Improve Your Vision Naturally

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1

IMkCVL CUk VISICN NA1UkALL
1nkCUGn A nLAL1nILk DIL1, LIILS1LL AND VISICN LkLkCISLS

u8LlSPL8S nC1L: Lvery efforL has been made Lo ensure LhaL Lhe lnformaLlon
conLalned ln Lhls ebook ls compleLe and accuraLe. Powever, nelLher Lhe publlsher nor
Lhe auLhor ls engaged ln renderlng professlonal advlce or servlces Lo Lhe lndlvldual
reader. 1he ldeas, procedure, and suggesLlons conLalned ln Lhls ebook are noL lnLended
as a subsLlLuLe for consulLlng wlLh your healLh professlonal. All maLLers regardlng your
healLh requlre medlcal supervlslon. nelLher Lhe auLhor noL Lhe publlsher shall be llable
or responslble for any loss or damage allegedly arlslng from any lnformaLlon or
suggesLlon ln Lhls ebook. lurLher, Lhe publlsher does noL have any conLrol over and does
noL assume any responslblllLy for auLhor or Lhlrd-parLy webslLes or Lhelr conLenL.
2
1ab|e of Contents
1A8LL CI CCN1LN1S....................................................................... 2
IN1kCDUC1ICN............................................................................... 8
CAUSLS CI CCk VISICN: IAC1S AND IIC1ICN .......................... 10
MCS1 CCMMCN CAUSLS CI LLSIGn1 kC8LLMS.................... 12
nCW CUk LLS WCkk? ............................................................. 14
nCW 1C INCkLASL 1nL 8LNLII1S CI WLAkING GLASSLS IN A
NA1UkAL WA? ............................................................................ 16
INnCLL GLASSLS: DC 1nL kLALL nLL IMkCVL LLSIGn1
NA1UkALL? ................................................................................. 18
VISICN kLLAkA1ICN 1LCnNIULS AND LkLkCISLS.................... 20
VISICN kLLAkA1ICN 1LCnNIULS............................................... 22
1he 8enef|ts of Lye ke|axat|on ..................................................................................................................... 23
Lasy Lye ke|axat|on 1echn|ques ................................................................................................................... 24
a|m|ng Lye ke|axat|on 1echn|que............................................................................................................... 24
Acupressure Lye ke|axat|on 1echn|que........................................................................................................ 24
Green 1herapy ............................................................................................................................................... 25
Contrast nydrotherapy.................................................................................................................................. 25
VISICN LkLkCISLS ......................................................................... 27
What to Lxpect After Do|ng V|s|on Lxerc|ses? ............................................................................................. 28
8efore ou Start our V|s|on Lxerc|se kout|ne ............................................................................................ 30
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1he Cand|e Method V|s|on Lxerc|se.............................................................................................................. 32
I|gure L|ghts V|s|on Lxerc|se ......................................................................................................................... 33
1wo Dots V|s|on Lxerc|se............................................................................................................................... 34
Lyes Stretch V|s|on Lxerc|se.......................................................................................................................... 35
Iocus|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se................................................................................................................................ 37
Near-Iar Iocus V|s|on Lxerc|se ..................................................................................................................... 38
8||nk|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se................................................................................................................................. 40
1rac|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se .................................................................................................................................. 42
2oom|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se:............................................................................................................................... 44
D|agona|s V|s|on Lxerc|se.............................................................................................................................. 46
Lye Squeezes V|s|on Lxerc|se........................................................................................................................ 49
Up-Down Lye Movements V|s|on Lxerc|se................................................................................................... 50
1|betan Lye Chart V|s|on Lxerc|se................................................................................................................. 52
Sh|ft|ng and Sw|ng|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se........................................................................................................... 54
Contour|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se............................................................................................................................ 56
3 Cups V|s|on Lxerc|se ................................................................................................................................... 58
Ius|on V|s|on Lxerc|se for Doub|e V|s|on...................................................................................................... 60
Near - Iar Iocus Sh|fts V|s|on Lxerc|se for Doub|e V|s|on........................................................................... 61
V|s|on Lxerc|ses for Myop|a .......................................................................................................................... 63
V|s|on Lxerc|ses for Lazy Lye......................................................................................................................... 65
V|s|on Lxerc|ses and Lye Charts .................................................................................................................... 67
SLLI-MASSAGL 1LCnNIULS ICk 8L11Lk VISICN...................... 68
1he 8ody Sw|ng ............................................................................................................................................. 69
nead ko||s ...................................................................................................................................................... 71
I|nger 1app|ng ............................................................................................................................................... 73
Lye||d Massage .............................................................................................................................................. 74
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Lye and Iace Massage................................................................................................................................... 75
Ccc|p|ta| o|nt Massage ................................................................................................................................ 77
Lnergy 1ransfer o|nt Massage..................................................................................................................... 79
VISICN LkLkCISL AND kLLAkA1ICN kCU1INLS .......................... 81
V|s|on Lxerc|se and ke|axat|on kout|ne for Nears|ghtedness (Myop|a) ..................................................... 82
V|s|on Lxerc|se and ke|axat|on kout|ne for Iars|ghtedness (nyperop|a) ................................................... 86
V|s|on Lxerc|se and ke|axat|on kout|ne for Ag|ng V|s|on (resbyop|a) ...................................................... 91
V|s|on Lxerc|se and ke|axat|on kout|nes for Computer V|s|on Syndrome.................................................. 96
VISICN AND DIL1 ........................................................................ 100
Improve our Natura| V|s|on w|th a nea|thy D|et...................................................................................... 101
What Is A nea|thy V|s|on D|et? ................................................................................................................... 104
Ioods 8enef|c|a| for Lye nea|th .................................................................................................................. 105
An Cverv|ew of the Lssent|a| V|s|on Nutr|ents .......................................................................................... 107
V|tam|n C: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake, Natura| Iood Sources .......................................... 109
V|tam|n L: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake, Natura| Iood Sources .......................................... 111
V|tam|n A and Caroteno|ds: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake, Natura| Iood Sources.............. 113
Lute|n & 2eaxanth|n: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake, Natura| Iood Sources......................... 115
Lssent|a| Iatty Ac|ds: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake, Natura| Iood Sources......................... 117
2|nc: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake, Natura| Iood Sources.................................................... 119
now to |an a nea|thy V|s|on D|et?............................................................................................................ 121
Iru|ts 8enef|c|a| for Lye nea|th................................................................................................................... 126
Vegetab|es 8enef|c|a| for Lye nea|th.......................................................................................................... 128
Vegetab|e and Iru|t Iu|ces for 8etter Lyes|ght........................................................................................... 130
Meat and I|sh 8enef|c|a| for Lye nea|th..................................................................................................... 132
nerbs 8enef|c|a| for Lye nea|th .................................................................................................................. 134
Natura| nerba| V|s|on kemed|es ................................................................................................................. 136
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Ioods 8ad for our V|s|on........................................................................................................................... 138
S Steps Ior A Successfu| V|s|on D|et ........................................................................................................... 140
nea|thy V|s|on D|et Check||st ...................................................................................................................... 142
V|s|on Menu |ann|ng 1|ps.......................................................................................................................... 144
Samp|e V|s|on-Ir|end|y 7 Day Menu........................................................................................................... 146
Vegetar|an D|ets and V|s|on Concerns........................................................................................................ 147
VISICN AND MLDICA1ICNS ........................................................ 149
Med|cat|ons narmfu| for our Lyes|ght...................................................................................................... 150
LIILS1LL AND VISICN................................................................ 152
L|festy|e Changes to Improve our Lyes|ght Natura||y .............................................................................. 153
10 nab|ts for 8etter V|s|on.......................................................................................................................... 155
now to Save our Lyes|ght at the Computer? ........................................................................................... 158
Shou|d I Wear Computer G|asses?.............................................................................................................. 160
3 Lasy 1|ps for Creat|ng V|s|on Ir|end|y Work|ng Lnv|ronment ................................................................ 162
3 V|s|on Lxerc|ses to ne|p our Lyes|ght at the Computer........................................................................ 164
VISICN AND CS1UkL ................................................................ 166
now osture Affects Lyes|ght? ................................................................................................................... 167
S ku|es for V|s|on Ir|end|y 8ody osture Wh||e Stand|ng ......................................................................... 169
V|s|on and osture When S|tt|ng and Ly|ng Down..................................................................................... 171
3 8a|ance and Coord|nat|on Lxerc|ses for 8etter Lyes|ght ........................................................................ 173
CCMMCN LLSIGn1 DISCkDLkS............................................... 175
Myop|a ......................................................................................................................................................... 176
Why Are So Many eop|e Nears|ghted?..................................................................................................... 176
Causes of Myop|a ........................................................................................................................................ 179
Myop|a Symptoms....................................................................................................................................... 182
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Natura| 1reatments for Myop|a.................................................................................................................. 183
nyperop|a..................................................................................................................................................... 185
Causes of nyperop|a.................................................................................................................................... 185
nyperop|a Symptoms .................................................................................................................................. 186
Natura| 1reatments for nyperop|a ............................................................................................................. 187
resbyop|a ................................................................................................................................................... 189
resbyop|a Causes ....................................................................................................................................... 189
resbyop|a Symptoms................................................................................................................................. 190
Natura| 1reatment for resbyop|a.............................................................................................................. 191
Cataract........................................................................................................................................................ 192
Causes of Cataract ....................................................................................................................................... 193
Cataract Symptoms ..................................................................................................................................... 194
Natura| 1reatment for Cataract .................................................................................................................. 196
G|aucoma ..................................................................................................................................................... 198
Causes of G|aucoma .................................................................................................................................... 200
Are ou at k|sk for G|aucoma? ................................................................................................................... 201
Cpen-Ang|e G|aucoma Symptoms .............................................................................................................. 202
Narrow-Ang|e G|aucoma Symptoms .......................................................................................................... 205
Natura| 1reatments for G|aucoma.............................................................................................................. 205
Macu|ar Degenerat|on................................................................................................................................. 207
Macu|ar Degenerat|on Causes .................................................................................................................... 208
Macu|ar Degenerat|on Symptoms .............................................................................................................. 210
Natura| 1reatment for Macu|ar Degenerat|on........................................................................................... 212
Dry Lye ......................................................................................................................................................... 214
Causes of Dry Lye ........................................................................................................................................ 215
Dry Lye Symptoms....................................................................................................................................... 217
Natura| 1reatment for Dry Lye.................................................................................................................... 218
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Con[unct|v|t|s ............................................................................................................................................... 220
Con[unct|v|t|s Causes................................................................................................................................... 220
Con[unct|v|t|s Symptoms............................................................................................................................. 221
Natura| 1reatment for Con[unct|v|t|s ......................................................................................................... 223
8|ephar|t|s.................................................................................................................................................... 224
8|ephar|t|s Causes........................................................................................................................................ 224
8|ephar|t|s Symptoms ................................................................................................................................. 224
Natura| 1reatment for 8|ephar|t|s .............................................................................................................. 225
Ast|gmat|sm................................................................................................................................................. 227
Ast|gmat|sm Symptoms............................................................................................................................... 229
Lye Lxerc|ses for Ast|gmat|sm..................................................................................................................... 229
Doub|e V|s|on............................................................................................................................................... 230
Causes of Doub|e V|s|on.............................................................................................................................. 230
Doub|e V|s|on Symptoms ............................................................................................................................ 231
Natura| 1reatments for Doub|e V|s|on ....................................................................................................... 232
VISICN GLCSSAk....................................................................... 234
LL CnAk1S................................................................................. 238
Ams|er Gr|d.................................................................................................................................................. 238
I|gure L|ghts V|s|on Lxerc|se Chart ............................................................................................................. 239
1|betan Lye Chart ........................................................................................................................................ 241
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IN1kCDUC1ICN
As a person sufferlng from nearslghLedness l had no clue abouL Lhe posslblllLy Lo
naLurally lmprove my eyeslghL. l flrmly belleved LhaL my prescrlpLlon eyeglasses and
conLacL lenses or refracLlve eye surgery were my only opLlons for lmprovlng my vlslon or
aL leasL for prevenLlng lL from geLLlng worse.
8elucLanL Lo undergo a rlsky eye surgery and slck of wearlng glasses, l declded Lo look
for alLernaLlve meLhods LhaL could help lmprove my eyeslghL naLurally.
uurlng my research, l came across scary sLaLlsLlcal daLa - accordlng Lo Lhe vlslon Councll
of Amerlca nearly 73 of Lhe Amerlcan populaLlon suffers from some Lype of eye
condlLlon and approxlmaLely 64 of Lhem wear correcLlon glasses or correcLlon conLacL
lenses. AnoLher lnLeresLlng facL ls LhaL only 43 of Lhe people acLually know eyeslghL
dlsorders can be prevenLed buL raLher vlew vlslon lmpalrmenL as parL of Lhe normal
aglng process.
ulLlmaLely, l came Lo Lhe concluslon LhaL many eye dlseases requlre medlcal aLLenLlon
and need Lo be LreaLed wlLh correcLlon eyeglasses, oLher eye LreaLmenLs and eye
surgerles, 8u1 Lhere are also many oLher Lhlngs LhaL can be done Lo help naLurally
lmprove eyeslghL.
Many facLors lnfluence vlslon quallLy. LlfesLyle hablLs and dleL are Lwo LhaL cause Lhe
greaLesL lmpacL on naLural vlslon. lor LhaL reason, maklng some small yeL slgnlflcanL
changes Lo Lhe way we llve, Lhe Lype of food we consume and Lo our eaLlng hablLs and
are Lhe baslc ways Lo help naLurally lmprove eyeslghL.
1here are also varlous oLher meLhods LhaL can Lremendously help naLurally lmprove
eyeslghL" Some slmple eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques and vlslon exerclses can have
unbellevable effecL on naLural vlslon and noL only prevenL vlslon lmpalrmenL buL asslsL
varlous medlcal LreaLmenLs.
9
robably Lhe besL Lhlng abouL naLural eye healLh care ls LhaL lL ls noL llmlLed Lo age,
gender or eLhnlclLy - Lhere are ways LhaL can help lmprove eye healLh naLurally for
vlrLually anybody. naLural approaches Lo vlslon healLh are noL ln conLroversy wlLh
sLandard medlal LreaLmenLs Loo. LeasL buL noL lasL, you can help naLurally lmprove
eyeslghL wlLhouL spendlng a forLune. ln facL, malnLalnlng a healLhy llfesLyle, eaLlng
correcLly, Laklng Llme for eye relaxaLlon and vlslon exerclses are acLually leadlng Lo
lmproved vlslon and less medlcal bllls.
So, lf you are eager Lo explore furLher how you can help eyeslghL naLurally, read on. We
have Lrled Lo complle useful lnformaLlon and pracLlcal advlce abouL Lhe ways you can
keep your eyes healLhy, rellve Lhe sympLoms of Lhe mosL common eye problems and
lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally.
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Causes of oor V|s|on: Iacts and I|ct|on
MosL of us are born wlLh perfecL naLural vlslon. unforLunaLely, age and llfesLyle hablLs
slowly damage our eyes unLll one day we flnd ourselves vlsually lmpalred.
1here are many causes for poor vlslon and you are surely aware of some of Lhem. Pow
Lo Lell aparL Lhe facLs from Lhe flcLlon? Pow Lo be sure whlch Lhlngs are really good or
really bad for your eyeslghL?
8elng aware of Lhe mosL common causes for poor vlslon can help you Lake Lhe
necessary sLeps Lo prevenL many vlslon problems and/or sLop Lhe progresslon of
exlsLlng eye dlseases. Pere are Lhe mosL common facLs and flcLlon abouL Lhe causes of
poor vlslon.
Myth: WaLchlng Loo much 1v ls bad for my eyes.
Iact: Many eye care speclallsLs belleve LhaL waLchlng 1v cannoL really cause vlslon
problems. lndeed, waLchlng Lelevlslon for long hours wlLhouL a break can make your
eyes Llred and even cause a headache. Lucklly, LhaL could be prevenLed by malnLalnlng
correcL vlslon posLure (page 133) whlle waLchlng Lelevlslon and glvlng Laklng regular
vlslon breaks.
Myth: Lxcesslve readlng ls noL among Lhe causes for poor vlslon.
Iact: ln facL, many sLudles have demonsLraLed LhaL people who spend long hours
readlng as well as dolng any oLher close-up eye work are more llkely Lo develop myopla
(nearslghLedness). 1he rlsk of developlng myopla becomes even hlgher lf you read ln
bed or ln a poorly llL room.
Myth: 1he food l eaL has noLhlng Lo do wlLh my eyes.
Iact: CuallLy, varleLy and Lypes of food you consume have dlrecL lmpacL on all Lhe
organs ln your body, lncludlng your eyes. CerLaln food producLs and food preparaLlon
11
meLhods have LoLally negaLlve lmpacL on eyeslghL and are among Lhe causes of poor
vlslon. Cn Lhe oLher hand, Lhere are foods greaLly beneflclal for vlslon healLh. llnd ouL
more abouL dleL and vlslon on page 92.
Myth: CarroLs are greaLly overraLed.
Iact: CarroLs conLaln a greaL amounL of vlLamln A, one of Lhe mosL lmporLanL vlslon
vlLamlns. LaLlng loLs of carroLs wlll noL cure an exlsLlng eye condlLlon buL wlll greaLly
lmprove your general eye healLh and proLecL you from some of Lhe mosL common age-
relaLed eye dlsorders.
Myth: l don'L really need Lo wear sunglasses.
Iact: SunllghL ls one of Lhe leadlng rlsk facLors of eye dlsorders LhaL lead Lo severe vlsual
lmpalrmenL and bllndness. Wearlng sunglasses ls lmperaLlve, especlally for Lhose who
already have some Lype of eye problem.
Myth: SqulnLlng ls a naLural way Lo lmprove eyeslghL.
Iact: SqulnLlng ls an accommodaLlon Lechnlque LhaL helps people wlLh a focuslng
problem Lo see ob[ecLs clearly. Powever, squlnLlng cannoL help lmprove eyeslghL
naLurally. Cn Lhe conLrary, lL causes exLra sLraln on Lhe eye and evenLually leads Lo
worsenlng of Lhe eye problem.
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Most Common Causes of Lyes|ght rob|ems
lL may sound hard Lo belleve buL everyLhlng you do lmpacLs your vlslon. Lven Lhe
slmplesL Lhlngs, llke readlng a book before you fall asleep, can lnfluence your eye healLh.
1haL ls why, when Lalklng abouL Lhe mosL common causes of eyeslghL problems, we
need Lo look aL Lhe blg plcLure flrsL.
When lL comes Lo eye healLh, Lhe prlnclple ls: whaL ls bad for your body ls ulLlmaLely bad
for your eyes. lor LhaL reason general healLh ls one of Lhe flrsL Lhlngs Lo look aL. Are you
healLhy? uo you suffer from chronlc lllnesses and Lake medlcaLlons on a regular basls?
Pow ofLen do you geL lll?
oor general healLh ls one of Lhe Lop facLors conLrlbuLlng Lo poor vlslon and Lhe
developmenL of varlous eye dlseases. Moreover, many over Lhe counLer and
prescrlpLlon medlcaLlons are harmful for Lhe eyes.
Some llfesLyle hablLs can also greaLly lmpacL your vlslon. Lack of physlcal acLlvlLy,
unbalanced dleL, and smoklng or alcohol consumpLlon are among Lhe mosL common
causes of eyeslghL problems.
CLher mosL common causes of eyeslghL problems are:
Do|ng c|ose-up work when you are t|red. 1hls lncludes [usL abouL any Lype of
work LhaL requlres prolonged eye concenLraLlon, such as readlng, wrlLlng,
worklng on a compuLer and so no.

