. To get the amount you need, the best
thing you can eat is kale. You’ve probably heard kale referred to as a superfood,
and with good reason. It’s packed with nutrition, and it has very high
concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin, which can help prevent cataracts and
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macular degeneration. The chlorophyll in kale masks the distinctive yellow color
of the carotenoids, but they’re there. You can eat the kale raw or cooked, and
you only need about a cup of it to get what you need. If you prefer another food
source, you can try spinach, broccoli, dandelion greens, Swiss chard, collard
greens, chicory, watercress, turnip greens, and paprika.
Also, today and every day going forward, make sure you drink enough water.
You need at least 64 ounces per day, and you may need more if you are very
active or live in a warm climate.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves bilberry extract. Bilberries contain high
amounts of anthocyanins, and they are used to help improve night vision and the
ability to see in glaring light, too. The extract is widely available in health food
stores and online. Take a 60-milligram supplement daily.
Exercise: Before you start exercising your eyes, you should palm them first.
Palming involves rubbing your hands together until they feel warm, and then
placing the heels of your hands over your eyes with your fingers above your
eyebrows. Repeat three or four times before exercising, and at any time when
your eyes feel tired.
Today’s exercise is simple. To do it, palm your eyes and then roll them. Roll both
eyes 10 times clockwise, and 10 times counterclockwise. Palm your eyes again
and repeat.
Day 2 Nutrition: Today, make sure to get your daily dose of lutein and zeaxanthin,
but we also need to talk about sugar. You know from the previous chapter that
eating too much sugar can lead to a host of problems, including inflammation,
diabetes, and vascular damage. Go through your pantry and kitchen, and look
for foods that are high in added sugar. It’s important to note that sugar can hide
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on food labels under many different names. It’s not possible to eliminate all
sugar from your diet – you need some – but you can and should get rid of foods
that are packed with it. Look for foods containing glucose, fructose, high fructose
corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, lactose, galactose, sucrose, sorbitol, palm sugar,
corn sugar, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. Things like molasses, brown
sugar, honey and agave nectar are also sugar, but they tend to be less
problematic than the other ingredients listed.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves drinking water out of a copper container. Fill
up a container with water, and let it sit for at least twelve hours. At the end of
that time, drink the water. You don’t have to drink it once – carry the container
with you and drink it throughout the day.
Exercise: Today’s exercise will help your eyes focus. Palm your eyes, then take
a pen or pencil and hold it at arm’s length. Focus on it, then bring it closer to you
until it’s about 6 inches away from your face. Move it back and forth, keeping
your eyes on it.
Day 3 Nutrition: Today we’re going to continue to build on your nutritional intake by
adding foods rich in the other essential components of Vitamin A, retinol and
beta carotene. If you remember from the previous chapter, retinol is a ready-for-
use type of Vitamin A. Your body doesn’t need to process it in order to use it,
which makes it a good thing to include in your diet. Beta carotene is a carotenoid
like lutein and zeaxanthin, and it’s essential to healthy vision. If you’re a vegan,
you will not be able to get retinol in food. Because your body can synthesize
Vitamin A from other things, you can just stick to getting enough lutein,
zeaxanthin, and beta carotene. To get your daily dose of retinol, the best dietary
source is beef or chicken liver. Liver is very high in saturated fat, but eating a
small amount is fine. Other good food sources are whole milk and cheese. Eating
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too much dairy is not a good idea, but it is fine to have an ounce of hard cheese.
To get your beta carotene, have a baked sweet potato with dinner instead of
regular potatoes, rice, or pasta. Other good dietary sources include carrots,
cantaloupe, peaches, and red bell peppers.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves hyaluronic acid, which acts as a shock
absorber and lubricant for the eyes. It also has powerful antioxidant properties.
It is available as an extract. To use it, take one teaspoon daily, alone or mixed
with juice or water.
Exercise: Palm your eyes, and then give them a massage. First, massage your
temples in small circles, 20 times clockwise and 20 times counterclockwise. Next,
massage your eyes above just above your eyebrows in the same way, clockwise
and counterclockwise. Finally, massage the area under your eyes, just next to
the bridge of your nose. Palm your eyes again when you are done.
Day 4 Nutrition: Today, make sure to get your daily dose of carotenoids by having
more kale and some cantaloupe or peaches. It’s also important to talk about
artificial sweeteners. A lot of people who are trying to control their weight and
sugar intake drink diet sodas or other foods that contain artificial sweeteners like
aspartame. These are chemicals, and they’re not good for you. Aspartame, as
mentioned previously, has been directly connected to blurry vision and other
problems with eyesight. Go through your house and get rid of any foods that
contain artificial sweeteners. In addition to aspartame, look for saccharine,
acesulfame potassium, Ace K, erythritol, glycerol, isomalt, maltitol, lactitol,
mannitol, polydextrose, sorbitol, sucralose and xylitol.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves drinking mulberry leaf tea. Mulberry leaf tea
is a Chinese remedy used to reduce inflammation and lower blood sugar. You
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can buy mulberry tea in Chinese herb stores, tea shops, and online. Make one
cup of tea during the day today. Let it steep for at least five minutes, and then
drink it.