8ad posture. Cne of Lhe mosL overlooked reasons for poor eyeslghL ls bad
posLure. 8ad posLure whlle readlng, wrlLlng, worklng or even whlle waLchlng 1v
ls harmful for Lhe eyes and negaLlvely lmpacLs vlslon ln Lhe long run.

13
I|uorescent ||ght|ng. lluorescenL llghLs are very energy efflclenL and are
commonly used ln mosL worklng areas and homes. Powever, fluorescenL llghLlng
and oLher modern energy savlng llghLs may be harmful for your eyeslghL.
A|r cond|t|on|ng. Alr condlLlonlng ls a necesslLy nearly LhroughouL Lhe year.
uesplLe all Lhe poslLlve sldes of alr condlLlonlng, lL has a bad effecL on Lhe eyes.
CondlLloned alr ls very dry and carrles all sorLs of dusL and oLher alrborne
parLlcles LhaL dlrecLly damage Lhe eye and ulLlmaLely lead Lo eye dlseases.
1here are many oLher Lhlngs LhaL can damage your eyes along wlLh Lhe mosL common
causes of eyeslghL problems llsLed above. A greaL place Lo learn abouL Lhem ls Lo check
ouL our secLlon dedlcaLed Lo Common LyeslghL ulsorders (page 164) where you can flnd
deLalled lnformaLlon noL only abouL Lhe cause of each vlslon problem buL how you can
help lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally.
14
now our Lyes Work?
1he eye ls one of Lhe mosL sophlsLlcaLed organs ln Lhe human body. lL ls comprlsed of
several lmporLanL parLs LhaL
funcLlon ln a way slmllar Lo Lhe
way a movle camera works.
1o undersLand how your eyes
work, you need Lo know whaL Lhe
baslc sLrucLure of an eye ls.
1he human eye ls comprlsed of
Lhree maln layers. 1he ouLermosL
one conslsLs of Lhe cornea (Lhe
LransparenL fronL parL of Lhe eye
LhaL covers Lhe lrls) and Lhe sclera
(Lhe whlLe of Lhe eye). 1he mlddle
layer conslsLs of Lhe chorolds (Lhe vascular layer, provldlng oxygen and nourlshmenL Lo
Lhe reLlna), Lhe clllary body (composed of muscles and speclallzed eye Llssues) and Lhe
lrls (Lhe colored parL of Lhe eye). 1he lnnermosL layer of Lhe human eye ls Lhe reLlna.
lnslde Lhese Lhree layers are Lhe lens and a clear fluld called aqueous humor.
1he sLrucLure of Lhe eye ls dlrecLly relaLed Lo Lhe way lL funcLlons. We begln" Lo see
when Lhe llghL reflecLs from an ob[ecL and enLers Lhe eye Lhrough Lhe cornea. 1he
cornea bends Lhe llghL rays and dlrecLs Lhem Lo Lhe pupll. 1he pupll has Lwo very
lmporLanL funcLlons: lL conLrols Lhe amounL of llghL LhaL wlll pass furLher lnLo Lhe eye
and dlrecLs Lhe llghL rays Lowards Lhe cenLral secLlon of Lhe lens raLher Lhan Lo lLs enLlre
surface.
1he lrls conLrols Lhe slze of Lhe pupll. 1he pupll can become smaller lf our eyes are
exposed Lo Loo much llghL or larger lf we are looklng aL someLhlng ln dlm llghL. 1hls
15
ever-changlng slze of Lhe pupll acLually conLrols Lhe amounL of llghL LhaL can enLer Lhe
eye. Slnce Lhe lens can produce much clearer lmage lf Lhe llghL rays hlL lLs cenLral secLlon
and much blurry lmage lf Lhe llghL rays fall on lLs sldes, Lhe pupll also screens perlpheral
llghL and dlrecLs Lhe llghL Lowards Lhe beLLer-focused cenLer.
nexL, Lhe llghL rays pass Lhrough Lhe lens. 1he lens can change lLs shape wlLh Lhe help of
muscles ln Lhe clllary body so LhaL lL can focus Lhe llghL rays furLher before leLLlng Lhem
reach Lhe reLlna. 1he way Lhe lens wlll bend depends on Lhe dlsLance of Lhe ob[ecL you
are looklng aL. When you look aL near ob[ecLs, Lhe lens bulges and when you look aL
dlsLanL ob[ecLs, lL flaLLens.
1he reLlna ls comprlsed of mllllons llghL senslLlve nerve cells called rods and cones. Cone
cells are malnly locaLed ln Lhe cenLer of Lhe reLlna (macula) and are responslble for our
cenLral vlslon, deLecLlon of flne deLalls and color dlfferenLlaLlon. 1he rods are locaLed aL
Lhe perlphery of Lhe macula and exLend all Lhe way Lo Lhe ouLer edges of Lhe reLlna.
1hey have llLLle lf any role ln color vlslon buL Lhey are almosL enLlrely responslble for
nlghL vlslon. 8od cells are used ln perlpheral (slde) vlslon and moLlon deLecLlon.
Cnce Lhe cells of Lhe reLlna recelve Lhe llghL rays, Lhey converL Lhem lnLo nerve lmpulses
and send Lhem Lo Lhe braln Lhrough Lhe opLlc nerve. lL ls ln Lhe braln where Lhe nerve
lmpulses are read" and an lmage of whaL we see ls produced.
1he quallLy of our vlslon depends on Lhe lnLegrlLy of all eye sLrucLures. Slnce Lhey are so
closely connecLed, even Lhe sllghLesL dlsorder ln one of Lhem may lead Lo poor eyeslghL.
16
now to Increase the 8enef|ts of Wear|ng G|asses |n a
Natura| Way?
?ou have surely heard LhaL wearlng correcLlonal glasses or conLacL lenses ls absoluLely
unnecessary lf you wanL Lo lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally. Well, Lhls ls slmply wrong.
8efore Lelllng you how Lo lmprove your eyeslghL ln a naLural way, leL's polnL ouL why
wearlng your prescrlpLlon glasses or conLacL lenses whlle you are Lrylng Lo lmprove
eyeslghL naLurally ls lmporLanL.
1. lf you are nearslghLed (unable Lo see dlsLanL ob[ecLs) you are puLLlng yourself aL rlsk
of ln[urles by noL wearlng your glasses or lenses ouLslde your home and even whlle
movlng around your house.
2. lf you are unable Lo see up-close ob[ecLs, noL wearlng glasses acLually dlmlnlshed your
posslblllLy Lo read or do any Lype of close-up eye work.
3. Some eye condlLlons and dlseases requlre wearlng glasses or conLacLs because else
your vlslon wlll deLerloraLe even more.
ln all of Lhe above cases, and ln many more, wearlng glasses ls lmporLanL. So, you need
Lo concenLraLe on Lhe sLeps you should Lake Lo lmprove your vlslon naLurally whlle you
are sLlll relylng on LradlLlonal medlclne LreaLmenLs.
1here are varlous naLural ways Lo help eyeslghL. Lmploylng Lhem wlll evenLually make
you rely less and less on your glasses or conLacLs and may even ellmlnaLe Lhe need of
speclal vlslon alds overall. LeL's now explore some of Lhe Lhlngs you can do Lo help your
eyeslghL whlle you are sLlll uslng your glasses.
8||berry extract. A less known herb LhaL can dellver greaL resulLs ln naLural
eyeslghL LreaLmenLs. ?ou can geL a sLandard exLracL or speclal eye vlLamlns LhaL
conLaln 8llberry exLracL. ?ou can also Lake a look aL Lhe chapLer dedlcaLed Lo
Perbs 8eneflclal for Lye PealLh (page 123) Lo learn more abouL varlous oLher
17
naLural herbal remedles.

Cut down the sugar and the sa|t. 8oLh sugar and salL are unhealLhy. 1hey have
bad effecL on your general healLh as well as on your vlslon healLh. lf you are
serlously looklng Lo lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally, reduce Lhe amounL of sugar
and salL you consume. 1hls noL only means Lo sLop addlng sugar ln your Lea, or Lo
puL less salL ln Lhe salad, lL means Lo cuL back Lhe consumpLlon of all Lypes of
sugary or salLy foods (candles, chlps and crackers, cured meaLs and so on). 1here
are a loL more slmple dleLary changes you can make Lo help lmprove eyeslghL
naLurally. lnLeresLed Lo learn more? 8ead our chapLer dedlcaLed Lo vlslon and
uleL (page 92).

Ded|cate a few m|nutes to your eyes. Lyes are very slmllar Lo any oLher parL
of your body - Lhe more we exerclse Lhem, Lhe more flL and healLhy Lhey
become. uedlcaLlng a few mlnuLes of your spare Llme Lo eye relaxaLlon and
vlslon exerclslng wlll help you Lo lmprove your poor vlslon. 1here are varlous
relaxaLlon Lechnlques and vlslon exerclses LhaL can help your vlslon ln all naLural
way. Check ouL our Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlques and Lye Lxerclses flnd numerous
pracLlcal and slmple meLhods Lo lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally.
18
|nho|e G|asses: Do 1hey kea||y ne|p Improve Lyes|ght
Natura||y?
lf you are lnLeresLed ln lmprovlng your eyeslghL naLurally, you surely have come across
sources advlslng plnhole glasses Lherapy. uue Lo Lhe conLroverslal lnformaLlon
clrculaLlng around, we have declded Lo shed some llghL on Lhls maLLer: ls lL really
posslble Lo lmprove your vlslon naLurally by wearlng plnhole glasses?
llrsL, leL's see whaL exacLly plnhole
glasses are. lnhole glasses, or
sLenopelc glasses, are eyeglasses LhaL
have an opaque maLerlal lnsLead of
lenses. 1hls maLerlal ls fllled wlLh
plnhole-slzed perforaLlons. Lach
plnhole allows only a narrow beam of
llghL Lo reach Lhe eye. Slnce Lhe llghL
passes only Lhrough Lhe cenLer of Lhe
eye lens, any defecLs of Lhe lens wlll noL Lake effecL whlle Lhe llghL ls focused ln LhaL
way. 1haL ls why people sufferlng from varlous eye dlsorders, malnly myopla
(nearslghLedness) and hyperopla (farslghLedness), wlll noLlce an lmprovemenL of Lhelr
vlslon whlle wearlng plnhole glasses. Powever, Lhelr perlpheral vlslon wlll be reduced
slgnlflcanLly.
1he Lemporary rellef LhaL a palr of plnhole glasses glves makes many people belleve LhaL
wearlng plnhole glasses wlll evenLually lead Lo a permanenL lmprovemenL of Lhelr vlslon
ln a naLural way. unforLunaLely, Lhere ls noL enough sclenLlflc evldence ln supporL
of such a sLaLemenL.
Pow Lo make up your mlnd lf plnhole glasses can help you cure your nearslghLedness or
farslghLedness, help wlLh blurred vlslon or anoLher eye dlsorder you mlghL have?
19
lL ls a facL LhaL whlle you wear such glasses you wlll see much beLLer. 1hls ls due Lo Lhe
well known plnhole effecL" of Lhe glasses. As Cherrlll Plcks from 1he lndependenL
polnLs ouL .plnhole glasses are used by opLomeLrlsLs (who are quallfled Lo examlne
vlslon) as a slghL ald where convenLlonal glasses cannoL help - ln Lhe case of a scarred
cornea, for example. 8uL Lhey are noL normally used where prescrlpLlon glasses can be
used, because Lhey cuL down on llghL, and cannoL glve as clear an lmage."
lL seems Lhe boLLom-llne ls LhaL plnhole glasses may have a poslLlve effecL on your vlslon
as Lhey wlll help focus Lhe llghL on your lens and wlll make Lhe eye muscles responslble
for ad[usLlng Lhe lens work harder and pull" Lhe lens ln Lhe rlghL dlrecLlon. vlslon
lmprovemenL achleved LhaL way ls largely due Lo Lhe accommodaLlon ablllLy of Lhe eyes
and lL may help lmprove vlslon only whlle you wear Lhe glasses. Powever, lf your eye
dlsorder ls due Lo some Lype of anaLomlcal abnormallLy of Lhe sLrucLures of Lhe eye, you
cannoL expecL permanenL eyeslghL lmprovemenL by wearlng plnhole glasses.
20
V|s|on ke|axat|on 1echn|ques and Lxerc|ses
1wo of Lhe baslc approaches Lo lmprovlng eyeslghL naLurally are lmprovlng eyeslghL
naLurally Lhrough vlslon relaxaLlon Lechnlques and lmprovlng eyeslghL naLurally wlLh eye
exerclses. 8oLh vlslon relaxaLlon Lechnlques and eye exerclses are deslgned Lo relleve
Lhe sympLoms of some common eye dlsorders and may lead Lo beLLer naLural eyeslghL
over Llme.
A common concern regardlng vlslon relaxaLlon Lechnlques and eye exerclses ls lf Lhey
really work or are deslgned by people looklng for qulck proflLs. AlLhough mosL relaxaLlon
meLhods and exerclses are noL sclenLlflcally approved, Lhere are numerous real-llfe
examples of Lhelr poslLlve effecL on eyeslghL.
ln facL Lhe concepL of relaxaLlon as a meLhod of enhanclng healLh and well-belng ls noL
new aL all. lL ls ln Lhe basls of one of Lhe oldesL pracLlces for healLh - yoga. up Lo daLe,
Lhere ls hardly any concluslve medlcal evldence why dlfferenL yoga Lechnlques and
exerclses have poslLlve effecL on human healLh. Powever Lhe facLs remaln: yoga has
such effecLs.
When we dlscuss vlslon relaxaLlon and eye exerclses, we musL
menLlon Lhe founder of Lhls concepL. Wllllam 8aLes, Mu was
Lhe flrsL Lo dlscover LhaL naLural vlslon can be greaLly
beneflLed by dlfferenL eye exerclses and relaxaLlon Lechnlques
nearly a hundred years ago. unLll Loday, hls sLudles and Lhe
resulLs of hls experlmenLs are ln Lhe backbone of any modern
developmenLs ln Lhls area.
vlslon relaxaLlon Lechnlques and eye exerclses can rellve Lhe
sympLoms of many of Lhe mosL common eye condlLlons and prevenL Lhe developmenL
of oLher. Moreover, none of Lhe relaxaLlon Lechnlques and eye exerclses requlres any
expenslve equlpmenL or loLs of Llme.
21
ln Lhe followlng chapLers we wlll explore varlous vlslon relaxaLlon Lechnlques and eye
exerclses LhaL can help you promoLe general vlslon healLh, relleve Lhe sympLoms of
some common eyeslghL dlsorders and lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally.
22

VISICN kLLAkA1ICN 1LCnNIULS

23
1he 8enef|ts of Lye ke|axat|on
lmaglne LhaL you had Lo work nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week! Crazy as Lhls
sounds, Lhls ls whaL we puL our eyes Lhrough on a dally basls. ln facL, for almosL all of us,
Lhe only Llme of Lhe day when we Lruly relax our eyes ls when we sleep.
1he roLaLlon of work perlods wlLh Llmes for relaxaLlon ls lmporLanL Lo preservlng our
normal physlcal condlLlon as well as our emoLlonal sanlLy. 1hls LoLally applles Lo our
eyes Loo - slmllar Lo any oLher parL of our body, our eyes need Llme for compleLe resL.
Lye relaxaLlon has numerous beneflLs. 1aklng a few mlnuLes every now and Lhan Lo fully
relax your eyes removes Lhe sLress accumulaLed noL only ln Lhem, buL ln your mlnd and
body. lL Lakes [usL a few seconds Lo Lake a deep breaLh, close your eyes and Lhlnk of
someLhlng poslLlve Lo feel fully refreshed.
AnoLher greaL beneflL of eye relaxaLlon ls LhaL by relaxlng our eyes we acLually relax Lhe
eye nerves. Slnce Lhey are connecLed dlrecLly Lo our braln, we acLually relax Lhe resL of
Lhe nervous sysLem.
1he beneflLs of eye relaxaLlon have Lhelr loglcal explanaLlon. lor lnsLance, long hours of
work on a compuLer lead Lo deLerloraLlon of Lhe ouLer layer of Lhe eye, Lhe cornea.
LvenLually, Lhls causes a condlLlon known as ury Lye - one of Lhe mosL common eye
dlsorders nowadays. 8egular bllnklng and closlng your eyes for a few mlnuLes every
hour are Lwo slmple eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques LhaL can prevenL lL.
Cur eyes resL besL ln LoLal darkness. ?ou can close your eyes and cover Lhem wlLh Lhe
palms of your hands, or [usL swlLch off Lhe llghLs ln your room for a few mlnuLes and you
wlll noLlce LhaL poslLlve effecLs rlghL away.
now LhaL you know whaL Lhe beneflLs of eye relaxaLlon are, lL ls Llme for you Lo learn
some easy and effecLlve eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques.
24
Lasy Lye ke|axat|on 1echn|ques
Pere are some easy eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques LhaL can be used LhroughouL Lhe day,
boLh aL home and aL Lhe work place. All of Lhe Lechnlques llsLed below are noL only
helpful for lmprovlng eyeslghL naLurally buL for reduclng vlsual sLress and Lhus lowerlng
Lhe rlsk of varlous eyeslghL dlsorders.
a|m|ng Lye ke|axat|on 1echn|que
1hls ls one of Lhe mosL effecLlve eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques as lL offers eye and mlnd
relaxaLlon aL Lhe same Llme. ?ou don'L need any speclal equlpmenL Lo perform Lhe
Lechnlque. Pere ls how almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon ls done:
1. SlL on a chalr and make yourself comforLable.
2. 8ub your hands unLll Lhey warm up.
3. Close your eyes and cover Lhem wlLh Lhe palms of your hands. uo noL press over
Lhe eyes, [usL make sure no llghL can reach Lhe eyellds.
4. 8reaLh deeply, Laklng breaLhes aL even lnLervals.
S. SLay llke Lhls for abouL Lhree mlnuLes.
Acupressure Lye ke|axat|on 1echn|que
Acupressure massage ls one of Lhe besL eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques, especlally for Lhose
who spend long hour ln fronL Lhe compuLer or deallng wlLh oLher close-up work.
1. Make sure your flngernalls are noL long so LhaL you don'L damage Lhe skln of Lhe
eyellds durlng Lhe massage.
2. SlL comforLably on a chalr.
3. 1he flrsL Lwo polnLs you wlll be massaglng are locaLed aL boLh sldes of Lhe brldge
of your nose. use your mlddle flnger and massage Lhese polnLs genLly, wlLh
clrcular movemenLs.
4. nexL, massage Lhe areas rlghL under your puplls.
25
S. 1he flnal massage spoLs are locaLed aL your Lemples. Apply Lhe same genLle,
clrcular movemenLs used on Lhe prevlous Lwo massage areas.
6. 1he whole massage sesslon should Lake abouL 3-3 mlnuLes.
Green 1herapy
1hls ls probably Lhe easlesL of all eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques. All you need Lo do ls spend a
couple of mlnuLes sLarlng aL someLhlng green locaLed aL a dlsLance. Cf all colors, green
ls Llrlng our eyes Lhe leasL and Lhls ls why lL ls used for eye relaxaLlon. ln addlLlon, our
eyes relax whlle looklng aL far away ob[ecLs. Clve yourself a break and dedlcaLe a couple
of mlnuLes per hour Lo look aL a Lree ouLslde your bulldlng or aL Lhe planL ln Lhe far away
corner of your room. lf you wear glasses, Lake Lhem off Lo allow your eyes Lo fully resL.
Contrast nydrotherapy
numerous hydroLherapy Lechnlques have become qulLe popular due Lo Lhelr beneflclal
effecL on Lhe human body. Lach hydroLherapy LreaLmenL ls almed aL a speclflc parL of
Lhe body or aL speclflc group of organs. Some hydroLherapy LreaLmenLs have purely
relaxaLlon purposes whlle oLhers are recommended for rellevlng Lhe sympLoms of
cerLaln dlsorders or chronlc lllnesses.
Several vlslon hydroLherapy LreaLmenLs are known Lo have beneflclal effecL on eyeslghL.
1he followlng ConLrasL PydroLherapy Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque ls good for releaslng
vlslon sLress and revlLallzlng Lhe eyes. Moreover, accordlng Lo Lhe Medlcal CenLer aL 1he
unlverslLy of Maryland, ConLrasL PydroLherapy can be used as a naLural way Lo prevenL,
delay or ease Lhe sympLoms of caLaracLs.
Pere ls whaL you need Lo do:
1. repare Lwo bowls of waLer: one hoL and one cold. 1he hoL waLer you wlll be
uslng should be hoL buL noL so hoL Lo burn you. 1he cold waLer musL be lce cold,
so you can puL several lce cubes ln lL.
26
2. ?ou wlll need Lwo clean washcloLhs. lace one ln Lhe hoL waLer bowl and Lhe
oLher ln Lhe cold-waLer bowl.
3. Close your eyes and place Lhe washcloLh from Lhe hoL bowl over your eyes. keep
lL for abouL half a mlnuLe.
4. 8emove Lhe hoL washcloLh and lmmedlaLely place Lhe one from Lhe cold bowl.
keep lL for abouL 30 seconds.
S. ConLlnue changlng Lhe washcloLhs for abouL 3 mlnuLes.
?ou can maxlmlze Lhe relaxaLlon effecL of Lhls eye relaxaLlon Lechnlque by performlng lL
before or afLer any of Lhe Self-Massage 1echnlques for 8eLLer vlslon (page 66).
27

VISICN LkLkCISLS

28
What to Lxpect After Do|ng V|s|on Lxerc|ses?
vlslon exerclses and vlslon relaxaLlon Lechnlques provlde an excellenL opporLunlLy Lo
glve your eyes some exLra care and Lhus Lo promoLe your vlslon healLh, preserve,
proLecL and even lmprove your eyeslghL.
1he concepL of dolng vlslon exerclses Lo address some of Lhe mosL common eyeslghL
dlsorders such as nearslghLedness, farslghLedness and asLlgmaLlsm, ls noL new. 1he
beneflLs of vlslon exerclses have been dlscovered nearly a hundred years ago and Lhere
are many people en[oylng naLural vlslon lmprovemenL due Lo vlslon exerclses and
dlfferenL relaxaLlon Lechnlques ever slnce.
lf you are eager Lo lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally by dolng vlslon exerclses, you need
Lo know LhaL each person ls dlfferenL. Pow fasL and how much your eyeslghL wlll
lmprove very much depends on Lhe Lype of your vlslon dlsorder, lLs causes and your
overall llfesLyle and hablLs. ?ou may noLlce a greaL lmprovemenL very qulckly or flgure
ouL LhaL cerLaln vlslon exerclses don'L have Lhe deslred effecL and Lry new ones.
Lven lf your vlslon doesn'L lmprove slgnlflcanLly, vlslon exerclses and eye relaxaLlon
Lechnlques are beneflclal for a varleLy of oLher reasons:
keduce v|s|on stress. vlslon sLress ls an underlylng cause of many unpleasanL
eyeslghL dlsorders. 8y reduclng your LoLal vlslon sLress you wlll be promoLlng
beLLer vlslon. Moreover, by reduclng vlslon sLress you wlll delay Lhe onseL of
varlous eyeslghL condlLlons or slow down Lhe progresslon of vlslon dlsorders you
mlghL already have.

Create hea|thy v|s|on hab|ts. 8y dolng vlslon exerclses you may noL only expecL
an lmprovemenL of your eyeslghL buL also you wlll slowly creaLe healLhler vlslon
hablLs. ?ou wlll geL used Lo provldlng your eyes wlLh Llme for relaxaLlon,
undersLand whlch vlewlng hablLs are unhealLhy and learn how Lo proLecL and
29
preserve your vlslon.

Increase your overa|| awareness about v|s|on. Pow Lhe eyes work, whaL can
lnfluence eyeslghL ln a good or ln a bad way. 8elng aware of Lhe mosL common
eyeslghL dlsorders, Lhelr rlsk facLors, causes and sympLoms wlll deflnlLely help
you creaLe and malnLaln a healLhler vlslon-frlendly llfesLyle.
llnally, lf you are looklng Lo reap ouL Lhe full beneflLs of dolng vlslon exerclses, you need
Lo know LhaL you can expecL resulLs only lf you make addlLlonal changes Lo your eaLlng
and llfesLyle hablLs.
30
8efore ou Start our V|s|on Lxerc|se kout|ne

1here are a few Lhlngs you need Lo Lake lnLo accounL before you sLarL dolng vlslon
exerclses alLogeLher as well as how Lo prepare for each eye exerclse sesslon. 1he
followlng guldellnes wlll Leach you whaL you need Lo conslder before you sLarL.

1. Consu|t your eye doctor lf you have any healLh relaLed quesLlons or concerns
regardlng your naLural vlslon correcLlon rouLlne. Lye exerclses are LoLally
harmless and have no slde effecLs however, Lalk Lo your ophLhalmologlsL lf you
feel you need Lo.

2. Make sure you have a correct prescr|pt|on. lf you currenLly use prescrlpLlon
glasses or conLacL lenses, make sure you have a correcL prescrlpLlon. Wearlng a
wrong prescrlpLlon whlle Lrylng Lo lmprove your eyeslghL Lhrough vlslon
exerclses and relaxaLlon may cause unnecessary eye sLraln and slow down your
resulLs.

3. Do not d|spose of your g|asses or contact |enses lf you sLlll need Lhem Lo see
clearly. AlLhough you may noLlce an lmprovemenL of your vlslon once you sLarL
dolng vlslon exerclses, don'L Lhrow Lhem away rlghL away. Make sure you have a
correcL prescrlpLlon lnsLead. ?ou can geL rld of your correcLlon glasses or
conLacLs only afLer you are able Lo see well wlLhouL Lhem.

4. Make sure you understand the steps of each v|s|on exerc|se you plan Lo
perform. WheLher you wlll opL for a compleLe vlslon exerclse rouLlne or [usL a
couple of eye exerclses, make sure know how Lo perform each eye exerclse
correcLly.

S. Do not use prescr|pt|on g|asses or contact |enses dur|ng eye tra|n|ng unless
speclflcally asked Lo do so. lf you are unable Lo see an ob[ecL or a charL as per
31
vlslon exerclses lnsLrucLlons, flnd a more comforLable vlewlng dlsLance (l.e. move
Lhe charL closer or furLher away).
6. If you p|an to make your own v|s|on exerc|se rout|ne or add eye exerclses Lo
one of Lhe rouLlnes lncluded ln Lhls book, make sure you relax your eyes before
and afLer each vlslon exerclse and aL Lhe beglnnlng and aL Lhe end of Lhe rouLlne.
?ou can use any or a comblnaLlon of Lhe vlslon 8elaxaLlon 1echnlques llsLed on
page 22 as well as Lhe 8llnklng vlslon Lxerclse on page 40.

7. Do not stra|n your eyes. lf you feel eye dlscomforL whlle performlng an eye
exerclse or lf you are unable Lo perform an exerclse ln lLs full repeLlLlons, do noL
push yourself. Lach person progresses dlfferenLly and you should noL be worrled
lf your eyes need more Llme Lo ad[usL.

8. Create a hea|thy exerc|se env|ronment. Lxerclse ln a well llL room buL avold
glarlng llghL. Any supporLlng maLerlals (charLs, ob[ecLs, eLc) should be well-llL Loo.

9. Choose the best eye tra|n|ng t|me. lL ls recommended Lo perform your vlslon
exerclse rouLlne when your eyes are relaxed - early ln Lhe mornlng, for example.
lf you'd llke Lo work-ouL durlng work or ln Lhe evenlng, make sure you relax your
eyes very well before your eye exerclse sesslon.

10. Cpt for a hea|th|er overa|| ||festy|e. numerous llfesLyle changes can help you Lo
lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally. CeL rld of any unhealLhy hablLs such as smoklng
and alcohol consumpLlon, creaLe and sLlck Lo a vlslon-frlendly dleL, sLarL
exerclslng regularly and make sure you work ln a vlslon-frlendly envlronmenL.
32
1he Cand|e Method V|s|on Lxerc|se
1he Candle MeLhod ls a vlslon exerclse known Lo provlde greaL resulLs ln lmprovlng
eyeslghL naLurally. lL ls speclflcally beneflclal for Lhose sufferlng from farslghLedness
(hyperopla).
1. lf you are wearlng correcLlon glasses or conLacL lenses, remove Lhem.
2. lace Lhe candle on a Lable and llghL lL. SlL nexL Lo Lhe Lable. Make sure Lhe
candle flame ls aL your eye level.
3. ?our eyes should be abouL 4 feeL away from Lhe candlellghL.
4. 8elax your body buL keep your splne and neck sLralghL.
S. Close your eyes for a mlnuLe and relax.
6. Cpen your eyes and focus Lhem on Lhe candlellghL. SLare aL lL for one mlnuLe
wlLhouL bllnklng. ?ou may feel Lhe urge Lo move your eyes or close Lhem, buL Lry
Lo reslsL. lL ls normal lf your eyes waLer as well, so don'L panlc.
7. AfLer a mlnuLe, close your eyes agaln. vlsuallze Lhe flame ln your mlnd - lmaglne
lL ls beLween your eyebrows. Pold on Lo lLs lmage as long as you can, Lhen open
your eyes and repeaL sLep 6.
8. 8epeaL Lhe exerclse 3 or 4 Llmes.
9. llnlsh wlLh Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque.
Cnce you sLarL performlng 1he Candle eye exerclse on a regular basls, you can sLarL Lo
gradually lncrease lLs duraLlon from one Lo four mlnuLes. 8emember Lo keep your eyes,
face and body relaxed LhroughouL Lhe exerclse. lf you feel lL ls becomlng hard Lo keep
your eyes focused on Lhe llghL, sLop and make a shorL break.
33
I|gure L|ghts V|s|on Lxerc|se
llgure LlghLs are one of Lhe besL vlslon exerclses Lo lmprove eyeslghL because lL helps
lmprovlng eye muscles sLrengLh and eye muscles flexlblllLy. lL ls one of Lhe easlesL vlslon
exerclses and can be done aL any Llme of Lhe day and aL any place.
Pere ls how Lo perform llgure LlghLs#
1. lace a chalr Lhree sLeps away from a wall
(approxlmaLely 10 feeL).
2. lmaglne LhaL Lhere ls a blg flgure elghL, fllpped
horlzonLally, on Lhe wall ln fronL of you.
3. SLarL Lraclng Lhe ouLllnes of Lhe flgure wlLh your
eyes. ?ou can go from lLs mlddle polnL lefL Lo
rlghL or vlce versa, lL doesn'L really maLLer ln
whlch dlrecLlon you wlll choose Lo Lrace Lhe
flgure flrsL. uo lL slowly and work wlLh your eyes only - remember Lo noL move
your head!
4. Cnce you Lrace Lhe flgure elghL ln one dlrecLlon, sLop and relax your eyes for a
few seconds and Lrace lL ln Lhe opposlLe dlrecLlon.
S. uo Lhe exerclse four Llmes.
lf Lraclng Lhe flgure elghLs" four Llmes makes your eyes Llred, do noL push yourself.
SLarL wlLh one repeLlLlon and lncrease Lhe number of repeLlLlons slowly unLll you feel
comforLable dolng Lhe full number of repeLlLlons.
AnoLher greaL vlslon exerclse for lmprovlng eye muscle sLrengLh and enhanclng eyeslghL
ls Lhe $%& '&() *+, *-,./0),.
34
1wo Dots V|s|on Lxerc|se
?our eyes are preLLy much llke any oLher parL of your
body - Lhey need exerclslng and relaxaLlon Lo sLay flL.
8y Laklng proper care of your eyes you ensure Lhey wlll
sLay healLhy for many years Lo come, Lhus provldlng
you wlLh greaL vlslon. 1he 1wo uoLs vlslon exerclse ls a
greaL exerclse Lo use Lo achleve Lhls and Lo lmprove
vlslon naLurally.
1he 1wo uoLs vlslon exerclse wlll noL only help sLrengLhen Lhe muscles of your eyes buL
ls an excellenL eye and mlnd relaxaLlon Lechnlque. 1he exerclse ls exLremely easy Lo
perform and doesn'L requlre any speclal equlpmenL.
1. lace a chalr abouL 10 feeL away from a wall.
2. SlL comforLably, Lake a deep breaLh and relax.
3. lmaglne Lwo doLs, approxlmaLely one and a half meLer aparL from each oLher on
Lhe wall ln fronL of you. lf you are havlng hard Llme lmaglnlng Lhe doLs, you can
cuL Lo medlum slzed clrcles ouL of colored paper and pln Lhem Lo Lhe wall.
4. Look aL one of Lhe doLs for a few seconds Lhan slowly move your eyes Lo Lhe
oLher doL. Look aL lL for a few seconds and slowly move your eyes Lo Lhe flrsL doL.
S. 8epeaL Lhls for abouL Lhree mlnuLes, Lhen close your eyes and relax.
1he 1wo uoLs vlslon exerclse can be done several Llmes a day - when you feel sLressed
or Llred, or slmply when you have a couple of free mlnuLes. lL ls perfecL for anyone who
wanL Lo enhance Lhelr naLural vlslon and parLlcularly for people who work on a
compuLer or are lnvolved ln oLher Lypes of acLlvlLles requlrlng long hours of
unlnLerrupLed eye concenLraLlon.
35
Lyes Stretch V|s|on Lxerc|se