Exercise: Palm your eyes, and then do some deliberate blinking. Today’s
exercise involves blinking every three or four seconds for two minutes. When
you’re done, try not blinking for thirty seconds. Blinking helps refresh and
lubricate your eyes.
Day 5 Nutrition: Today, add foods rich in Vitamin C to your diet. Vitamin C helps
boost your immune system and protect your body against oxidative stress. It
also helps prevent cataracts. Have an orange or grapefruit as part of your
breakfast, and some broccoli (steamed or raw) with dinner. Other good dietary
sources include citrus fruits, papaya, strawberries, red bell peppers, kiwi fruit,
raspberries, tomatoes, and peas.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves soaked almonds and fruit. Soaking the
almonds and fruit helps to plump up the fiber in them, maximizing the benefits of
taking them. To make this remedy, soak 6 – 10 almonds and 15 raisins in water
overnight. Eat them first thing in the morning on an empty stomach to detoxify
your body.
Exercise: Palm your eyes, and do some figure eights. To do this exercise focus
your eyes on the middle distance, and imagine that there is a big figure eight
resting on its side. Trace its outline with your eyes. Do 10 repetitions in one
direction, then change directions and trace the figure eight 10 times in the other
direction.
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Day 6 Nutrition: Today, add another important antioxidant to your diet, Vitamin E.
Vitamin E has antioxidant properties that help boost your immune system and
fight inflammation. It also helps keep your eyes and skin lubricated, and prevent
both cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. The best dietary sources
of Vitamin E are enriched wheat germ and almonds. To get what you need,
sprinkle some wheat germ on your morning cereal, or snack on a handful of
almonds. Make sure to choose raw almonds for the best results. Other good
dietary sources include sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, peanuts, and peanut butter.
Also today, think about cutting back on gluten. Not everybody has an adverse
reaction to gluten, but there’s no way to know unless you try going without it to
see if your vision improves. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale. It
is not in other grains, such as oats, rice, spelt, and quinoa. Try replacing your
wheat bread with an oat or quinoa loaf instead.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves drinking carrot juice with amla. Amla are
Indian gooseberries, and they are a wonderful source of antioxidants that can
help to protect your eyes. You can find it in natural food stores as a powder. To
make the juice, pour or make eight ounces of carrot juice and stir in one
teaspoon of amla powder. The powder is naturally tart, but the sweetness of the
carrot juice helps balance it. Carrot juice has the benefit of being a wonderful
source of beta carotene.
Exercise: Today, palm your eyes and pick two of the previous exercises to do in
succession. Palm your eyes in between exercises and again when you are done.
Also, make a real effort not to strain your eyes today. Every hour, step away
from the computer or television and palm your eyes or simply close them for 30
seconds or so.
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Day 7 Nutrition: Today’s micronutrient is essential fatty acids, particularly Omega-3.
Omega-3 is very important to the development of healthy vision, which is why it
is an additive in most baby formula. It helps to prevent dry eye, glaucoma, and
age-related macular degeneration. The best dietary source of Omega-3 is fatty
fish like salmon. To get what you need today, broil or poach a piece of salmon
and have it for lunch or dinner. If you are vegan, you can get what you need by
making a salad dressing using flaxseed oil, or eating a handful of walnuts as a
snack. Other good dietary sources include mackerel, herring, olive oil, and
Omega-3 enriched eggs.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves Gingko biloba, which improves circulation to
the optic nerve and improves visual field vision caused by glaucoma. It is widely
available in health food stores and online. To get the benefits, take a 500-
milligram supplement daily.
Exercise: Palm your eyes, and do some near and far focusing. Hold a pen or
something similar 10 inches from your eyes, and then pick an object that’s
between 10 and 20 feet away from you. Start by focusing your eyes on the near
object, then switch and focus on the far object. Alternate at least ten times, and
palm your eyes when you’re done.
Day 8 Nutrition: Today, in addition to making sure you get enough Vitamin A, Vitamin
C, Vitamin E, and some essential fatty acids, think about cutting back or
eliminating dairy from your diet. Like gluten, dairy is a frequent culprit in
inflammation throughout the body, including the eyes. It’s important to note that
a very significant portion of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. Humans
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are the only animals who consume milk past infancy, and we’re also the only
animals who consume milk from different species. While some people can
tolerate the lactose in milk, a lot of people can’t. The only way to know if dairy
consumption is affecting your vision is to eliminate it for a while and see how
your eyes react. You can try almond milk as a substitute. It’s tasty, and it’s also a
great source of Vitamin E.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves fennel seeds. Fennel helps to relieve
intraocular pressure and prevent diabetic retinopathy. To get the amount you
need, put 5 or 10 drops of fennel essential oil in a glass of water and drink it.