Cne of Lhe mosL common causes of eye sLraln, reduced focuslng ablllLles, general eye
sLress, burnlng sensaLlon ln Lhe eyes, heavy" eyes ls acLually a very slmple one - Lense
eye muscles.
Slx muscles surround each of our eyes and make lLs movemenLs posslble. Lvery Llme we
move our eyes up and down, Lo Lhe lefL or Lo Lhe rlghL, a comblnaLlon of Lhese muscles
work. When we focus our eyes on someLhlng, regardless of lLs locaLlon, near or dlsLanL,
Lhese muscles, along wlLh Lhe clllary body, change Lhe shape of Lhe lens of Lhe eye so
LhaL whaLever you we are looklng aL come lnLo focus.
Long perlods of consLanL sLarlng and eye concenLraLlon wear ouL Lhe eye muscles and
make Lhem Lense and less flexlble. 1he resulLs are eye faLlgue, reduced focuslng skllls
and lmpalred overall vlsual aculLy.
Accordlng Lo a research performed by eLer Creene aL Parvard unlverslLy, holdlng our
eyes ln Lhe same poslLlon hour afLer hour, day afLer day may lead Lo permanenL change
ln Lhe shape of Lhe eye. And Lhls leads Lo an array of varlous eye dlsorders, such as
asLlgmaLlsm.
1he followlng exerclse ls speclflcally beneflclal for people sufferlng from asLlgmaLlsm.
Moreover, lL ls perfecL for Lhose, lnvolved ln close-up eye work or oLher acLlvlLles LhaL
requlre long hours of unlnLerrupLed eye concenLraLlon.
1. SlL comforLably on a chalr and relax your body.
2. SLarL by performlng almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque for abouL a mlnuLe.
3. lmaglne your face ls a clock - 12 o'clock ls aL your forehead, 6 o'clock - aL your
chln and 3 and 9 o'clock - on your lefL and rlghL cheeks.
36
4. SLarL roLaLlng your eyes clockwlse: Move Lhem up and look" aL number 12, Lhen
slowly move Lhem Lo 1, 2, 3 o'clock unLll you reach number 6. keep on roLaLlng
your eyes unLll you reach upward poslLlon.
S. 8epeaL Lhe above 10 Llmes and make a shorL break.
6. uo Lhe same 10 Llmes buL ln counLerclockwlse dlrecLlon.
7. llnlsh Lhe Lyes SLreLch exerclse wlLh Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque.
eople who have asLlgmaLlsm can do Lhls exerclse whlle keeplng Lhelr head bended Lo
Lhe dlrecLlon lnLo whlch eye movemenLs are harder. lor example, lf you flnd lL dlfflculL
Lo move your eyes Lo Lhe lefL bend your head sllghLly Lo Lhe lefL and perform Lhe above
exerclse.
1he whole exerclse should Lake you less Lhan 3 mlnuLes. Powever, remember Lo Lake
your Llme and do lL slowly. 8reaLhe regularly LhroughouL Lhe exerclse - don'L hold your
breaLh [usL because you are focused on movlng your eyes. uo noL worry lf you are
unable Lo compleLe Lhe whole exerclse ln lLs 20 repeLlLlons Lhe flrsL Llme you Lry. ?our
eye muscles need some Llme Lo adapL so evenLually you wlll come around.
uolng Lhe Lyes SLreLch vlslon exerclse wlll keep your eye muscles relaxed and ln perfecL
shape. lL wlll reduce Lhe pressure ln your eyes and help you lmprove your eyeslghL
naLurally.
37
Iocus|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se
1he locuslng vlslon exerclse ls almed aL lmprovlng Lhe focuslng ablllLles of Lhe eyes. lL ls
greaL for Lhose havlng Lroubles focuslng aL dlsLanL ob[ecLs as well as for all, who feel eye
faLlgue.
Slnce you wlll need Lo focus aL ob[ecLs locaLed aL dlfferenL dlsLances, Lhe locuslng vlslon
exerclse ls besL performed ouLdoors. lf you are unable Lo flnd an ouLdoor area wlLh an
unobsLrucLed vlew of half a mlle, you can perform Lhe exerclse aL home, looklng Lhrough
Lhe wlndow.
1. AL Lhe beglnnlng of Lhe exerclse you wlll be focuslng on ob[ecLs slLuaLed near
you. Choose someLhlng aL abouL Lhree feeL from where you are sLandlng or
slLLlng and sLarL looklng aL lL. uo noL worry lf you are unable Lo make ouL lLs
conLours perfecLly Lhe flrsL Llme you Lry. 8reaLhe slowly and calmly and look aL
Lhe ob[ecL unLll you can ldenLlfy lL properly.
2. 1he nexL sLep ls Lo look aL someLhlng slLuaLed furLher away. Co for an ob[ecL
placed approxlmaLely 30 feeL away and look aL lL unLll you are able Lo see lL well.
3. Cnce you have successfully compleLed Lhe prevlous sLeps, focus on an ob[ecL
locaLed aL abouL 300 feeL from where you are sLandlng. SLare aL lL unLll you can
make lL ouL clearly.
4. 1he flnal sLep of Lhe focuslng exerclse wlll requlre you Lo flx your eyes on
someLhlng really far away from your poslLlon. Look aL a dlsLanL ob[ecL of your
cholce unLll you can see lL clearly.
lollowlng Lhe four easy sLeps above wlll help your eyes lmprove Lhelr focuslng skllls ln a
LoLally naLural way. uo noL geL frusLraLed lf you are unable Lo see far away ob[ecLs Lhe
flrsL Llme you Lry. SLlck Lo Lhls eye exerclse and repeaL lL every day and you wlll surely
noLlce some lmprovemenLs of your eyeslghL.
38
Near-Iar Iocus V|s|on Lxerc|se
1he ablllLy of Lhe eye Lo focus ls essenLlal for good vlsual aculLy. 1hls ablllLy largely
depends on Lhe ablllLy of Lhe dlfferenL eye muscles Lo flex and change Lhe shape of Lhe
lens whenever needed.
Many people flnd lL dlfflculL Lo see near or dlsLanL ob[ecLs. Lach Lhese problems ls a slgn
LhaL Lhe eye muscles have sLarLed Lo lose Lhelr flexlblllLy and are no longer able Lo ad[usL
and re-ad[usL Lhe shape of Lhe eye lens Lo qulckly shlfL focus when looklng from near Lo
far or from far Lo near ob[ecLs.
A loL of facLors conLrlbuLe for Lhe deLerloraLlon of Lhe
eye muscles - aglng, poor dleL, lack of physlcal acLlvlLy,
smoklng, chronlc alcohol consumpLlon and so on. Long
perlods of unlnLerrupLed eye work (readlng, wrlLlng,
worklng on a compuLer, eLc.) can also greaLly
conLrlbuLe Lo accumulaLlon of Lenslon ln Lhe eye
muscles and vlslon deLerloraLlon.
lorLunaLely, Lhe followlng easy vlslon exerclse can help you regaln Lhe naLural healLh
of Lhe eye muscles and lmprove your vlslon naLurally.
1. rlnL Lhe charL above on a plece of paper (avallable wlLh Lhls book and on page
228). lL should be approxlmaLely 33 lnches ln slze.
2. Pang a wall calendar on one of your walls (or prlnL Lhe charL on page 227) and
pln lL Lo Lhe wall) and slL aL abouL 10 feeL away from lL. lf you need Lo, move
closer Lo Lhe wall charL unLll you see lL clearly.
3. keeplng Lhe small charL you've prlnLed abouL 10 lnches away from your eyes,
concenLraLe on Lhe number one. lf you need Lo, move Lhe llLLle charL back and
forLh unLll you see lL clearly.
39
4. Cnce you see clearly Lhe number 1 on Lhe small charL, move your eyes Lowards
Lhe wall calendar and search Lhe number one on lL. ConcenLraLe on lL unLll you
see lL clearly.
S. nexL, move your eyes agaln Lo Lhe small charL ln your hands and look aL Lhe
number 2. Search for Lhe same number on Lhe wall calendar.
6. 8epeaL Lhe same for all Lhe daLes ln Lhe monLh.
1he goal of Lhls vlslon exerclse ls Lo remove Lhe Lenslon off your eye muscles, make
Lhem more flexlble and regaln Lhelr ablllLy for fasL focuslng shlfLs. 1he exerclse ls a greaL
way Lo reduce eyesLraln and general vlslon sLress as well.
40
8||nk|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se
uo you know how many Llmes on average a person bllnks ln one mlnuLe? uo you know
how ofLen you bllnk durlng your regular dally acLlvlLles? uo you know why bllnklng ls of
uLmosL lmporLance for general eye healLh?
8llnklng ls an unconsclous reflex LhaL lnvolves rapld closlng and openlng of Lhe eyellds.
AlLhough lL seems llke a mlnor Lhlng, bllnklng ls of vlLal lmporLance for eye healLh. Lvery
Llme we bllnk a Lhln layer of Lears ls spread across Lhe surface of Lhe eye - Lhe
con[uncLlva and Lhe cornea. 1hls layer molsLurlzes Lhe eye, lubrlcaLes lL and removes
varlous lrrlLanLs.
Cn average, a healLhy adulL bllnks beLween 10 and 12 Llmes per mlnuLe. Powever, Lhe
number of Llmes we bllnk goes down drasLlcally when we focus our eyes on someLhlng.
eople lnvolved ln acLlvlLles LhaL requlre unlnLerrupLed eye concenLraLlon on an ob[ecL,
for example when readlng, waLchlng 1v, worklng on a compuLer and so on, bllnk only 3-
4 Llmes per mlnuLe or nearly 60 less Lhan Lhe normal raLe. 1hls noL only causes exLra
sLress on Lhe eyes and eye muscles buL also lncreases Lhe rlsk of developlng varlous eye
dlseases, and parLlcularly ury Lye.
8llnklng as a vlslon exerclse wlll help you lmprove eyeslghL naLurally and wlll provlde
you wlLh Lhe followlng beneflLs:
lL wlll relax your eyes.
lL wlll lubrlcaLe Lhem, prevenLlng ury Lye condlLlon or rellvlng lLs sympLoms.
lL wlll sLrengLhen and lmprove Lhe flexlblllLy of your eye muscles.
8llnklng ls one of Lhe easlesL vlslon exerclses, lL can be done several Llmes per hour,
vlrLually anywhere.
Pere ls whaL you should do:
41
1. 8emove your eyeglasses or conLacL lenses.
2. Close your eyes for a second and relax.
3. 8llnk 13 Llmes rapldly. uo noL puL exLra Lenslon on your eyellds or your face. 1ry
Lo bllnk llghLly, as lf your eyellds are Lhe wlngs of a buLLerfly.
S. 8epeaL Lhe exerclse Lwlce.
8llnklng eyeslghL exerclse ls a greaL way Lo remove your vlslon sLress. 8emlnd yourself
Lo do lL aL leasL once per hour and you wlll noLlce an lmprovemenL of your vlslon almosL
lmmedlaLely.
42
1rac|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se
1he ablllLy of Lhe eyes Lo focus near or dlsLanL ob[ecLs and Lo see Lhem clearly ls largely
due Lo Lhe acLlon of Lhe eye muscles. 1hese muscles, along wlLh Lhe clllary body (Lhe
clrcumferenLlal Llssue lnslde Lhe eye), bend and flex Lhe lens of Lhe eye every Llme you
are looklng aL someLhlng and brlng lL lnLo focus.
normally, Lhe eye muscles and Lhe clllary body change Lhe shape of Lhe lens more Lhan a
hundred Lhousand Llmes a day. ln healLhy eyes, Lhe eye muscles have no Lroubles Lo
ad[usL and re-ad[usL Lhe lens whenever lL's needed. Powever, sLarlng aL ob[ecLs for long
perlods of Llme wlLhouL a break puLs an enormous sLraln on Lhese muscles. LvenLually,
Lhey loose Lhelr flexlblllLy, eye movemenLs become more rlgld and we sLarL Lo flnd lL
dlfflculL Lo focus and make ouL Lhlngs clearly. lor lnsLance, long hours of readlng makes
Lhe muscles used Lo" ad[usLlng Lhe lens only for near vlslon, Lhey change lLs shape only
LhaL much and we sLarL Lo experlence Lroubles seelng Lhlngs aL dlsLance.
lorLunaLely, Lhls easy vlslon exerclse can help your eyes ln a naLural way. 1raclng Lhe
conLours of varlous ob[ecLs ls a slmple yeL effecLlve way Lo lmprove your eyeslghL
naLurally.
1he 1raclng vlslon Lxerclse ls good for people wlLh nearslghLedness, farslghLedness or
presbyopla. ln healLhy eyes, lL promoLes eye healLh by reduclng Lhe Lenslon ln Lhe eye
muscles and malnLalnlng Lhelr flexlblllLy.
If you are |ns|de:
1. 1ake off your glasses or conLacLs.
3. SLarL Lraclng Lhe ouLllnes of Lhe ob[ecLs around you. ?ou can Lrace Lhe ouLllnes of
vlrLually everyLhlng LhaL ls ln Lhe room - Lhe plcLure on Lhe wall, Lhe Lable, Lhe 1v
43
seL and so on. lollow Lhe conLours of each ob[ecL slowly, as lf you wanL Lo draw
lL wlLh your eyes.
4. llnlsh lf wlLh Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque or Lhe 8llnklng eye exerclse.
If you are outs|de:
1. llnd a convenlenL locaLlon.
2. 1ake off your glasses or conLacLs.
4. llnd a bulldlng or anoLher ob[ecL locaLed ln Lhe dlsLance and Lrace lLs ouLer
conLours wlLh your eyes. nexL, sLarL Lraclng lLs wlndows and enLrance.
S. Move your eyes Lo an ob[ecL locaLed half Lhe dlsLance of Lhe flrsL one. 1race lLs
conLours and Lhe ouLllnes of lLs deLalls Lhe same way you dld wlLh Lhe flrsL ob[ecL.
6. llnally, move your eyeslghL Lowards someLhlng slLuaLed near you. 1race lL Lhe
same way you dld before.
7. llnlsh wlLh Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque or wlLh Lhe 8llnklng vlslon
exerclse.
1he whole exerclse should Lake you approxlmaLely 3 mlnuLes. lL ls a wonderful way Lo
Lake a break from your work and glve your eyes and your mlnd a couple of mlnuLes Lo
relax.
44
2oom|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se:
Cne of Lhe mosL common eye dlsorders, especlally
among people ln Lhelr forLles, ls presbyopla. 1he
condlLlon ls characLerlzed by reduced capablllLles of
Lhe eyes Lo focus properly. 1here are several causes of
Lhe condlLlon. 1he Lwo maln culprlLs are Lhe reduced
elasLlclLy of Lhe lens and Lhe loss of power and
flexlblllLy of Lhe clllary muscles (Lhe eye muscles LhaL
bend and sLralghLen Lhe lens).
A greaL naLural way Lo lmprove Lhe focuslng
capablllLles of your eyes ls Lhe Zoomlng vlslon
exerclse.
1. SlL comforLably on a char and relax.
2. SLreLch ouL your arm wlLh your Lhumb ln Lhe hlLchhlke poslLlon.
3. locus your eyes on your Lhumb.
4. SLarL bendlng your arm and movlng your Lhumb closer Lo you slowly. uon'L leL
your Lhumb ouL of slghL - keep your eyes focused on lL.
S. 8rlng your Lhumb closer and closer unLll lL ls abouL 3 lnches away from your
eyes.
6. keep lL Lhere for a couple of seconds and sLarL movlng lL away from your face.
7. Move your Lhumb away slowly unLll your arm ls fully ouLsLreLched agaln.
?ou can do Lhls vlslon exerclse several Llmes a day. Slnce lL Lakes [usL a mlnuLe or Lwo Lo
compleLe, you wlll be able Lo pracLlce lL aL home or aL your workplace. 1he Zoomlng
vlslon Lxerclse wlll enhance your focuslng skllls, sLrengLhen your eye muscles and
lmprove Lhelr flexlblllLy ln a LoLally naLural way.
45
46
D|agona|s V|s|on Lxerc|se
Cur eye muscles work vlrLually all Lhe Llme we are awake. 1hey are responslble noL only
for movlng Lhe eyes up and down, lefL and rlghL, buL for focuslng or seelng" every
slngle ob[ecL we look aL.
A well-known facL ls LhaL eye muscles are creaLed several Llmes sLronger Lhan whaL Lhey
acLually need Lo be Lo do Lhelr [ob. neverLheless, puLLlng consLanL pressure on Lhem by
noL leLLlng Lhe eyes Lo relax evenLually leads Lo deLerloraLlon of Lhelr sLrengLh and
flexlblllLy. Weak eye muscles ulLlmaLely conLrlbuLe Lo an overall feellng of eye sLraln and
eye faLlgue as well as Lo Lhe developmenL of varlous eyeslghL dlsorders.
Cne of Lhe easlesL ways Lo Lake care of your eyeslghL naLurally ls Lo Lake care of Lhe
muscles responslble for lL. 1he followlng slmple exerclse ls deslgned Lo help you
preserve Lhe flexlblllLy of your eye muscles. lL wlll also
enhance your focuslng ablllLy and your cenLral vlslon.
LeasL buL noL lasL, Lhe ulagonals vlslon Lxerclse ls a
greaL way Lo release Lhe Lenslon and relax your eyes,
neck and head.
1ake a look aL Lhe lmage on Lhe lefL. ?ou wlll need a
slmllar charL for performlng Lhe ulagonals eye exerclse.
?ou can prlnL Lhe charL you recelved wlLh Lhls book or creaLe your own charL on a
sLandard sheeL of paper.
1. ln Lhe charL on Lhe wall or sLlck lL Lo Lhe door.
2. SLand or slL approxlmaLely 10 feeL away from lL (you can ad[usL Lhe dlsLance
accordlng Lo your vlsual range).
3. Make sure Lhe cenLer of Lhe charL ls aL Lhe same level as your nose.
Sequence I:
47
llrsL, you wlll be movlng your head beLween Lhe Lop lefL, Lop rlghL and boLLom rlghL doLs
of Lhe charL.
1. Look aL Lhe Lop lefL doL on Lhe charL, polnL lL wlLh
your nose.
2. Slowly move your head from lefL Lo rlghL unLll your
nose ls polnLlng Lhe Lop rlghL doL.
3. ConLlnue movlng your head down unLll your nose ls
allgned wlLh Lhe boLLom rlghL polnL.
now, flnd Lhe boLLom lefL doL of Lhe charL.
1. olnL lL wlLh your nose and move your hear Lo Lhe rlghL unLll lL ls allgned wlLh Lhe
boLLom rlghL doL.
2. Move your head back Lo Lhe boLLom lefL doL.
3. Move your head up unLll your nose ls allgned Lo Lhe upper lefL doL.
Sequence II:
Cnce you compleLe Lhe above sequence, Lake a mlnuLe
Lo relax and proceed Lo Lhe nexL sequence of
movemenLs:
1. olnL your nose Lo Lhe Lop lefL doL. SLarL movlng your
head Lowards Lhe Lop rlghL doL unLll your nose ls
allgned wlLh lL.
2. WlLhouL lnLerrupLlng Lhe smooLh movemenL of your
head, sllde your head dlagonally down Loward Lhe boLLom lefL doL.
3. Cnce your nose ls cenLered aL lL, move your head Lo Lhe rlghL Lowards Lhe boLLom
48
rlghL doL.
4. uo noL sLop, sllde your head dlagonally upwards unLll your nose ls polnLlng aL Lhe
Lop lefL doL.

S. 8epeaL Lhe movemenLs buL reverslng Lhelr order (sLarL from Lhe Lop rlghL doL).
Sequence III:
1ake a couple of seconds Lo relax and proceed Lo Lhe
flnal seL of movemenLs:
1. olnL your nose aL Lhe Lop lefL doL and sLarL movlng
your head Lo Lhe rlghL unLll your nose ls polnLlng
Lowards Lhe Lop rlghL doL.
2. Move your head down unLll your nose ls polnLlng aL
Lhe boLLom rlghL doL.

3. Move your head Lo Lhe lefL and once your nose ls allgned wlLh Lhe boLLom lefL doL,
conLlnue movlng your head upwards unLll your nose ls polnLlng aL Lhe Lop lefL doL.