Exercise: Palm your eyes and do some zooming with your eyes. Start with your
arm stretched out with your thumb at arm’s length from your face. Focus on
your thumb, then zoom it in so it’s about three inches from your face. Focus
again, then zoom it back out again. Repeat ten times, and then palm your eyes
when you’re through.
Day 9 Nutrition: Today’s micronutrient is zinc. Zinc is a so-called “helper mineral” that
works to transport Vitamin A from your liver to your eyes. You already know how
important Vitamin A is, so it makes sense to include foods rich in zinc in the plan.
To get your daily dose, have some oysters or crab – both are excellent sources
of zinc. Vegans can get what they need by having a serving of chickpeas or
hummus. Other good dietary sources include lean beef, poultry, cashews, and
almonds.
Therapy: Today’s therapeutic ingredient is wild asparagus, which is known in
Ayurvedic healing as shatavari. To get the benefits, buy the extract and add 10
drops of it to a full glass of water. If you find this therapy beneficial, you can
increase the dosage as high as 40 drops per day.
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Exercise: Today’s exercise involves making a square with your eyes. Start by
palming your eyes. Imagine that your face is right up against a picture frame.
Look up as if you were looking at the upper left hand corner of the frame. Move
your eyes across the top to the right hand corner. Next, move down to the lower
right hand corner, across to the lower left, and back up to where you started.
Repeat 10 times, then palm your eyes again.
Day 10 Nutrition: Today’s micronutrient of the day is sulfur. If you remember, in the
previous chapter I told you that sulfur helps keep the membranes in your eyes
permeable so oxygen can pass through them. When oxygen can’t pass through
your corneas and lenses, it can have a negative effect on your ability to see well.
To get the sulfur you need, have some cauliflower or Brussels sprouts at dinner.
Other good dietary sources include broccoli, turnips, bok choy, eggs, and poultry.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves using eyebright. Put 10 drops of eyebright
tincture in a small cup and cover it with two tablespoons of freshly boiled water.
Let it cool to a comfortable temperature – it should still be slightly warm. Put the
cup over your eye and tilt your head back. Open and shut your eyes a few times
to make sure the eyewash covers your whole eye. Repeat with the other eye,
using a clean cup, fresh drops and fresh water.
Exercise: Today’s exercise is a variation on what you did yesterday. Start by
palming your eyes, and imagine the picture frame again. Instead of moving in a
square, start in the upper left hand corner, and then move your eyes diagonally
across to the lower right hand corner and back up again. Repeat ten times, then
switch and go from the upper right hand corner to the lower left hand corner and
back again. Do that ten times, and then palm your eyes again.
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Day 11 Nutrition: Today, work on cutting back on the amount of saturated fat in your
diet. It’s not possible to eliminate saturated fat from your diet. All fats, even
healthy ones like olive oil, contain a small amount of saturated fat. It is
important, though, to avoid foods that are very high in saturated fat. Any cut of
meat that has visible fat on it should be avoided, or at the very least, you should
cut off the fat and discard it before eating. Eat chicken and other poultry without
the skin, and avoid luncheon meats and other cured meats like sausage and
pepperoni, both of which tend to be very high in saturated fat.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves taking coleus. Coleus contains forskolin, a
compound that helps reduce the production of fluid in the eyes and reduce the
risk of glaucoma. To get the benefits, take a 250-milligram supplement daily.
Exercise: Today, repeat three of the exercises you did previously, palming your
eyes after each one. Also, make up a sleep schedule and do your best to stick to
it. Most adults in the United States are sleep deprived, and your eyes need sleep
to be healthy. Pick a time to go to bed every night, and a time to get up every
morning. It’s understandable that there will be exceptions when you end up
staying up later than you usually do, but for the most part, it’s important to be
consistent and get enough sleep every night.
Day 12 Nutrition: Today, add foods rich in dietary fiber to your diet. Fiber helps keep
your digestion regular, it reduces inflammation, and it slows your body’s
absorption of starches and sugars, which can help keep your blood glucose levels
under control. To get the fiber you need, try having oatmeal for breakfast.
Oatmeal is a great source of fiber, and it’s naturally gluten-free. To get the best
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results, try soaking the oatmeal overnight or cooking it overnight in a slow
cooker. If you add some Vitamin A and Vitamin C-rich fruits, like papaya, you’ll
have a very healthy breakfast that will be great for your eyes. Other good
sources of fiber include brown rice, beans, berries, pecans, and most vegetables.
Therapy: Today’s therapy is chrysanthemum tea. Chrysanthemum is a popular
remedy in traditional Chinese medicine that clears toxins from the eyes, and
helps improve blurred or spotty vision. To make the tea, either buy prepared tea
bags or dried leaves. Let the tea steep for five to ten minutes before drinking.
Exercise: Today’s exercise works on something called central fixation. When we
look at something that’s too big for us to focus on, we tend to tire our eyes by
trying to see more of it than we need to see. Palm your eyes, and then pick up a
letter or a book, and focus only on the top of the page. This exercise is about
learning to be okay with the fact that the rest of the page is blurry. To challenge
your eyes, next move them down the page and focus on a new place, allowing
the top and bottom to blur as you focus on a new spot in the letter. Palm your
eyes when you’re done.
Day 13 Nutrition: Today, add foods that are rich in lecithin to your diet. Lecithin helps
your body to turn the carotenoids you are eating into usable Vitamin A to be sent
to your organs, including your eyes. To get the lecithin you need, have some
eggs for breakfast. If you buy eggs that are enriched with Omega-3 (eggs from
free range chickens tend to be higher in essential fatty acids) you’ll have a
healthy breakfast that’s great for your eyes. Later in the day, you can have some
soybeans to get an extra dose of lecithin. Other good dietary sources of lecithin
include cod, liver, and peanuts.
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Also today, take another pass through your kitchen and pantry, and eliminate
foods that are high in sodium. You’ve already eliminated a lot of processed
foods, so you might not have much left. But remember, if you can keep your
sodium intake at about 1200 milligrams per day, you will have half the chance of
developing cataracts as someone who consumers 3000 milligrams per day. Don’t
forget to check frozen and canned foods, salad dressings, and other condiments.
They tend to be very high in salt. It’s also important to be careful when you’re
eating out. Restaurant food has a ton of added salt, and some types of cuisine
are particularly salty. Think twice before eating any kind of Chinese or Asian food
that you don’t cook. It will likely have both MSG and an unhealthy amount of
sodium.
Therapy: Gotu kola is a popular Indian herb that’s used to strengthen blood
vessels and prevent retinopathy. To get the benefits, take a 350-milligram
capsule daily.
Exercise: Sit in front of a calendar or other sheet with printed numbers hanging
on a wall. Palm your eyes, and when you open them again, focus both eyes on
the numbers. Your vision is usually clearest when you first open your eyes, so try
to take advantage of that fact. Palm your eyes again and repeat up to five times.
Next, palm your eyes and then repeat the exercise using one eye at a time. This
can help you identify which eye is weaker – most people’s eyes are not the
same. Palm your eyes again when you are done.
Day 14 Nutrition: Today, add foods that are rich in anthocyanins to your diet.
Anthocyanins, like lutein and zeaxanthin, are color compounds that give fruits
and vegetables their bright colors. They also help to prevent myopia and retinal
detachment, and maintain the pliability of your eyes. To get the amount you
need, have a cup of fresh blueberries, which are the best natural source of
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anthocyanins. Other good dietary sources include eggplant, black currants,
plums, asparagus, cranberries, bananas, red cabbage, grapes, and
pomegranates.
Therapy: Today’s therapy is turmeric. Turmeric has very powerful antioxidant
properties, and it helps the eyes by protecting the retinas from degeneration.
Supplement vary in strength, but to get the benefits, take one that contains at
least 350 milligrams of turmeric, which is also known as curcumin.
Exercise: Today, pick four of the previous exercises and do them one after
another, palming your eyes in between. Also, if you smoke, think about trying to
quit. There are a number of things you can try to wean yourself off of the
nicotine and other chemicals in cigarettes. Some options include nicotine
patches, nicotine gum, hypnotism, behavioral therapy, and prescription
medications.
Days 15 – 21 Nutrition: For the remainder of the plan, your job is to make sure that you get
enough of all the essential micronutrients we’ve discussed, and that you continue
to avoid the foods that can cause or exacerbate eye problems. You also need to
make sure to get enough water, at least 64 ounces per day. The micronutrients
to include are lutein, zeaxanthin, Vitamin A (as beta carotene and retinol),
Vitamin C, Vitamin E, essential fatty acids, zinc, sulfur, lecithin, and
anthocyanins. Make sure to get plenty of dietary fiber, and avoid sugar, artificial
sweeteners, gluten, dairy, saturated fat, and MSG. Finally, continue to keep your
sodium content under control. It’s a good idea to change up the foods you eat so
you don’t get bored. The attached ingredient list has the primary foods I’ve
recommended as well as all of the potential substitutes, and it’s sorted by
nutrient.
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Therapy: For the next week, choose the therapies and remedies that have
worked best for you and continue them. You should continue taking all
supplements, including bilberry, hyaluronic acid, Gingko biloba, coleus, gotu kola
and turmeric. Additionally, choose which additional therapies to continue,
including drinking copper water, drinking mulberry leaf tea, eating soaked
almonds and raisins, drinking carrot juice with amla, drinking fennel essential oil
with water, drinking wild asparagus tincture, and drinking chrysanthemum tea.
Also, you should consider drinking one cup of green tea per day. Green tea helps
protect your eyes from strain caused by ultraviolet light, and it also helps to
reduce inflammation.
Exercise: For the next week, continue to get enough sleep and make sure not to strain your eyes too much during the day. Also, each day pick four or five of the exercises from earlier in the plan and do them one after the other, palming your eyes in between. To refresh your memory, the choices are:
Rolling your eyes 20 times in each direction
Alternating focusing on a pen at arm’s length and six inches from your face
Massaging the area around your eyes
Blinking every 3-4 seconds for two minutes.