4. 8epeaL ln Lhe opposlLe dlrecLlon.
Cnce you have compleLed Lhe vlslon exerclse, relax for a mlnuLe and repeaL Lhe same
movemenLs, Lhls Llme movlng only your eyes. uo noL forgeL Lo breaLhe regularly durlng
Lhe whole exerclse. Poldlng your breaLh wlll decrease Lhe oxygen supply Lo your head
and eyes and wlll dlmlnlsh Lhe poslLlve effecL of Lhe eye exerclse.
49
Lye Squeezes V|s|on Lxerc|se
uo you know LhaL our vlslon sysLem needs nearly 30 of Lhe oxygen we lnhale ln order
Lo funcLlon properly? Cne of Lhe besL ways Lo make sure lL ls geLLlng enough oxygen ls
Lo make sure LhaL all of lLs componenLs are recelvlng enough blood supply.
oor blood supply ls one of Lhe maln causes of Lhe varlous eye dlsorders. neverLheless,
problems wlLh blood supply Lo Lhe head cause faLlgue and drowslness. 1he followlng
vlslon exerclse ls one of Lhe slmplesL ways Lo lncrease Lhe blood flow Lo Lhe head, face
and eyes and Lo relax your eyes.
Lye Squeezes are perfecL for Lhose vlcLlms of Lhe squlnLlng hablL. SqulnLlng ls an
accommodaLlon Lechnlque allowlng shorLslghLed people Lo see clearly dlsLanL ob[ecLs.
AlLhough many preach Lhls ls a naLural way Lo lmprove your eyeslghL, Lhe LruLh ls
squlnLlng can only lead Lo worsenlng of your vlslon problem.
1. 1ake a deep breaLh and exhale. 8elax your neck, face and eye muscles.
2. SLarL lnhallng slowly and squeezlng your faclal muscles, your eyes and clenchlng
your [aw LlghLly aL Lhe same Llme.
3. keep on squeezlng unLll you lnhale deeply - lL should Lake abouL 3 seconds.
4. Lxhale rapldly releaslng Lhe Lenslon of your eyes, face and [aws by openlng your
mouLh and openlng your eyes wldely.
S. 8elax your eyes and your face.
?ou can pracLlce Lye Squeezes vlslon Lxerclse vlrLually everywhere and you need only
abouL a mlnuLe Lo compleLe lL.
50
Up-Down Lye Movements V|s|on Lxerc|se
LyesLraln (asLhenopla) ls an exLremely
wldespread eye problem. Surprlslngly,
lL ls also one of Lhe eye dlsorders LhaL
are ofLen lefL undlagnosed and
unLreaLed. robably Lhls ls due Lo Lhe
facL LhaL eye sLraln doesn'L manlfesL
lLself wlLh speclflc sympLoms,
Llredness, headaches, momenLs of
blurred vlslon, dlfflculLles focuslng and momenLary paln ln or around Lhe eyes may all be
sympLoms of eye sLraln.
1he slgns of eyesLraln usually surface durlng a vlsually lnLense work such as readlng,
sLarlng aL a compuLer screen, wrlLlng or any oLher Lask requlrlng unlnLerrupLed eye
concenLraLlon.
1he good news ls LhaL Lhere ls a slmple naLural way Lo prevenL eyesLraln and Lo relleve
lLs sympLoms. 1he followlng vlslon exerclse ls parLlcularly almed aL Lhose sufferlng from
eyesLraln as well as for anybody exposed Lo vlsually lnLense work. Moreover, Lhls
exerclse ls beneflclal for our eyeslghL ln general - lL relaxes Lhe eyes and releases Lhe
accumulaLed vlslon sLress.
1. SlL comforLably on a chalr and relax your back, neck and face. 1ry Lo malnLaln an
up sLralghL poslLlon and don'L leL your back sag down.
2. lace forward, Lake a deep breaLh and look sLralghL ahead.
3. Slowly move your eyes up as hlgh as Lhey can go. lf you flnd lL dlfflculL, Lry Lo
lmaglne Lhere ls someLhlng beLween your eyebrows and you are Lrylng Lo see lL
by movlng your eyes upwards.
51
4. nexL, move slowly your eyes down, as far as Lhey can go. 1hls Llme you can
lmaglne you are Lrylng Lo see your mouLh.
S. 8eLurn your eyes ln Lhelr normal poslLlon.
lL ls of uLmosL lmporLance Lo keep breaLhlng whlle dolng Lhe exerclse. 8emember Lo
keep your head sLlll and your head and neck muscles relaxed. ?ou can sLarL by dolng Lhls
vlslon exerclse once or Lwlce and gradually lncrease Lhe number of repeLlLlons Lo Len.
lor beLLer resulL, perform Lhe up-uown Lye MovemenLs vlslon Lxerclse along wlLh Lhe
1wo uoLs vlslon Lxerclse.
52
1|betan Lye Chart V|s|on Lxerc|se
AnclenL LasLern medlclne has recognlzed Lhe beneflLs
of vlslon exerclses as a way Lo lmprove eyeslghL
naLurally Lhousands of years ago. Cne of Lhe mosL
popular eye exerclses, Lhe 1lbeLan eye charL, provldes
you wlLh Lhe opporLunlLy Lo enhance your vlslon ln a
LoLally naLural way.
1. rlnL Lhe 1lbeLan eye charL (p. 223) on a sheeL of paper.
2. SLlck lL Lo Lhe door or pln lL Lo Lhe wall. Make sure you poslLlon lL aL such helghL
LhaL when you slL ln fronL of lL lLs cenLral doL ls aL Lhe same level wlLh your nose.
3. 8emove Lhe glasses or conLacL lenses you are wearlng and slL aL abouL 10 lnches
from Lhe 1lbeLan eye charL.
4. SLarL wlLh Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque. 1he alm ls Lo relax your eyes
and your mlnd, whlch wlll lncrease Lhe beneflL of Lhe exerclse.
S. SLarL by movlng your eyeslghL slowly clockwlse on each doL of Lhe ouLer clrcle of
doLs.
6. 1ake a second Lo relax your eyes and repeaL Lhe movemenL buL counLer
clockwlse.
7. nexL, move your eyes several Llmes back and forLh beLween Lhe doLs aL 2 and 8
o'clock.
8. llnally, move your eyes several Llmes beLween Lhe doLs aL 4 and 10 o'clock.
9. 8llnk several Llmes brlskly. lL ls recommended Lo learn Lhe bllnklng Lechnlque
explalned ln Lhe 8llnklng vlslon exerclse.
10. llnlsh wlLh Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque.
1he 1lbeLan Lye CharL vlslon Lxerclse wlll sLrengLhen your eye muscles and enhance
Lhelr flexlblllLy. lL ls parLlcularly helpful for reduclng eyesLraln and lowerlng Lhe sLress
53
levels ln Lhe whole body. racLlce Lhls vlslon exerclse every mornlng and you wlll shorLly
noLlce a greaL naLural lmprovemenL of your eyeslghL.
54
Sh|ft|ng and Sw|ng|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se
ShlfLlng and Swlnglng vlslon exerclses are Lwo of Lhe
flrsLly dlscovered naLural ways Lo lmprove eyeslghL and
LreaL some of Lhe mosL common eye dlsorders -
nearslghLedness and farslghLedness. 1hey are also ln
Lhe backbone of mosL modern Lechnlques for naLural
vlslon enhancemenL. We have Lrled Lo capLure Lhe
essence of Lhe popular ShlfLlng and Swlnglng
Lechnlques and presenL lL Lo you ln a slmple, easy Lo
follow exerclse sLrucLure.
Cur eyes are comprlsed of varlous sLrucLures and
Llssues, whlch, by worklng LogeLher, allow clear vlslon.
ln essence, perfecL vlslon ls posslble when Lhe eye
focuses on a cerLaln polnL. 1he conLlnuous shlfLlng of
Lhe eyes focus provldes good vlslon.
ln healLhy eyes, Lhe process of shlfLlng ls fasL and efforLless. ln eyes affecLed by some
eye dlsorder, Lhe process of shlfLlng Lhe focus from one polnL Lo anoLher becomes
dlfflculL, Lhe eyes needs longer perlod of Llme Lo produce focus on Lhe ob[ecLs you
observe.
Cne of Lhe besL ways Lo lmprove eyeslghL naLurally ls Lo Lraln Lhe ablllLy of Lhe eyes Lo
shlfL Lhelr focus. Pere ls whaL you need Lo do:
1. ?ou have recelved a hlgh-resoluLlon copy of Lhe Snellen vlslon charL along wlLh
Lhls book. rlnL Lhe charL ln a way LhaL Lhe blggesL leLLer L aL Lhe Lop of Lhe charL
ls 88,7 mm Lall. AlLernaLlvely, you can purchase a Snellen vlslon charL from a
local bookshop or onllne.
55
2. Pang lL on a wall and slL 6-10 feeL away from lL. ?ou can ad[usL Lhe dlsLance
accordlng Lo your currenL vlsual aculLy. lor lnsLance, people wlLh myopla may
need Lo slL closer and people wlLh hyperopla may need Lo slL furLher away.
3. Look aL Lhe flrsL leLLer of a llne of Lhe charL. ?ou can sLarL wlLh a leLLer from any
llnes as long as you are able Lo see lL clearly.
4. Move your eyes Lo Lhe lasL leLLer of Lhe same llne. ?ou wlll noLlce LhaL once you
focus your eyeslghL on Lhe second leLLer, you wlll noL see Lhe flrsL one as well as
before.
S. now, look back aL Lhe flrsL leLLer. ?ou wlll noLlce LhaL now you don'L see Lhe
second leLLer as good as before.
6. ShlfL your eyes beLween Lhe Lwo leLLers 6-10 Llmes or unLll you can see boLh
leLLers clearly.
?ou can also pracLlce Lhe exerclse wlLh leLLers of dlfferenL slze. lor lnsLance, plck a leLLer
from Lhe second llne and anoLher from llne 3. locus on Lhe blgger leLLer Lhen move your
eyes Lo Lhe smaller one. 8epeaL 6-10 Llmes and you wlll noLlce LhaL your vlslon lmproves
and you are able Lo see boLh leLLers perfecLly.
1he ShlfLlng exerclse can be pracLlced wlLhouL Lhe Snellen char as well. ?ou can choose
Lwo ob[ecLs Lo shlfL your eyeslghL beLween - Lhese can be Lwo cars parked ouLslde your
wlndow or Lwo of wlndows of a nearby bulldlng.
Lnhanclng your vlslon ln a naLural way Lakes deLermlnaLlon, so make sure you are dolng
your vlslon exerclses regularly. lor besL resulLs, comblne Lhe ShlfLlng and Swlnglng eye
exerclse wlLh Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque.
56
Contour|ng V|s|on Lxerc|se
1he followlng vlslon exerclse ls very beneflclal for developlng beLLer coordlnaLlon
beLween your eyes and your mlnd. lL offers you a naLural way Lo lmprove Lhe focuslng
ablllLles of your eyes. ln addlLlon, Lhe ConLourlng vlslon exerclse ls a greaL way Lo relax
your eye muscles and Lo leL go of some of Lhe vlslon sLress your vlslon sysLem has
accumulaLed.
?ou can pracLlce Lhe exerclse
wlLh Lhe plcLure we have
provlded or wlLh [usL abouL any
plcLure, wall palnLlng or posLer.
We recommend uslng a plcLure
porLraylng a beauLlful relaxlng
scene - Lhls can greaLly lncrease
Lhe beneflLs of Lhe exerclse.
lor Lralnlng purposes, we are
golng Lo use Lhe lmage on Lhe
lefL, buL one agaln - you can use any lmage of your preference.
1. SlL or sLand ln fronL Lhe lmage.
2. 8elax your eyes, face, neck and shoulders.
3. lmaglne you wlll be conLourlng" all Lhe ob[ecLs you see on Lhe plcLure ln fronL of
you wlLh a pencll exLendlng from Lhe Llp of your nose.
4. SLarL by Lraclng Lhe conLours of Lhe horlzon and Lhe coasLllne. Move your head
and eye slowly and keep on breaLhlng.
S. nexL, follow Lhe conLours of Lhe bulldlngs on Lhe beach. Cnce agaln, you should
move your head and your eyes slmulLaneously.
57
6. Move on Lo Lhe fronL ob[ecLs ln Lhe plcLure - Lhe boaL ln Lhe sea, and Lrace her
conLours wlLh Lhe lmaglnary pencll.
7. llnlsh by Lraclng Lhe smallesL ob[ecLs ln Lhe lmage - Lhe Lwo Llkl houses.
now close your eyes and lmaglne Lhe plcLure you have [usL drawn". keep your eyes
closed and hold on Lo Lhe lmage. 1race Lhe conLours of all of lLs elemenLs wlLh your eyes
only. WhaL you wlll be dolng ls movlng your closed eyes over Lhe conLours of all Lhe
ob[ecLs of Lhe plcLure you have [usL Lraced.
A good way Lo compleLe Lhe whole exerclse ls by relaxlng for a mlnuLe uslng Lhe almlng
Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque.
58
3 Cups V|s|on Lxerc|se

1he followlng eye exerclse ls almed aL lmprovlng dlsLanL vlslon ln case of
nearslghLedness and double vlslon. lL ls also an excellenL eye relaxaLlon exerclse LhaL
helps reduce eye sLraln and vlslon sLress.

1ake a look aL Lhe lmage below - you can elLher draw a slmllar lmage on a plece of
paper or prlnL ouL Lhls one (Lhls lmage ls avallable aL page 226). ?ou wlll also need a
pencll.

Pere ls how you should perform Lhe 3 Cups vlslon Lxerclse.

1. ln Lhe charL you've creaLed Lo Lhe wall and slL on a chalr 10-22 lnches away.
Make sure LhaL Lhe plcLure ls aL eye level.
2. Pold Lhe pencll verLlcally beLween Lhe clrcles and allgn lLs Lop wlLh Lhe Lop of Lhe
clrcles.
3. lnlLlally, Lhe pencll should be an lnch away from Lhe lmage. locus your eyes on lL
and sLarL movlng lL slowly Lowards your face. uo noL
leL lL ouL of focus.
4. keep movlng Lhe pencll Lowards your face unLll Lhe
Lwo clrcles sLarL Lo look llke Lhe lmage on Lhe rlghL.
59

S. Cnce you see Lhe Lhlrd clrcle clearly, focus your eyes on Lhe mlddle clrcle and
sLarL movlng Lhe pencll away from your face and Lowards Lhe charL.

uo noL worry of you are unable Lo see Lhe Lhlrd clrcle Lhe flrsL Llme you Lry Lhls exerclse.
lL ls also qulLe llkely LhaL you wlll noL manage Lo keep your focus on lL lnlLlally. uo noL
worry - [usL keep on dolng Lhe exerclse and evenLually you wlll geL lL rlghL.
60
Ius|on V|s|on Lxerc|se for Doub|e V|s|on

1he followlng vlslon exerclse ls almed aL lmprovlng blnocular vlslon and can help Lhe
sympLoms of double vlslon. lL ls a slmple exerclse LhaL you can lncorporaLe ln your
currenL naLural vlslon correcLlon rouLlne. lor besL resulLs, Lry Lo do Lhe exerclse flve
Llmes and flnlsh wlLh almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque.


1. CeL Lwo ldenLlcal colns and a pencll.
2. lace Lhe colns on Lhe Lable aL abouL 2 lnches aparL. Make sure Lhey face aL Lhe
same dlrecLlon and are properly allgned.
3. SlL ln fronL of Lhe colns and place Lhe Llp of Lhe pencll on Lhe Lable beLween
Lhem.
4. locus on Lhe Llp of Lhe pencll and sLarL movlng lL up Lowards your nose. ?ou
should see Lhe colns wlLh your perlpheral vlslon buL your eyes should remaln
focused on Lhe pencll.
S. When Lhe Llp of Lhe pencll ls abouL 8 lnches away from your nose, you should
see LhaL Lhe colns double (you should see four colns Lhrough your perlpheral
vlslon).
6. keep on movlng Lhe pencll slowly away from Lhe Lable unLll Lhe cenLral Lwo
lmages merge lnLo one (you should see Lhree colns).
7. Pold Lo Lhe fused lmage for abouL 13 seconds and Lhan slowly close your eyes.
8. llnlsh wlLh almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque.

61
Near - Iar Iocus Sh|fts V|s|on Lxerc|se for Doub|e V|s|on

1he followlng eye exerclse ls almed aL sLrengLhenlng Lhe eye muscles and exerclslng Lhe
ablllLy of Lhe eyes Lo shlfL Lhelr focus beLween ob[ecLs slmulLaneously. 1here are Lwo
varlaLlons of Lhe exerclse and you can do Lhe one LhaL you flnd easler or more pleasanL.

Cpt|on I:
1. lace an ob[ecL abouL 10 feeL away from you.
2. 1ake a pencll and slL comforLably on a chalr.
3. SLarL wlLh almlng 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque (p. 26).
4. LlfL Lhe pencll aL your eyes level, approxlmaLely 6 lnches away from your face.
locus your eyes on lL and sLay focused on lL for 10 seconds.
S. ShlfL your focus Lo Lhe dlsLanL ob[ecL and keep looklng aL lL for abouL 10 seconds.
6. Look back Lo Lhe pencll and focus your eyes on lL for abouL 3 seconds and Lhen
close your eyes.
7. 8epeaL 10 Llmes and flnlsh wlLh almlng.

Cpt|on II:

1he near-lar locus ShlfLs vlslon Lxerclse can be done LogeLher wlLh Lhe luslon vlslon
Lxerclse for uouble vlslon. Make sure you have masLered Lhe luslon vlslon Lxerclse and
have no problem creaLlng and holdlng Lo Lhe fused lmage prlor Lo Lrylng boLh exerclses
LogeLher.

LssenLlally, whaL you wlll be dolng ls uslng Lhe fused cenLral lmage as Lhe near ob[ecL for
Lhe focus shlfLs.


62
1. lace an ob[ecL abouL 10 feeL away from you.
2. CeL Lwo colns and a pencll, slL nexL Lo a Lable and sLarL performlng Lhe luslon
vlslon Lxerclse for uouble vlslon.
3. Cnce you've creaLed Lhe cenLral fused lmage and have sLayed focused on lL for
abouL 3 seconds (sLep 7 of Lhe luslon vlslon Lxerclse for uouble vlslon), shlfL
your focus Lo Lhe dlsLanL ob[ecL. Pold lL whlle counLlng Lo Len and close your
eyes.
4. 8epeaL Lhe sLeps above 3 Llmes and flnlsh wlLh almlng 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque.

63
V|s|on Lxerc|ses for Myop|a
Myopla (nearslghLedness) ls probably
Lhe mosL common eye dlsorder. eople
wlLh myopla have dlfflculLles seelng
clearly dlsLanL ob[ecLs. AL flrsL lL ls hard
Lo make ouL Lhlngs slLuaLed far from us
buL as Lhe dlsease progresses, lL
becomes lncreaslngly dlfflculL Lo see aL
even closer range.
usually, myopla ls LreaLed wlLh correcLlon glasses or conLacL lenses. Modern laser eye
surgerles provlde anoLher LreaLmenL alLernaLlve. 1he problem wlLh boLh common
LreaLmenL opLlons ls LhaL Lhey are noL really addresslng Lhe cause of Lhe dlsorder - Lhe
lnablllLy of Lhe eye muscles Lo ad[usL Lhe shape of Lhe lens Lo focus aL dlsLanL ob[ecLs.
Several beneflclal vlslon relaxaLlon Lechnlques and eye exerclses can help people
nearslghLed people Lo see beLLer.
Cne of Lhe besL relaxaLlon Lechnlques for myopla ls Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon
1echnlque. lL ls an easy yeL efflclenL way Lo glve your eyes a break and release Lhe
Lenslon accumulaLed ln your eye muscles.
Slnce nearslghLedness ls closely relaLed Lo Lhe funcLlon of Lhe eye muscles, vlslon
exerclses almed aL lmprovlng Lhelr flexlblllLy can help lmprove eyeslghL naLurally. ?ou
can choose any of Lhe followlng eye exerclses:
near-lar locus vlslon Lxerclse (p. 38)
1lbeLan Lye CharL vlslon Lxerclse (p. 31)
1raclng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 42)
64
eople wlLh myoplc eyes ofLen have Lhe nasLy squlnLlng hablL. SqulnLlng allows
nearslghLed people Lo see dlsLanL ob[ecLs beLLer. 1here ls a common mlsconcepLlon LhaL
squlnLlng ls a naLural way Lo lmprove eyeslghL however Lhls ls LoLally wrong. ln facL,
squlnLlng only puLs exLra sLraln on Lhe eye muscles and leads Lo progresslon of Lhe
dlsorder. ?ou can Lake a look aL Lhe Lye Squeezes vlslon Lxerclse (page 48) - lL offers a
naLural way Lo geL rld of Lhe squlnLlng hablL.
As you can see, Lhere lsn'L [usL a slngle eye exerclse for myopla. ?ou should pracLlce all
or comblnaLlons of Lhe exerclses suggesLed above and Lrack your progress. LvenLually,
you wlll be able Lo see whlch provlde besL resulLs and sLlck wlLh Lhem.
65
V|s|on Lxerc|ses for Lazy Lye
Amblyopla, or lazy eye, ls an eye dlsorder
LhaL usually develops ln early chlldhood. lL
ls characLerlzed by Lhe lnablllLy of one or
boLh eyes Lo LransmlL Lhe lmages Lhey see
Lo Lhe braln. ln some cases Lhe lmages are
LransmlLLed much slower Lhan normally,
ln oLher cases Lhey are poorly LransmlLLed
ln general. Lazy eye may also develop
when one of Lhe eyes has poor refracLlve
power and Lhe braln excludes" lL from
Lhe vlsual process.
Lazy eye can be LreaLed lf deLecLed early enough. Common LreaLmenLs of Lhe condlLlon
lnvolve wearlng prescrlpLlon glasses, wearlng an eye paLch on Lhe good eye and vlslon
Lherapy.
1here are many eye exerclses LhaL can help people wlLh amblyopla resLore Lhelr vlslon ln
compleLely naLural way. Pere are a few suggesLlons:
Lye atch. use eye paLch for Lhe good eye (Lhe one doesn'L affecLed by
amblyopla). 1hls way you wlll be forclng Lhe weak eye Lo work harder and Lo
lmprove lLs communlcaLlon wlLh Lhe braln. lL ls hard Lo sLarL wearlng an eye
paLch all aL once, whlch ls why you can sLarL by coverlng your good eye for 30
mlnuLes Lhree Llmes a day and gradually lncreaslng Lhe duraLlon.