Tracing a figure eight with your eyes
Alternate focus between something 10 inches away and 10-20 feet away
Zooming your thumb back and forth and focusing on it
Tracing a square with your eyes
Tracing diagonals with your eyes
Practicing central fixation by focusing your eyes on one part of a page
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~ Chapter 7 ~
Simplified Action Plan to Reverse
Vision Loss
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As promised, this chapter consists of a simplified action plan to reverse vision
loss. I realize that the information contained in the previous chapter is very
detailed. As a result, it may be difficult to go through it and find a specific piece
of information. This chapter is here to be used as a reference guide – a way for
you to look at the plan in an encapsulated way. I hope you find it to be helpful.
Day 1 Nutrition: Today, add foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin to your diet. The best
source is kale. Eat one cup of kale raw or cooked to get the benefits. Other good
dietary sources include spinach, broccoli, dandelion greens, Swiss chard, collard
greens, chicory, watercress, turnip greens, and paprika. Also, today and every
day going forward, make sure to drink at least 64 ounces of water.
Therapy: Take a 60-milligram supplement of bilberry extract.
Exercise: Palm your eyes, then roll your eyes 10 times clockwise and 10 times
counterclockwise. Palm your eyes again when you’re through.
Day 2 Nutrition: Go through your kitchen and pantry and get rid of foods that have a
high amount of added sugar. Look for these ingredients: glucose, fructose, high
fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, lactose, galactose, sucrose, sorbitol, palm
sugar, corn sugar, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. Molasses, brown sugar,
honey and agave nectar are also sugar, but they are okay in limited amounts.
Therapy: Store one liter of water overnight in a copper container. Drink the
water throughout the day to strengthen vision.
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Exercise: Palm your eyes, and hold a pen at arm’s length. Give your eyes time
to focus on it, then move it in slowly so it’s six inches from your focus. Refocus.
Repeat 10 times, then palm your eyes again.
Day 3 Nutrition: Today, add foods with retinol and beta carotene to your diet. To get
the retinol you need, have a small amount of beef or chicken liver, or an ounce
of hard cheese. For beta carotene, have a baked sweet potato for dinner. Other
good dietary sources of beta carotene include carrots, cantaloupe, peaches, and
red bell peppers.
Therapy: Take hyaluronic acid as a supplement. It is available as an extract.
Take one teaspoon alone or mixed with water or juice.
Exercise: Palm your eyes, then massage the area around them. First, massage
both temples in small circles. Make 20 circles clockwise, and 20
counterclockwise. Repeat above your eyebrows, and below your eyes next to the
bridge of your nose. Palm your eyes again to finish.
Day 4 Nutrition: Make sure to get some kale, cantaloupe and peaches to get your
Vitamin A today. In addition, eliminate foods containing artificial sweeteners. The
ingredients to look for are aspartame, saccharine, acesulfame potassium, Ace K,
erythritol, glycerol, isomalt, maltitol, lactitol, mannitol, polydextrose, sorbitol,
sucralose and xylitol.
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Therapy: Today, make and drink mulberry leaf tea. To make the tea, use
mulberry leaf teabags or dried mulberry leaves. Let the tea steep for at least five
minutes before drinking.
Exercise: Palm your eyes and do some deliberate blinking. Blink every three to
four seconds for two minutes, then palm your eyes again. Next, try not blinking
for thirty seconds, then palm your eyes.
Day 5 Nutrition: Today, add foods rich in Vitamin C to your diet. To get what you
need, have an orange or grapefruit as part of your breakfast, and some steamed
or raw broccoli with dinner. Other good dietary sources include citrus fruits,
papaya, strawberries, red bell peppers, kiwi fruit, raspberries, tomatoes, and
peas.
Therapy: Today’s therapy involves detoxifying your body. Soak 5 – 10 almonds
and 15 raisins in water overnight and eat them first thing in the morning on an
empty stomach.
Exercise: Imagine a large figure eight in front of you, lying on its side. Palm
your eyes, then trace the figure eight with your eyes. Trace ten times in one
direction, then reverse and do 10 repetitions the other way. Palm your eyes
again when you’re through.
Day 6 Nutrition: Today, add some Vitamin E to your diet. You can get what you need
by sprinkling wheat germ on your oatmeal or having a handful of raw almonds as
a snack. Other good dietary sources include sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, peanuts,
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and peanut butter. Also, try eliminating gluten from your diet. Gluten is in wheat,
rye, barley and triticale. Try having oats or quinoa instead.
Therapy: Drink one glass of fresh carrot juice mixed with one teaspoon of amla
(Indian gooseberry) powder.
Exercise: Repeat any two exercises that we did previously, palming your eyes
before, in between, and when you’re done. Also, make sure not to look at your
computer screen for more than an hour without palming or finding another way
to give your eyes a break.