Lxerc|ses to natura||y |mprove |azy eye. 1here are Lhree maln exerclses LhaL you
should regularly do:
66
Lyes SLreLch vlslon Lxerclse (p. 33)
All of Lhe vlslon exerclses llsLed above musL be done whlle Lhe good eye ls covered wlLh
an eye paLch. 1hey are speclflcally beneflclal for lazy eye as Lhey sLlmulaLe and lmprove
Lhe focuslng ablllLles of Lhe bad eye, Lralnlng lLs cenLral and perlpheral vlslon and lLs eye
muscles. 1hese eye exerclses are sulLable for boLh chlldren and adulLs and can
effecLlvely help Lhe LreaLmenL of amblyopla ln a safe, naLural way.
67
V|s|on Lxerc|ses and Lye Charts
Anybody uslng vlslon exerclses Lo lmprove Lhelr eyeslghL naLurally musL use an eye charL
as well. An eye charL wlll glve you an accuraLe esLlmaLlon of your eyeslghL lmprovemenL
progress and wlll help you declde whlch vlslon exerclses work besL for you.
1here are varlous eye charLs you can use. We recommend you one of Lhe mosL
commonly used eye charLs ln Lhe uS - Lhe Snellen vlsual aculLy charL, provlded wlLh Lhls
book. ?ou can use lL Lo self-LesL your vlslon and Lo Lrack your naLural vlslon
lmprovemenL progress afLer dolng your vlslon exerclses as well as Lo Lraln your eyes Lo
see beLLer ln a naLural way.
Pere ls how Lo use Lhe charL:
1. rlnL Lhe charL and make sure Lhe largesL leLLer L aL Lhe Lop of Lhe charL ls 88.7
mm Lall.
2. lace Lhe charL 20 feeL away from you and sLarL readlng lL from Lhe Lop llne Lo
Lhe boLLom llnes.
3. Make noLes every Llme you use Lhe eye charL. WrlLe down whlch llnes of Lhe
charL you are able Lo see clearly, whlch you don'L see well and whlch you are
unable Lo see aL all.
4. 1esL Lhe naLural lmprovemenL of your vlslon once a week, afLer you have
compleLed your eye exerclses.
vlslon exerclses can do a loL for lmprovlng your eyeslghL naLurally. 1o follow your
progress accuraLely, you noL only need Lo LesL your vlslon aculLy wlLh Lhe Snellen charL
on a regular basls, buL Lo undersLand how Lhe resulLs are lnLerpreLed.
eople wlLh healLhy eyes and normal vlslon (referred Lo as 20/20 vlslon) should be able
Lo read llne 8 of Lhe charL from 20 feeL dlsLance. 1hose wlLh sllghL vlslon problems
should be able Lo read Lhree llnes above (llne 3) from Lhe same dlsLance. As you can see,
68
Lhe slze of Lhe leLLers you are able Lo clearly see from Lhe same dlsLance (20 feeL)
lndlcaLes Lhe condlLlon of your eyeslghL.

SLLI-MASSAGL 1LCnNIULS ICk 8L11Lk VISICN
69
1he 8ody Sw|ng
1he followlng 8ody Swlng exerclse ls noL really a self-massage Lechnlque buL ls an
excellenL way Lo warm up your upper body and prepare lL for any of Lhe vlslon massages
we have offered ln our self-massage chapLer. ln addlLlon, Lhe 8ody Swlng exerclse has
poslLlve effecL on your eyeslghL as lL lmproves Lhe flexlblllLy of your eye muscles and
helps you regaln Lhe naLural movemenL of your eyes.
1. SLand wlLh your legs a llLLle wlder Lhan your hlps. 8elax your body buL keep good
uprlghL posLure. SllghLly bend your knees. ?our arms should sLay relaxed on boLh
sldes of your hlps.
2. SLarL swlnglng your upper body from slde Lo slde. ?ou should swlng your head,
neck, shoulders and chesLs aL Lhe same Llme.
3. keep your head sLralghL and face lnLo Lhe dlrecLlon of your body movemenL.
4. LeL your eyes follow your moLlon. ?ou musL noL Lry Lo focus on anyLhlng - avold
sLarlng aL Lhe walls or aL Lhe floor. 1ry Lo relax your eyes and Lo move Lhem
efforLlessly and smooLhly. lf you noLlce Lhe room seems Lo sLand sLlll and your
eyes are [umplng from one ob[ecL Lo anoLher as you swlng your body, Lhls wlll be
a slgn LhaL your eyes are Lrylng Lo focus. SLop, close Lhem for a second and Lry
agaln.
S. keep on swlnglng for abouL Lhree mlnuLes, Lake a mlnuLe break and repeaL.
lL ls very lmporLanL Lo keep breaLhlng LhroughouL Lhe whole exerclse - do noL hold your
breaLh! lL ls posslble Lo experlence shorLness of breaLh Lhe flrsL Llme you do Lhe 8ody
Swlng exerclse. lf Lhls happens, sLop for a mlnuLe or Lwo and conLlnue.
1he 8ody Swlng exerclse ls easlly comblned wlLh our Pead 8olls exerclse. lL ls
recommended LhaL you perform Lhese Lwo exerclses one afLer anoLher aL leasL once a
day.
70
71
nead ko||s
Cne of Lhe general causes of Lhe
ma[orlLy of serlous eye dlseases ls
relaLed Lo poor blood supply Lo Lhe eye
nerve and Lhe varlous Llssues and
sLrucLures comprlslng Lhe eye. Lucklly,
Lhls problem can be overcome wlLh
some easy vlslon exerclses Lo lmprove
eyeslghL.
We sLrongly recommend Lhe followlng exerclse as a greaL way Lo lmprove Lhe blood
supply Lo your eyes. Moreover, lL wlll help your head, neck and shoulder muscles Lo
relax, maklng lL perfecL for Lhose who spend long ours ln fronL Lhelr compuLer screens,
readlng, wrlLlng or dolng anoLher Lype of monoLonous eye work.
1. 8egulaLe your breaLhlng by Laklng several slow and deep breaLhs. Close your
eyes. ush all LhoughL ouL of your mlnd and relax.
2. 1ake a deep breaLh and as you exhale drop your chln Lo your chesLs. uo lL slowly,
relaxlng Lhe neck and Lhe shoulders aL Lhe same Llme.
3. lnhale deeply and slowly roll your head Lo Lhe rlghL and Lhen Lo Lhe back. keep
your neck and shoulder muscles relaxed all Lhe Llme. LeL your head roll as lf lL ls
dlsconnecLed from your body.
4. SLarL exhallng as you roll your head Lo Lhe oLher slde and exhale fully when lL
reaches your chesLs agaln.
S. 8epeaL Lhe Pead 8olls exerclse Lwo Llmes from rlghL Lo lefL, Lake a shorL break
and do lL Lwlce ln Lhe opposlLe dlrecLlon.
72
1here ls no llmlL Lo how many Llmes a day you can do Lhls vlslon exerclse. WhaL ls
lmporLanL ls Lo remember LhaL by dolng lL you are helplng your vlslon Lo lmprove ln all
naLural way.
73
I|nger 1app|ng
1radlLlonal LasLern medlclne provldes numerous Lechnlques Lo Lemporary relleve Lhe
sympLoms of many dlsorders and even Lo permanenLly cure dlseases. no maLLer how
conLroverslal LasLer medlclne Lechnlques are, Lhere are a number of examples Lo prove
Lhe efflclency of some of lLs pracLlces.
When lL comes Lo lmprovlng eyeslghL or rellvlng Lhe sympLoms of some vlslon dlsorders
ln a naLural way, Lhere are several easy self-massage Lechnlques, lnsplred by Lhe anclenL
LasLern pracLlces, whlch you can Lry. 1he followlng slmple self-massage Lechnlque for
beLLer vlslon ls deslgned Lo sLlmulaLe nerve endlngs ln your flngerLlps, dlrecLly
connecLed Lo Lhe vlslon cenLers ln your braln. SLlmulaLlng Lhe vlslon cenLers of Lhe braln
promoLes vlslon healLh and lmproves Lhe focuslng ablllLles of Lhe eyes.
1. SlL comforLably on a char and regulaLe your breaLhlng. 1ake deep, regular
breaLhs and relax.
2. lace your palms LogeLher and plnL each flnger of Lhe rlghL hand Lo Lhe
respecLlve flnger of Lhe lefL hand.
3. SLarL Laplng your flngerLlps. 1ap Lhem fasL buL keep your hands and wrlsLs
relaxed.
4. ConLlnue Lapplng for a mlnuLe Lhen shake your hands Lo release any Lenslon.
As you can see, Lhls self-massage ls preLLy slmple and can be done vlrLually everywhere
and aL any Llme. lf you geL bored Lapplng your flngers aL each oLher, you can sllghLly Lap
your Lemples, your forehead or Lhe palms of your hands wlLh your flngerLlps.
erformlng Lhls slmple vlslon self-massage Lechnlque wlll noL only make your vlslon
clearer buL wlll reduce your overall sLress levels.
74
Lye||d Massage
?ou surely know LhaL massages can have very beneflclal effecL on Lhe human body. 1he
same prlnclple fully applles when we dlscuss eye massage. Pere ls a safe and slmply eye
self-massage Lechnlque LhaL musL be parL of your naLural vlslon resLoraLlon program.
1. 1ake off your correcLlon glasses or conLacL lenses (lf you wear any).
2. SlL comforLably on a chalr, close your eyes and relax.
3. uL Lhe flngers of your rlghL hand LogeLher as lf you are cupplng someLhlng ln
your hand.
4. lace your flngers on your rlghL eyelld. uo noL press over Lhe eye, Lry Lo make a
very llghL conLacL wlLh Lhe eyelld.
S. SLarL vlbraLlng your flngerLlps sllghLly. ConLlnue for a mlnuLe.
6. 8epeaL Lhe same wlLh your lefL hand on your lefL eyelld.
1hls vlslon self-massage Lechnlque ls excellenL for lmprovlng Lhe blood flow Lo your
eyes, for sLlmulaLlng your vlslon and releaslng any Lenslon LhaL have accumulaLed ln
your eye muscles. ?ou wlll see a deflnlLe lmprovemenL of your eyeslghL rlghL afLer you
flnlsh Lhe massage. ln long Lerm, Lhls self-massage Lechnlque promoLes beLLer vlslon by
sLlmulaLlng Lhe vlslon sysLem and lmprovlng Lhe focuslng ablllLles of Lhe eyes.
75
Lye and Iace Massage
1he ablllLy of Lhe eye Lo focus ob[ecLs locaLed aL varlous dlsLances ls fundamenLal Lo
20/20 vlslon. ueLerloraLlon of Lhe eyes focuslng power lnevlLably leads Lo deLerloraLlon
of eyeslghL.
reservlng and lmprovlng Lhe focuslng ablllLy of your eyes ls Lhe key Lo malnLalnlng good
vlslon or enhanclng your eyeslghL ln case you have an eye dlsorder. 1he followlng self-
massage Lechnlque ls a safe and easy way Lo do [usL LhaL. lL ls deslgned Lo sLlmulaLe Lhe
muscles of Lhe eyes responslble for focuslng and Lo release Lhelr Lenslon. 1he resulLs of
Lhe massage can be felL rlghL away: you wlll feel your eyes LoLally relaxed, your vlslon
wlll be much clearer and your overall energy wlll lncrease.
1. SLarL Lhe massage wlLh Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque. 1hls relaxaLlon
meLhod ls Lhe besL way Lo relax your eyes and your mlnd and Lhus Lo lncrease
Lhe beneflLs of Lhe massage.
2. keep your eyes closed afLer you have flnlshed wlLh Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon
1echnlque.
3. lace Lhe Lhumb of your rlghL hand behlnd your rlghL ear, your mlddle flnger - on
Lhe ouLer corner of your rlghL eye sockeL and your lndex flnger - on your rlghL
Lemple bone.
4. lace Lhe flngers of your lefL hand ln Lhe same poslLlons buL on Lhe lefL slde of
your hand: your lefL Lhumb should go behlnd your lefL ear, your lefL mlddle
flnger - on Lhe ouLer corner of Lhe lefL eye sockeL and your lefL lndex flnger - on
your lefL Lemple bone.
S. SLarL lnhallng slowly, aL Lhe same Llme sLarL slldlng all your flngers ln an ouLer
dlrecLlon as lf you are Lrylng Lo enlarge your face. lnhale and sllde for abouL 3
seconds, Lhen sllde genLly your flngerLlps ln Lhelr orlglnal poslLlons and exhale.
6. 8epeaL Lhe same flve - 10 Llmes.
76
7. llnlsh Lhe massage wlLh Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque.
77
Ccc|p|ta| o|nt Massage
Cur vlslon ls largely dependenL on Lhe percepLlve capablllLles of our eyes. 1he beLLer
Lhey can capLure and LransmlL Lhe lmages Lhey have capLured Lo Lhe braln, Lhe beLLer
we see. Powever, a porLlon of Lhe braln ls also lnvolved ln Lhe seelng" process.
1he maln vlslon cenLers of Lhe braln are locaLed ln lLs
occlplLal lobes. 1he Lwo occlplLal lobes are locaLed ln
Lhe rearmosL porLlon of Lhe braln (colored ln plnk on
Lhe lmage. 1hey recelve Lhe raw daLa from Lhe reLlna of
Lhe eye and Lransform lL lnLo meanlngful lmages.
AlLhough Lhe anaLomy and Lhe funcLlon of Lhe occlplLal
lobes ls qulLe compllcaLed Lo be explalned ln a few words, lL ls enough Lo menLlon LhaL
Lhls porLlon of Lhe braln conLalns a map" of our vlsual fleld.
An occlplLal polnL self-massage can help your vlslon by sLlmulaLlng your braln vlslon
cenLers and lmprovlng lLs blood supply. Moreover, Lhls self-massage Lechnlque ls an
excellenL way Lo release Lhe Lenslon of your neck muscles.
8efore sLarLlng Lhe massage, you need Lo flnd your
occlplLal polnLs. ?ou can do LhaL easlly by bendlng your
head sllghLly Lowards your chesL and placlng one of
your lndex flngers ln Lhe mlddle of your neck. Sllde lL
upwards over your splne unLll you reach Lhe base of
Lhe skull. 1he flrsL bony promlnence of your skull you
wlll feel ls called lnlon". Cnce you feel Lhe lnlon, sllde
your flngerLlp approxlmaLely an lnch Lo Lhe rlghL and
down - Lhls ls where your rlghL occlplLal polnL ls. uo Lhe same slldlng your flnger from
Lhe lnlon down Lo Lhe lefL Lo flnd your lefL occlplLal polnL.
78
Cnce you have found boLh polnLs, sLralghLen your head. ?ou should look sLralghL ahead,
keep your neck and shoulder muscles relaxed and breaLhe regularly. SLarL presslng Lhe
polnLs wlLh Lhe Llps of your flngers. uo noL press Loo hard, [usL make sure you are
applylng consLanL pressure on Lhese polnLs for abouL 2 mlnuLes.
?ou can do Lhls slmply acupressure massage several Llmes a day, especlally lf your work
requlred you Lo keep your head locked ln Lhe same poslLlon for long perlods of Llme.
79
Lnergy 1ransfer o|nt Massage
Massage ls a powerful way Lo revlLallze our body especlally lf lL ls almed aL speclflc body
polnLs. Accordlng Lo 1radlLlonal LasLern medlclne, Lhere are speclflc energy polnLs
locaLed aL dlfferenL places all over Lhe body. Lach of Lhese polnLs allows energy Lo flow
unlnLerrupLed Lhrough Lhe body. Massaglng Lhe energy polnLs responslble for vlslon
balances Lhe flow of energy Lhrough Lhese polnLs. When energy ls able Lo flow freely,
vlslon healLh ls achleved.
1he energy polnLs connecLed wlLh your eyeslghL are also responslble for Lhe head and
neck areas. Massaglng Lhese polnLs ls noL only very beneflclal for lmprovlng eyeslghL
naLurally buL for releaslng any Lenslon accumulaLed ln Lhe neck and Lhe head.
llrsL, you need Lo locaLe your vlslon energy
polnLs. 1here are Lwo polnLs, locaLed aL Lhe
back of your shoulders. 8rlng your lefL hand
over your rlghL shoulder and place your
flngerLlps aL Lhe base of Lhe neck. Sllde
Lhem slowly over Lhe Lop secLlon of your
shoulder muscle unLll you feel a senslLlve
spoL - Lhls ls your rlghL vlslon energy
Lransfer polnL.
Cnce you have your flngerLlps on your rlghL energy Lransfer polnL, sLarL applylng sLeady
pressure on lL. ?ou don'L need Lo press very hard, [usL malnLaln consLanL deep pressure
for abouL a mlnuLe.
nexL, locaLe Lhe energy Lransfer polnL on your lefL shoulder. ?ou can do LhaL by brlnglng
your rlghL hand over your lefL shoulder and slldlng your flngerLlps over Lhe Lop secLlon
of your shoulder muscle. Cnce you have found Lhe correcL spoL, apply deep pressure on
lL for abouL a mlnuLe.
80
?ou can do Lhe massage as many Llmes a day as you wanL. lL wlll have besL resulLs lf you
vary Lhe pressure every Llme you are massaglng Lhose polnLs. AnoLher lmporLanL Lhlng
Lo noLe ls LhaL you musL keep your neck and shoulders relaxed durlng Lhe massage and
keep breaLhlng.
lL ls recommended LhaL you comblne Lhe above vlslon self-massage Lechnlque wlLh Lhe
CcclplLal olnL Massage.
81

VISICN LkLkCISL AND kLLAkA1ICN kCU1INLS
82
V|s|on Lxerc|se and ke|axat|on kout|ne for Nears|ghtedness
(Myop|a)

1hls vlslon exerclse rouLlne ls speclflcally deslgned for people sufferlng from
nearslghLedness (myopla).