Day 7Nutrition: Today, get your daily dose of essential fatty acids by having a piece
of broiled or poached salmon for lunch or dinner. Vegans can get what they need
by using flaxseed oils in a salad dressing or eating a handful of walnuts. Other
good dietary sources include mackerel, herring, olive oil, and Omega-3 enriched
eggs.
Therapy: Take a 500-milligram supplement of Gingko biloba.
Exercise: Hold a pen or other object about 10 inches from your face, and
choose an object 10-20 feet away as your second focal point. Alternate your
gaze between near and far. Repeat 10 times and palm your eyes to finish.
Day 8 Nutrition: Today, in addition to eating a diet rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C,
Vitamin E, and essential fatty acids, it’s time to try eliminating dairy from your
diet. Dairy can cause inflammation and irritation of the eyes. It may turn out not
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to be a problem for you, but the only way to know for sure is to try eliminating it
and see. As a substitute, try drinking unsweetened almond milk. It’s tasty, and
it’s also a great source of Vitamin E.
Therapy: Add five to ten drops of fennel essential oil to a full glass of water and
drink it.
Exercise: Practice zooming. Palm your eyes. Start with your thumb at arm’s
length from your face. Focus on it, then quickly zoom it in so it’s about three
inches from your face. Focus again, then zoom it back out. Repeat 10 times then
palm your eyes to finish.
Day 9 Nutrition: Add zinc to your diet. To get what you need, have some oysters or
crab for lunch or dinner. Vegans can get zinc from chick peas. Other good
dietary sources include lean beef, poultry, cashews, and almonds.
Therapy: Take wild asparagus (shatavari) extract by adding 10 drops to a full
glass of water and drinking it. You can gradually increase your dosage to 40
drops per day.
Exercise: Palm your eyes, then imagine that your face is right up against a
picture frame. Look up at the upper left hand corner of the frame, move your
eyes across the top to the right hand corner, then down, across the bottom, and
back up again. Repeat ten times, and then palm your hands to finish.
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Day 10 Nutrition: Add foods rich in sulfur to your diet by having some cauliflower or
Brussels sprouts with dinner. Other good sources of sulfur include broccoli,
turnips, bok choy, eggs, and poultry.
Therapy: Put 10 drops of eyebright tincture in a small cup. Cover with two
tablespoons of freshly boiled water and tilt your head back to wash your eyes.
Repeat with fresh ingredients on the other eye.
Exercise: Today’s exercise is a variation on the frame exercise from yesterday.
Palm your eyes, but instead of moving around the square, start in the upper left
hand corner, then move your eyes down to the lower right, then back up again.
Repeat 10 times, then switch to the upper right and move your eyes down and
to the left. Repeat 10 times, then palm your eyes to finish.
Day 11 Nutrition: Today continue eating a diet rich in all of the important
micronutrients we’ve discussed. In addition, work on cutting back on the amount
of saturated fat in your diet. Avoid eating meats with visible fat on them, or cut
off the fat and discard it. In addition, avoid processed luncheon meats and cured
meats, which tend to be very high in saturated fat.
Therapy: Take a 250-milligram coleus supplement.
Exercise: Today, pick any three of the exercises we did before and repeat them,
palming your eyes in between. Also, make up a sleep schedule that will ensure
that you get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, and stick to it.
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Day 12Nutrition: Add foods that are rich in fiber to your diet. Have some oatmeal for
breakfast (soak it overnight for the best results) and top it with some papaya to
get your Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Other good dietary sources of fiber include
brown rice, beans, berries, pecans, and most vegetables.
Therapy: Make chrysanthemum tea using a tea bag or dried chrysanthemum
leaves. Let the tea steep for 10 minutes before drinking.
Exercise: Use a letter or book for this exercise. Palm your hands, then look at
the top of the page and allow your eyes to relax. Don’t try to look at the rest of
the page – make peace with it being blurry. Next, move your eyes to the middle
of the page and let the top and bottom blur. Palm your eyes to finish.
Day 13 Nutrition: Today, add foods that are rich in lecithin to your diet. Your body
needs lecithin to help it convert Vitamin A to a usable form. Have some eggs for
breakfast, or if you’re a vegan have some soybeans during the day. Other good
dietary sources include cod, liver, and peanuts.
Also, work on reducing the amount of sodium in your diet. Most processed foods
contain a lot of sodium. Eating less than 1200 milligrams a day can cut in half
your risk of developing cataracts.
Therapy: Take a 350-milligram coleus supplement.
Exercise: Put a calendar on the wall, and sit at a distance where you can barely
read the numbers. Palm your eyes. When you open them, focus both eyes on
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the numbers. Palm and repeat. Next, do one eye at a time. This exercise will
help you determine if one eye is stronger than the other.
Day 14 Nutrition: Today, add anthocyanins to your diet by eating a cup of fresh
blueberry with breakfast or as a snack. Other good dietary sources include
eggplant, black currants, plums, asparagus, cranberries, bananas, red cabbage,
grapes, and pomegranates.
Therapy: Take a 350-milligram turmeric supplement.
Exercise: Today, pick any four exercises that we did earlier and repeat them,
palming your eyes in between. Also, look into quitting smoking if you are a
smoker. Some options you may want to consider include nicotine gum, nicotine
patches, hypnotism, and prescription drugs.
Days 15 - 21 Nutrition: For the remainder of the plan, your job is to make sure that you get
enough of all the essential micronutrients we’ve discussed, and that you continue
to avoid the foods that can cause or exacerbate eye problems. You also need to
make sure to get enough water, at least 64 ounces per day. The micronutrients
to include are lutein, zeaxanthin, Vitamin A (as beta carotene and retinol),
Vitamin C, Vitamin E, essential fatty acids, zinc, sulfur, lecithin, and
anthocyanins. Make sure to get plenty of dietary fiber, and avoid sugar, artificial
sweeteners, gluten, dairy, saturated fat, and MSG. Finally, continue to keep your
sodium content under control. It’s a good idea to change up the foods you eat so
you don’t get bored. The attached ingredient list has the primary foods I’ve
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recommended as well as all of the potential substitutes, and it’s sorted by
nutrient.
Therapy: For the next week, continue taking the bilberry, Gingko biloba, coleus, gotu kola, and turmeric supplements. Every day, choose one of the therapies that you have found to be effective including copper water, hyaluronic acid, mulberry leaf tea, soaked almonds and raisins, carrot juice with amla, fennel essential oil, eyebright eye wash, and chrysanthemum tea. Also, consider drinking one cup of green tea per day to reduce inflammation and protect your eyes from ultraviolet light.
Exercise: For the final week of the plan, pick four or five exercises from the ones in the plan and do them each day. Always palm your eyes first, after you complete each exercise, and at the end. Here are the exercises you can choose from:
Rolling your eyes 20 times in each direction
Alternating focusing on a pen at arm’s length and six inches from your face
Massaging the area around your eyes
Blinking every 3-4 seconds for two minutes.
Tracing a figure eight with your eyes
Alternate focus between something 10 inches away and 10-20 feet away
Zooming your thumb back and forth and focusing on it
Tracing a square with your eyes
Tracing diagonals with your eyes
Practicing central fixation by focusing your eyes on one part of a page
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~ Chapter 8~
Tips for Preventing
Future Vision Loss
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Congratulations on completing the 21-Day Plan to Improve Vision. By now you
should be noticing a big difference in your vision. It’s important to note here that
if you had very serious vision loss, it may take longer than 21 days to reverse it.
If that happens, don’t be discouraged. Keep going with the plan by doing what
you did in the last week. The longer you continue to eat the right foods and
exercise your eyes, the better your vision will get.
Of course, it is not enough to reverse the vision loss you have already
experienced. You will also want to do everything you can to ensure that you
don’t experience vision loss in the future. Let’s talk about how to do that.
DietIt is very important to continue to eat a healthy diet that is rich in the important
micronutrients discussed in this book. Remember to get enough lutein,
zeaxanthin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, essential fatty acids, zinc, sulfur,
lecithin and anthocyanins. It is also important not to go back to eating the
processed foods that can contribute to vision loss. Stay away from foods that are
high in sugar, artificial sweeteners, saturated fat, monosodium glutamate, and
sodium. It’s also important to pay attention to the way your body reacts to
gluten and dairy. Some people can tolerate them. However, if you noticed a big
difference when you cut them out of your diet, it is probably an indication that
you should continue to avoid eating them. Also, make sure to stay hydrated and
get enough fiber in your diet.
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Therapies Look at the diary you kept and make note of which therapies helped you the
most. Those are the things you should continue doing on a regular basis. For
example, if you noticed that using the eyebright eye wash made your eyes feel
better, then make that a regular part of your ongoing eye care.
Exercises It is very important to continue exercising your eyes on a daily basis. The
exercises that are part of the plan can all help to strengthen and work out your
eyes. Every day, you should pick four or five exercises to do. Make sure to mix it
up. It’s a good idea to do some exercises that require you to move your eyes,
such as the figure eights or eye rolling. You should also
pick at least one exercise that helps your eyes to
focus, such as the zooming exercise or the one
where you focused on a near object and a far
object. Finally, pick one relaxation exercise such
as the one where you focused on part of the
page, or the eye massage.
Always make sure to palm your eyes
before you start, and when you finish
each exercise. As you continue to work
your eyes, you should find that the
exercises get easier for you. As they
do, you can add repetitions, or
choose a larger number of
exercises to do. Think of it the
same way you would think of
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going to the gym. You might start with ten repetitions when you are listing
weight, and eventually add additional repetitions or additional weight.
Lifestyle It is important to incorporate healthy behavior into your lifestyle to keep your
eyes healthy. Let’s talk about some of what that means:
Get enough sleep. Different people need different amounts of sleep, so
pay attention to your body. Get enough so that you feel rested when you
wake up in the morning, and you can accomplish what you need to get
done during the day without getting fatigued.