1he rouLlne ls dlvlded lnLo slx dlfferenL vlslon exerclse and relaxaLlon sesslons. ?ou wlll
be dolng each sesslon for one week before progresslng Lo Lhe nexL sesslon.

Lach sesslon lncludes 10 slmple sLeps LhaL should Lake you abouL 30 mlnuLes Lo
compleLe. uon'L worry lf you are unable Lo compleLe Lhe exerclses wlLhln Lhe speclfled
Llme. lL ls llkely LhaL you wlll need more Llme aL Lhe beglnnlng unLll you learn how Lo
perform each vlslon work-ouL and unLll your eyes geL used Lo Lhe challenge. lL ls sLrongly
recommended Lo Lake more Llme Lo relax your eyes aL Lhe beglnnlng and Lhe end of
each exerclse sesslon: lf you have exLra spare Llme, don'L heslLaLe Lo perform Lhe
almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque for longer Lhan Lhe speclfled Llme.

lL ls of uLmosL lmporLance LhaL you follow Lhe lnsLrucLlons and compleLe all exerclses
wlLhln a sesslon and each vlslon exerclse - ln lLs full repeLlLlons. Powever, lf you feel
uncomforLable aL any polnL, sLop and Lake a momenL Lo resL your eyes (you can do LhaL
by performlng Lhe almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque for a mlnuLe or Lwo).

lL ls hlghly recommended LhaL you do each sesslon Lwo Llmes a day or repeaL lL Lwlce
one Llme a day. 1he goal ls Lo have aL leasL an hour of vlslon exerclslng per day.

Cnce you compleLe Lhls 6 week naLural vlslon correcLlon program you should conLlnue
dolng vlslon exerclses aL leasL 3 Llmes a week. 1hls wlll help you reLaln Lhe vlslon
lmprovemenL you have achleved and even lmprove your eyeslghL furLher. ?ou can
perform Week ll, Week v and Week vl sesslons. ?ou can also creaLe your own rouLlne
83
wlLh Lhe eye exerclses LhaL you llked Lhe mosL. lf you choose Lo do so, remember Lo
lnclude relaxaLlon Lechnlques ln every sesslon.
Week I (Days 1-7)
V|s|on Lxerc|se kepet|t|ons 1|me
almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque (p. 24) - 3 mlnuLes
1wo uoLs vlslon Lxerclse (p. 33) - 3 mlnuLes
near-lar locus vlslon Lxerclse (p. 38) 1 3 mlnuLes
8llnklng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 40) - 1 mlnuLe
Lyes SLreLch vlslon Lxerclse (p. 33) 10 x each dlrecLlon 4 mlnuLes
Lyelld Massage (p. 67) - 2 mlnuLes
Lye Squeezes vlslon Lxerclse (p. 48) 3 2 mlnuLes

Week II (Days 8-14)
Pead 8olls (p. 64) 3 x each dlrecLlon 2 mlnuLes
almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque (p. 24) - 1 mlnuLe
Zoomlng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 44) 1 1 mlnuLe
CcclplLal olnL Massage (p.70) 1 2 mlnuLes
Creen 1herapy (p. 23) - 3 mlnuLes

84

Week III (Days 1S-21)
Zoomlng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 44) 2 2 mlnuLes
ulagonals vlslon Lxerclse (p. 43) 1 3 mlnuLes
Creen 1herapy (p. 23) - 2 mlnuLes

Week IV (Days 22-28)
1he 8ody Swlng (p. 63) 30 Llmes 2 mlnuLes
Lnergy 1ransfer olnL Massage (p. 72) 1 x each slde 2 mlnuLes
near-lar locus vlslon Lxerclse (p. 38) 4 x rlghL eye 10 mlnuLes
near-lar locus vlslon Lxerclse (p. 38) 4 x lefL eye 10 mlnuLes
3 Cups vlslon Lxerclse (p. 36) 2 2 mlnuLes

85

Week V (Days 29-3S)
Lye & lace Massage (p.71) - 2 mlnuLes
1raclng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 42) 1 2 mlnuLes

Week VI (Days 36-42)
1lbeLan Lye CharL vlslon Lxerclse (p. 31) 3 3 mlnuLes
1lbeLan Lye CharL vlslon Lxerclse (p. 31) 3 3 mlnuLes
86
V|s|on Lxerc|se and ke|axat|on kout|ne for Iars|ghtedness
(nyperop|a)

1hls vlslon exerclse rouLlne ls speclflcally deslgned for people who suffer from
farslghLedness (hyperopla).





perform Week lv, Week v and Week vl sesslons. ?ou can also creaLe your own rouLlne
87
Week I (Days 1-7)
llgure LlghLs vlslon Lxerclse (p. 32) 1 x each dlrecLlon 2 mlnuLes
Zoomlng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 44) 1 1 mlnuLe
near-lar locus vlslon Lxerclse (p. 38) 3 x each eye 13 mlnuLes
Lye and lace Massage (p. 68) - 2 mlnuLes
ShlfLlng vlslon Lxerclse (p.32) 2 2 mlnuLes

Week II (Days 8-14)
CcclplLal olnL Massage (p. 70) 1 2 mlnuLes
ulagonals vlslon Lxerclse (p.43) 1 3 mlnuLes
ShlfLlng vlslon Lxerclse (p.32) 3 x rlghL eye 3 mlnuLes
ShlfLlng vlslon Lxerclse (p.32) 3 x lefL eye 3 mlnuLes

88


89

Week V (Days 29-3S)

90
91
V|s|on Lxerc|se and ke|axat|on kout|ne for Ag|ng V|s|on
(resbyop|a)

1hls vlslon exerclse rouLlne ls speclflcally deslgned for people wlLh aglng vlslon
(presbyopla).





perform Week ll, Week lv and Week vl sesslons. ?ou can also creaLe your own rouLlne
92
Week I (Days 1-7)
Lnergy 1ransfer olnL Massage (p. 72) 1 mlnuLe each slde 2 mlnuLes

Week II (Days 8-14)
8llnklng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 40) - 2 mlnuLes
Lyelld lace Massage (p. 67) - 2 mlnuLes

93


Pead 8olls (p. 64) 3 x each dlrecLlon 2 mlnuLes
94

Week V (Days 29-3S)
Lye Squeezes vlslon Lxerclse (p. 48) 3 1 mlnuLe

95
96
V|s|on Lxerc|se and ke|axat|on kout|nes for Computer V|s|on
Syndrome

eople who spend long perlods of Llme dally ln fronL a compuLer ofLen experlence a
varleLy of unpleasanL eye sympLoms such as eye sLraln, blurred vlslon, burnlng or lLchy
sensaLlon ln Lhe eyes and so on. Moreover, frequenL unlnLerrupLed close up eye work
may lead Lo permanenL changes ln Lhe eye and cause dlfferenL eyeslghL dlsorders such
as nearslghLedness, farslghLedness and asLlgmaLlsm.

1he exerclse rouLlnes llsLed below are speclflcally deslgned for people who are lnvolved
lnLense eye work acLlvlLles. Lach rouLlne lncludes 3 vlslon exerclses and/or eye
relaxaLlon Lechnlques LhaL Lake abouL 3 mlnuLes Lo compleLe.

?ou mush do one of Lhe suggesLed rouLlnes once per hour lf you are dolng some Lype of
close eye work such as readlng or worklng on a compuLer. 1he exerclses lncluded ln Lhe
rouLlnes are speclflcally LargeLed aL vlslon and mlnd relaxaLlon, enhanclng eye muscle
power and flexlblllLy.

?ou can also creaLe your own eye relaxaLlon rouLlnes uslng Lhe vlslon exerclse, eye
relaxaLlon and self-massage Lechnlques llsLed ln Lhls book. lf you declde Lo do so, look
for Lhose naLural vlslon lmprovemenL Lechnlques dedlcaLed Lo eye relaxaLlon and eye
muscle sLlmulaLlon.
97

Computer V|s|on Syndrome kout|ne #1
1wo uoLs vlslon Lxerclse (p. 33) - 1 mlnuLe

almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque (p. 24) - 30 seconds
Zoomlng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 44) 2 30 seconds

Pead 8olls (p. 64) 3 x each dlrecLlon 1 mlnuLe
ConLourlng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 34) 1 1 mlnuLe

Lnergy 1ransfer olnL Massage (p. 72) 30 x each slde 1 mlnuLe
up-uown Lye MovemenLs (p. 49) 2 1 mlnuLe

Computer V|s|on Syndrome kout|ne #S
ulagonals vlslon Lxerclse (p. 43) 1 2 mlnuLes
98
Lyelld Massage (p. 67) - 30 seconds


Lye and lace Massage (p. 71) 1 1 mlnuLe

Lnergy 1ransfer olnL Massage (p. 72) - 1 mlnuLe
up-uown Lye MovemenLs (p. 49) 2 1 mlnuLe

Pead 8olls (p. 64) 3 x each dlrecLlon 1 mlnuLe

99
8llnklng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 40) - 30 seconds
100

VISICN AND DIL1

101
?our long-Lerm healLh prlmarlly depends on your dleL. 1he same rule fully applles Lo
your eyeslghL - noLhlng has greaLer lmpacL on your vlslon healLh Lhan your food cholces
and hablLs.

MalnLalnlng a balanced and varled healLhy dleL and addlng cerLaln eye" nuLrlenLs Lo lL
can help you preserve your naLural vlslon for much longer and slgnlflcanLly lower Lhe
rlsk of varlous eyeslghL dlsorders.

Improve our Natura| V|s|on w|th a nea|thy D|et
?ou know your body cannoL funcLlon wlLhouL food. ?ou
also know LhaL Lype and amounL of food you consume,
Lhe way you prepare lL and your eaLlng hablLs have
lmpacL on your general healLh. WhaL you may noL know
ls LhaL exacLly Lhe same Lhlngs are dlrecLly llnked Lo
your vlslon. Moreover, ln many respecLs your dleL has
greaLer lmpacL on your vlslon Lhan on any oLher organ
or sysLem of your body.
1here have been a loL of dlscusslons abouL Lhe
relaLlonshlp beLween food and vlslon. Many sclenLlsLs,
ophLhalmologlsLs and publlc healLh speclallsLs are worklng on dlscoverlng Lhe exacL
mechanlsms ln whlch varlous food Lypes are affecLlng eyeslghL. Many sLudles and
cllnlcal Lrlals held over Lhe lasL 20 years have proven LhaL cerLaln foods can prevenL or
delay Lhe progresslon of eye dlsorders whlle oLher foods can lncrease Lhe rlsks of Lhelr
occurrence.
lor lnsLance, a recenL research of Lhe unlLed SLaLes ueparLmenL of AgrlculLure (uSuA)
8esearch Servlce found LhaL . consumlng a hlgh glycemlc-lndex" dleL over a long
perlod of Llme ls assoclaLed wlLh a hlgher rlsk of developlng Lhe early sLages of a ma[or
102
eye dlsease - age relaLed macular degeneraLlon, or AMu." ln oLher words, eaLlng Loo
much qulckly dlgesLlble carbohydraLe foods such as candles, dlrecLly damages Lhe eye.
When lL comes Lo lmprovlng your eyeslghL naLurally, noLhlng can Lake Lhe place of a
healLhy, well-balanced dleL. Addlng cerLaln nuLrlenLs Lo your dally menu can help you
preserve your vlslon, delay Lhe progresslon of your exlsLlng eye dlsorders, rellve some of
Lhelr sympLoms and lower Lhe rlsks of developlng more serlous eye condlLlons.
Many foods are known Lo have poslLlve lnfluence on eye healLh. 1helr beneflclal effecLs
are due Lo Lhe vlLamlns, mlnerals and mlcroelemenLs Lhese foods conLaln. llgurlng ouL
whlch foods you need Lo lncorporaLe ln your dally dleL and whlch Lo leave ouL ls only
posslble lf you learn whlch nuLrlenLs are of lmporLance Lo your eyes and whlch food
Lypes conLaln Lhem.
1he mosL lmporLanL nuLrlenLs essenLlal Lo eye healLh are vlLamln A, C and L, Lhe
anLloxldanLs LuLeln and ZeaxanLln, essenLlal faLLy aclds and Lhe mlcroelemenL Zlnc. An
adequaLe lnLake of Lhese nuLrlenLs reduces Lhe rlsk of chronlc eye dlseases, slows Lhe
progresslon of vlsual aculLy loss and delays Lhe progresslon of varlous eye condlLlons. ln
addlLlon, Lhese nuLrlenLs proLecL Lhe eye Llssue cells from damage caused by free
radlcals and ensure Lhe proper funcLlon of all eye sLrucLures.
Cenerally speaklng, Lhere aren'L organlc unprocessed foods LoLally bad for our eyeslghL.
1here are cerLaln food preparaLlon Lechnlques and eaLlng hablLs LhaL make Lhe foods we
consume dangerous for our vlslon. lor lnsLance, sweeL poLaLoes are a greaL source of
vlLamln L, however, lf we deep-fry Lhem we make Lhem bad for our vlslon.
Cbvlously, lL ls lmposslble Lo cover everyLhlng abouL Lhe relaLlonshlp beLween dleL and
vlslon ln [usL few llnes. 1haL's why we have dedlcaLed a whole secLlon of book Lo
Leachlng you how Lo malnLaln and enhance your vlslon naLurally Lhrough a healLhler
dleL. 1ake Lhe flrsL sLep Lo lmprovlng your eyeslghL naLurally by learnlng how Lo feed noL
only your body buL your eyes.
103
104
What Is A nea|thy V|s|on D|et?

A healLhy vlslon dleL ls a dleL LhaL helps malnLaln or lmprove your eye healLh. Such dleL
ls vlLal for reduclng many vlslon healLh rlsks, as well as decreaslng Lhe rlsks of varlous
general healLh chronlc lllnesses LhaL may also lmpacL vlslon (obeslLy, dlabeLes, hearL
dlsease, hlgh blood pressure).

A healLhy vlslon dleL needs Lo provlde you wlLh sufflclenL yeL balanced quanLlLles of
macronuLrlenLs - carbohydraLes, proLelns and faLs. lL musL also provlde you wlLh
adequaLe amounLs of essenLlal eyeslghL nuLrlenLs LhaL your body cannoL creaLe -
vlLamlns, mlnerals, mlcroelemenLs and essenLlal faLLy aclds.

1he flrsL sLep Lo plannlng and sLlcklng Lo a healLhy vlslon dleL ls Lo undersLand Lhe baslc
requlremenLs of such a dleL. 1here are numerous dleLary recommendaLlons, devlsed by
medlcal and governmenL lnsLlLuLlons. 1he World PealLh CrganlzaLlon (WPC) advocaLes
3 easy dleLary recommendaLlons LhaL are easy Lo follow and can help you greaLly
lmprove your vlslon healLh and your overall healLh.

"#$%& '()%*+ ,$-)./0)*/#. 1(2#33(.&)*/#.4 5#$ ) '()%*+6 7/(*

Achleve energy balance and a healLhy welghL.
LlmlL energy lnLake from faLs. ShlfL faL consumpLlon away from saLuraLed and
faLs and replace Lhem wlLh unsaLuraLed faLs. Avold foods conLalnlng Lrans-faLs.
lncrease Lhe consumpLlon of frulLs and vegeLables, whole gralns and nuLs.
LlmlL Lhe consumpLlon of sugars.
LlmlL Lhe consumpLlon of salL (sodlum).

105
Ioods 8enef|c|a| for Lye nea|th
MalnLalnlng a healLhy well-balanced dleL means much
more Lo your eyes Lhan any oLher naLural eyeslghL
lmprovemenL Lechnlque you may use. leedlng" your
eyes wlLh Lhe nuLrlenLs Lhey need wlll ensure your vlslon
remalns greaL for many years Lo come. 1hose, sufferlng
from an eye dlsorder should be even more concerned of
whaL and how Lhey eaL because many foods and eaLlng
hablLs are dlrecLly llnked Lo slowlng or speedlng up Lhe
progresslon of varlous eye dlsorders.
When we Lalk abouL foods beneflclal for eye healLh, we
acLually dlscuss whlch nuLrlenLs are essenLlal Lo malnLalnlng Lhe proper funcLlons of Lhe
eyes. Learnlng how Lo creaLe a vlslon healLhy dleL sLarLs wlLh learnlng, whlch Lhose
nuLrlenLs are.
LeL's Lake a qulck look aL whaL Lhe food we eaL conLalns.
1here are Lhere maln groups of nuLrlenLs conLalned ln food - carbohydraLes (sugars),
proLelns and llplds (olls). 1he human body needs all of Lhese Lhree groups of nuLrlenLs ln
order Lo survlve. AparL from Lhe above-menLloned groups of nuLrlenLs, Lhere are also
vlLamlns, mlnerals, mlcroelemenLs and essenLlal faLLy aclds - each one represenLs a
group of speclflc chemlcal compounds wlLhouL whlch human llfe would be lmposslble. lL
ls Lhese speclal chemlcal compounds LhaL are of greaLesL lmporLance Lo eye healLh and
vlslon.
V|tam|ns. vlLamlns are organlc chemlcal compounds needed ln mlnor quanLlLles
by Lhe human organlsm. 8egardless of Lhe mlnor amounL of vlLamlns requlred,
llfe would be lmposslble wlLhouL Lhem. Slnce Lhey parLlclpaLe ln many of Lhe
ma[or processes Laklng place ln Lhe body, even Lhe sllghLesL lmbalance can lead
106
Lo serlous healLh condlLlons. Many vlLamlns cannoL be produced ln sufflclenL
quanLlLles by our organlsm and LhaL ls why Lhey musL be obLalned from our dleL.
Many vlLamlns have dlrecL lmpacL on eye healLh and vlsual aculLy. Slgn up for our
free newsleLLer Lo recelve our free reporL feaLurlng deLalled lnformaLlon abouL
Lhe mosL lmporLanL vlslon vlLamlns.