Don’t strain your eyes. Many of us spend our days working in front of a
computer screen, and the glare from the screen can put a real strain on
your eyes. Make sure not to look at the screen for more than an hour
without taking a brief break. You can give your eyes a break by palming
them several times. Another option is to close your eyes for thirty seconds
or a minute, or simply to walk away from your desk for a minute.
Don’t smoke. We already talked about this, but smoking is terrible for
your eyesight. It’s not easy to quit, but if you’re having a hard time,
consider talking to a therapist or finding a support group. Anything you can
do to rid yourself of the habit will be very good for you in the long run.
Take longer breaks from the screen when you can. It’s good to take
short breaks during the day, but it’s equally as important to try to have
whole evenings – or whole days – when you’re not in front of the
computer. Your eyes need a break. Get outside, and give your eyes
something beautiful to look at.
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Get some physical exercise. We talked before about how important
good circulation is for your vision. One of the best ways to keep your
circulatory system strong and healthy is to make a habit of getting aerobic
exercise on a regular basis. Try to get at least thirty minutes of aerobic
exercise three times a week. If you’re not accustomed to working out, you
can start with walking. Walking is wonderful exercise, and if you walk
outdoors it’s also a way of stepping away from the screen and giving your
eyes a break.
Mental Wellness The final thing you need to be aware of in terms of avoiding future vision loss is
the mind-body connection. We talked about this earlier, but it is an important
part of maintaining healthy vision as well as good overall health. Stress can have
an extremely negative impact on your health. For example, people who
experience very high amounts of stress have a significantly higher risk of
developing cardiac disease. They are more likely to have high blood pressure
than people who experience less stress. They also have a higher risk of having a
stroke than people with lower levels of stress.
What can you do to reduce stress? Some of the things we have already talked
about, such as getting enough sleep, stepping away from the computer screen,
and getting enough physical exercise can really help to reduce the levels of
stress you feel. However, there are other things you can do, too. Let’s look at a
few:
Mindful breathing can be a wonderful way to calm yourself and reduce
stress. A simple mindful breathing exercise involves sitting in a comfortable
position and closing your eyes. Push all the ears out of your lungs, then
breathe in through your nose for one count, and out through your mouth
for one count. Next, breathe in for two counts and out for two. Repeat all
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the way up to ten, then work your way back down to one again. Keep your
focus on your breath, and do your best to let go of regret about things that
happened in the past, or anxiety about things that might happen in the
future. The point of this exercise is to be fully in the present moment.
Consider practicing some form of exercise that strengthens the mind-body
connection. Many exercises from Asia, such as yoga, tai chi, karate and
judo can help you maintain a strong connection between your body and
mind. They are very good exercises to do if you want to increase your
physical fitness and decrease your level of stress.
Think about adding meditation to your daily routine. Some people think
that meditation is a religious practice, but it doesn’t have to be. You can
start with a simple breathing exercise like the one above. After you do that,
sit quietly and breathe regularly. Many people find that inhaling for four
breaths and exhaling for four breaths is very calming. When your mind
wanders, which it will, gently bring it back to your breathing. To start with,
meditate for 15 minutes a day. You can gradually increase the amount of
time you spend meditating as you get more comfortable doing it.
If you do your best to incorporate all of the advice in this chapter into your daily
routine, you will be doing everything you can to prevent future vision loss. It
might seem like a lot to think about, but once you grow accustomed to doing
these things, they will become second nature to you. Things like eating a healthy
diet, exercising your eyes, and reducing stress will feel natural and easy.
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Conclusion Thank you for reading Reversing Vision Loss Naturally. If you have just finished
the plan, congratulations. You should be feeling a lot better. Your eyes should be
feeling strong and healthy, and you should be seeing significant changes in the
strength and clarity of your vision.
If you are just finishing a read-through of the plan and are getting ready to get
started, here are a few quick tips to get you going:
Use the attached ingredient list as a shopping list. For each essential
micronutrient, I have included the recommended foods as well as
alternative foods. Don’t be afraid to mix things up. I have recommended
foods that I feel are the best dietary sources of the micronutrients in
question, but any other option listed is fine.
If you live with other people, talk to them about what you are doing and
solicit their support. Getting rid of processed foods can be tricky if you
have other people in the house. If you don’t feel you can completely rid
your house of processed food, you might consider sequestering the food
that you can’t eat so you’re not tempted by it. This can be especially
helpful if you have been eating a lot of processed foods.
Be gentle with yourself. Following this plan is going to require you to make
some significant changes to your life, and it can be a lot to take in. If you
eat something you shouldn’t or miss a day of exercise, don’t worry about it.
Keep going with the plan, and you will get the results you want to get.
As you start the plan, remind yourself that even when it’s difficult, the goal of this plan is to help you regain the vision
you have lost, and maintain a strong sense of sight for the future.
Your eyesight is important, and it’s worth any sacrifices you have to make
to keep it working the way it should.
~ The End ~