M|nera|s. Mlnerals are naLurally occurrlng solld chemlcal subsLances formed
Lhrough varlous geologlcal processes. AlLhough Lhe human body cannoL produce
Lhese subsLances, we need Lhem Lo malnLaln many of lLs funcLlons. When lL
comes Lo vlslon, Zlnc ls one of Lhe mosL lmporLanL mlnerals.

M|croe|ements. 1he Lerm mlcroelemenLs" ls used Lo descrlbe varlous chemlcal
compounds havlng lmporLanL roles ln some of Lhe processes Laklng place ln Lhe
human body. Slmllar Lo Lhe mlnerals, we cannoL produce Lhese chemlcal
compounds and need Lo obLaln Lhem from Lhe foods we ear. Selenlum, copper
and chromlum are some of Lhe mosL lmporLanL eye healLh mlcroelemenLs.

Lssent|a| fatty ac|ds. 1he Lerm essenLlal faLLy aclds" slgnlfles a group of
chemlcal compounds needed for human llfe. Slmllar Lo some vlLamlns, Lhey are
noL produced ln sufflclenL quanLlLles by Lhe human body and need Lo be
obLalned Lhrough varlous dleLary sources. When lL comes Lo eye healLh and
vlslon, several essenLlal faLLy aclds are of maln lmporLance: omega 3 and omega
6 faLLy aclds.
As you can see, selecLlng foods beneflclal Lo eye healLh ls acLually selecLlng foods rlch ln
nuLrlenLs beneflclal for vlslon. lf you are looklng Lo lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally, you
need Lo lncorporaLe adequaLe amounLs of foods conLalnlng Lhe vlLamlns, mlnerals,
mlcroelemenLs and essenLlal faLLy aclds.
107
An Cverv|ew of the Lssent|a| V|s|on Nutr|ents

vlrLually all macro- and mlcronuLrlenLs are lmporLanL for your vlslon. 1hey are used for
cell formaLlon, cell developmenL and as energy sources. Moreover, many essenLlal
nuLrlenLs parLlclpaLe ln varlous blo-chemlcal processes LhaL allow proper funcLlon of Lhe
vlslon sysLem.

Powever, some nuLrlenLs are of parLlcular lmporLance for Lhe cells, Llssues and organs
comprlslng your vlslon sysLem. lL ls Lhese nuLrlenLs LhaL musL be ln sufflclenL amounLs Lo
promoLe vlslon healLh, malnLaln good naLural eyeslghL, proLecL you from varlous
eyeslghL dlsorders and delay Lhe progresslon of some of Lhe mosL common eye lllnesses.

Pere are Lhe maln eye-frlendly" nuLrlenLs your dally dleL musL provlde:

V|tam|n C. vlLamln C ls of uLmosL lmporLance for reLalnlng Lhe normal funcLlons
of eye cells and Llssues. lL lowers Lhe rlsk of caLaracL formaLlon and age-relaLed
macular degeneraLlon (AMu).

V|tam|n L. vlLamln L ls a powerful anLloxldanL proLecLlng Lhe eyes from Lhe
negaLlve effecLs of unsLable molecules called free-radlcals.

V|tam|n A. vlLamln A bloacLlve subsLances are requlred for vlslon developmenL
ln chlldren and supporL Lhe normal funcLlon of Lhe reLlna of Lhe eye.

Lute|n & 2eaxant|n. lrom all 600 naLurally occurrlng caroLenolds, only LuLeln
and ZeaxanLhln are found ln Lhe human eye. 1hey proLecL our eyes from harmful
uv and blue wave llghL rays Lhus reduclng Lhe rlsk of some of Lhe mosL common
eyeslghL problems.

108
Lssent|a| Iatty Ac|ds. 1hese speclal faL molecules are essenLlal for proper vlsual
developmenL and reduce Lhe rlsk of varlous eye dlsorders such as age-relaLed
macular degeneraLlon.

2|nc. Zlnc ls a Lrace mlneral requlred ln very small quanLlLles by Lhe human body.
lL ls lmporLanL Lo vlslon healLh as lL LransporLs vlLamln A Lo Lhe reLlna of Lhe eye.

109
V|tam|n C: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake, Natura|
Iood Sources

vlLamln C ls one of Lhe maln essenLlal nuLrlenLs requlred by your body as nearly all cells
depend on lL. lL ls lnvolved ln Lhe synLhesls of varlous physlologlcal subsLances and
parLlclpaLes ln many of Lhe maln meLabollc processes Laklng place ln Lhe human body.
vlLamln C ls responslble for Lhe healLh of Lhe small blood vessels, lncludlng Lhe ocular
blood vessels, LeeLh, carLrldges, gums and Lhe absorpLlon of lron.

Lye cells and Llssues need vlLamln C Lo reLaln Lhelr normal funcLlons. ln addlLlon Lo
promoLlng naLural vlslon healLh, sclenLlflc evldence suggesLs LhaL vlLamln C lowers Lhe
rlsk of developlng caLaracLs, and comblned wlLh oLher essenLlal nuLrlenLs can slow Lhe
progresslon of age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon (AMu) and vlslon aculLy loss.

1he body cannoL produce vlLamln C and LhaL ls why provldlng an adequaLe dally lnLake
of lL ls of uLmosL lmporLance.

U.S. Iood and Drug Adm|n|strat|on (IDA) V|tam|n C D|etary keference Intake
8ecommended dally allowance (adulL male) 90 mg per day
8ecommended dally allowance (adulL female) 73 mg per day
1olerable upper lnLake (adulL male) 2000 mg per day
1olerable upper lnLake (adulL female) 2000 mg per day

Some healLh condlLlons, llfesLyle paLLerns, dleLary hablLs and chronlc lllnesses lead Lo
Lhe depleLlon of vlLamln C much fasLer Lhan normal. lor LhaL reason cerLaln groups of
people (people under sLress, smokers, alcohollcs, dlabeLlcs, pregnanL and breasLfeedlng
women, older adulLs, aLhleLes) requlre more vlLamln C Lhan Lhe recommended dally
allowance.

110
loods of planL orlgln (frulLs, vegeLables, herbs) are Lhe maln naLural source of vlLamln C.
1he followlng Lable shows some of Lhe foods wlLh Lhe hlghesL vlLamln C conLenL LhaL
you mlghL conslder addlng Lo your menu.

Iood Source Amount of V|tam|n C (mg]100g)
8ose Plp 2000
Acerola 1600
Creen chlll peppers 244
8lackcurranL 200
8ed pepper 190
arsley 130
klwl 90
8roccoll 90
8russels sprouLs 80
SLrawberry 60
Crange 30
CrapefrulL 30
Splnach 30
8aw green cabbage 30
oLaLoes 20
AprlcoL 10
8anana 9
CarroL 9
Apple 6

Some anlmal-based foods can also be used as naLural sources of dleLary vlLamln C.

Iood Source Amount of V|tam|n C (mg]100g)
lrled chlcken llver 13
lrled lamb llver 12
lresh goaL mllk 3
lresh cow mllk 2
111

lncludlng some of Lhose foods ln your dally menu wlll deflnlLely boosL your overall
menLal and healLh sLaLus and wlll greaLly enhance your vlslon healLh. Slnce some of Lhe
mosL common food preparaLlon meLhods (bolllng and baklng) can drasLlcally lower Lhe
amounLs of vlLamln C ln frulLs and vegeLables, lL ls besL Lo consume Lhem fresh and raw.

V|tam|n L: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake, Natura|
Iood Sources

vlLamln L ls a group of faL-soluble nuLrlenLs wlLh powerful anLloxldanL properLles. lL has
a ma[or role for supporLlng Lhe lmmune sysLem and Lhe healLh of cell membranes, and
parLlclpaLes ln unA repalr and ln oLher meLabollc processes.

vlLamln L ls parLlcularly lmporLanL for malnLalnlng eye healLh because lL proLecLs Lhe
cells of Lhe eye from damage caused by free radlcals. AddlLlonally, many sclenLlflc
sLudles suggesL LhaL vlLamln L, along wlLh zlnc and oLher anLloxldanLs can reduce Lhe
rlsk of age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon (AMu) and slower lLs progresslon as well as
delay caLaracL formaLlon.

1he human body cannoL creaLe vlLamln L. lor LhaL reason a healLhy vlslon dleL musL
lnclude sufflclenL amounLs of foods rlch ln Lhls essenLlal nuLrlenL.

U.S. Iood and Drug Adm|n|strat|on (IDA) V|tam|n L D|etary keference Intake
8ecommended dally allowance (adulL male) 22 lu (13mg) per day
8ecommended dally allowance (adulL female) 22 lu (13mg) mg per day
1olerable upper lnLake (adulL male) 1300 lu (1000 mg) per day
1olerable upper lnLake (adulL female) 1300 lu (1000 mg) per day

1he maln naLural sources of vlLamln L are nuLs, seeds, vegeLable olls, vegeLables and
frulLs. 1he followlng Lable lncludes some of Lhe foods wlLh hlgh conLenL of vlLamln L.
112

Iood Source Amount of V|tam|n L (mg)
WheaL germ oll, 1 Lablespoon 20,3
Almonds (roasLed), 1oz 7,4
Sunflower seeds (roasLed), 1 oz 6.0
Sunflower oll, 1 Lablespoon 3,6
PazelnuLs (roasLed), 1 oz 4,3
eanuLs (roasLed), 1 oz 2,2
Corn oll, 1 Lablespoon 1,9
Splnach (bolled), x cup 1,9
eanuL buLLer, 1 Lablespoon 1,3
8roccoll (bolled), x cup 1,2
SweeL poLaLo (baked medlum slze) 1,2
Soybean oll, 1 Lablespoon 1,1
klwl (medlum frulL) 1,1
umpkln (100gr) 1,06
Mango, x cup 0,9
1omaLo (medlum raw frulL) 0,8
Splnach (raw), 1 cup 0,6

113
V|tam|n A and Caroteno|ds: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference
Intake, Natura| Iood Sources

vlLamln A ls a group of subsLances LhaL have lmporLanL role ln many body processes -
bone growLh, reproducLlon, cell dlvlslon and cell dlfferenLlaLlon, lmmune sysLem
regulaLlon, and many oLhers. vlLamln A also has a slgnlflcanL parL ln malnLalnlng Lhe
lnLegrlLy of Lhe sLrucLures of Lhe eye as well as reLalnlng good naLural vlslon.

vlLamln A ls prlmarlly necessary for proper funcLlon of Lhe reLlna of Lhe eye - Lhe parL of
Lhe eye caLchlng llghL rays and sendlng lmage lnformaLlon Lo Lhe vlslon cenLer of Lhe
braln. vlLamln A supporLs Lhe funcLlon of Lhe maln reLlnal cells - rods and cones, asslsLs
ln Lhe LransformaLlon of llghL lmpulses Lo neurolmpulses and parLlclpaLes ln Lhe
Lransmlsslon of Lhose slgnals along Lhe opLlc nerve Lo Lhe vlsual cenLer of Lhe braln. ln
addlLlon Lo lLs general role ln reLlnal funcLlon, vlLamln A ls parL of a speclal eye plgmenL
8hodopsln, responslble for low-llghL conLrasL and nlghL vlslon. vlLamln A also promoLes
Lhe healLh of Lhe surfaces of Lhe llnlngs of Lhe eyes - Lhe con[uncLlva.

Lack of vlLamln A can cause severe healLh and vlslon compllcaLlons. ln chlldren, vlLamln
A deflclency causes severe vlslon lmpalrmenL and bllndness, ln pregnanL women causes
nlghL bllndness, ln adulLs - reduced vlslon aculLy (parLlcularly ln low llghL), dryness of Lhe
con[uncLlva, corneal damage and bllndness.

MalnLalnlng adequaLe levels of vlLamln A ls essenLlal Lo vlslon healLh. 1he Lable below
shows Lhe recommended dally allowances of vlLamln A.

U.S. Iood and Drug Adm|n|strat|on (IDA) V|tam|n A D|etary keference Intake
8ecommended dally allowance (adulL male) 3000 lu (900 mcg) per day
8ecommended dally allowance (adulL female) 2310 lu (700 mcg) mg per day
1olerable upper lnLake (adulL male) 9240 lu (2800 mcg) per day
114
1olerable upper lnLake (adulL female) 9240 lu (2800 mcg) per day

Slnce vlLamln A ls noL synLheslzed ln Lhe human body, adequaLe quanLlLles of Lhls vlslon
vlLamln musL be provlded wlLh food. varlous planL and anlmal-based foods are greaL
naLural sources of vlLamln A. Addlng Lhose foods Lo your dally menu proLecL your eyes
and preserve your eyeslghL.

Cenerally, vlLamln A conLalned ln anlmal-derlved foods (preformed vlLamln A) ls beLLer
for you as lL ls ready for use by Lhe body. vlLamln A found ln foods of plan orlgln
(provlLamln A) needs Lo go Lhrough cerLaln LransformaLlons before Lhe body could
uLlllze lL. neverLheless, no food Lype should be excluded ln favor of Lhe oLher, as boLh
preformed vlLamln A and provlLamln A play lmporLanL roles ln varlous body processes.
lor lnsLance, some provlLamln A caroLenolds do noL have vlLamln acLlvlLy buL are
powerful anLloxldanLs wlLh ma[or role for eye healLh and vlslon.

An|ma| - 8ased Iood Sources Amount of V|tam|n A (IU)
8eef llver (cooked), 3 oz 27,187
Chlcken llver (cooked), 3 oz 12,323
Mllk (forLlfled), 1 cup 300
Cheddar cheese, 1oz 284
Lgg (1 hard-bolled) 140

|ant - 8ased Iood Sources Amount of V|tam|n A
CarroL [ulce (canned), x cup 27,367
CarroLs (bolled), x cup 13,418
Splnach (frozen, bolled), x cup 11,438
kale (frozen, bolled), x cup 9,338
CarroLs (1 raw) 8,666
AprlcoL (necLar, canned), x cup 1,631
apaya, 1 cup 1,332
115
Mango, 1 cup 1,262
eas (frozen, bolled), x cup 1,030
each (1 medlum frulL) 319

Lute|n & 2eaxanth|n: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake,
Natura| Iood Sources

LuLeln and ZeaxanLhln are caroLenolds of Lremendous lmporLance for human eyes and
vlslon. 1hey proLecL Lhe eye Llssues from free-radlcal damage, fllLer harmful hlgh energy
blue wavelengLhs from Lhe llghL and malnLaln proper funcLlon of eye cells. Cllnlcal Lrlals
demonsLraLe LhaL sufflclenL lnLake of Lhose Lwo nuLrlenLs can lower Lhe rlsk of varlous
chronlc eye dlseases, lncludlng age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon (AMu) and caLaracLs.

ZeaxanLhln ls malnly concenLraLed ln Lhe cenLral porLlon of Lhe macula, whlle LuLeln ls
found ln greaL concenLraLlons ln Lhe perlpheral reglons of Lhe macula and Lhe resL of Lhe
reLlna. 8oLh caroLenolds acLs as naLural sunglasses" as Lhey absorb some of Lhe harmful
ulLravloleL and blue wave llghL ln Lhe sunllghL and Lhus prevenLs Lhe reLlna from
damage. ln addlLlon, LuLeln and ZeaxanLhln are powerful anLloxldanLs LhaL neuLrallze
Lhe harmful effecL of free-radlcals and reduce Lhe oxldaLlve sLress ln eye Llssues.

Slnce Lhe human body cannoL creaLe LuLeln and ZeaxanLhln, consumpLlon of foods rlch
ln Lhose caroLenolds ls essenLlal Lo a healLhy vlslon dleL. Many sLudles suggesL LhaL a
dleLary lnLake of 6-10 mg per day shows poslLlve healLh resulLs.

1he maln dleLary sources of LuLeln and ZeaxanLhln are green vegeLables, some frulLs
and eggs. 1he Lable below shows some of Lhe foods wlLh hlgh LuLeln and ZeaxanLhln
conLenL you may conslder addlng Lo your dally menu.

Iood Source Amount of Lute|n & 2eaxanth|n (mg)
116
kale (cooked), 1 cup 23,8
Splnach (cooked), 1 cup 20,4
Collards (cooked), 1 cup 14,6
1urnlp greens (cooked), 1 cup 12,2
Corn (cooked), 1 cup 2,2
Creen peas (cooked), 1 cup 2,2
8roccoll (cooked), 1 cup 1,6
Lgg (1 hard-bolled) 0,3
Crange (1 medlum slzed) 0,2
klwl (1 medlum frulL) 0,1

117
Lssent|a| Iatty Ac|ds: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake,
Natura| Iood Sources

LssenLlal faLLy aclds (L1As) are componenLs of faL molecules. 1wo Lypes of L1As -
omega-3 (alpha-llnolenlc acld) and omega-6 (llnolelc acld) faLLy aclds have slgnlflcanL
role for human healLh as Lhey are parL of some lmporLanL blologlcal processes Laklng
place ln Lhe human body.

Cmega-3 and omega-6 faLLy aclds supporL Lhe lmmune, cardlovascular, reproducLlve
and nervous sysLems. lL ls lnLeresLlng LhaL Lhe blologlcal effecLs of omega-3 and omega-
6 faLLy aclds depend noL only on Lhelr overall concenLraLlon ln Lhe body buL on Lhe raLlo
beLween Lhe concenLraLlons of each one.

1wo omega-3 faLLy aclds have shown Lo have beneflclal effecL on vlslon and speclflcally
on reLlnal funcLlon - uocosahexaenolc acld (uPA) and LlcosapenLaenolc acld (LA).
uocosahexaenolc acld can be found ln very hlgh concenLraLlon ln Lhe reLlna of Lhe eye
and LlcosapenLaenolc acld ls needed for Lhe synLhesls of uPA. roper supply of uPA and
LPA ls vlLal for normal vlsual developmenL ln chlldren. ln adulLs, lack of Lhose faLLy aclds
leads Lo vlsual lmpalrmenL and reLlnal degradaLlon. varlous eye dlseases are llnked Lo
omega-3 faLLy aclds deflclency. 1hose lnclude ury eye, dlabeLlc reLlnopaLhy and age-
relaLed macular degeneraLlon.

Cmega-3 faLLy aclds cannoL be synLheslzed by Lhe body and musL be obLalned Lhrough
food. 1helr prlmary food sources are cold-waLer faLLy flsh and marlne mammals. very
small amounLs of omega-3 faLLy aclds can also be found ln lean red meaLs, Lurkey meaL,
black raspberry, and hazelnuLs. 1he Lable below shows Lhe besL dleLary sources of
omega-3 faLLy aclds.

Iood Source Amount of omega-3 I1As (mg)
118
Salmon (cooked), 3 oz 1800
1una (cooked), 3 oz 1300
Mackerel (cooked), 3 oz 1000
Anchovy (canned ln oll), 2 oz 900
1rouL (cooked), 3 oz 800
PallbuL (cooked), 3 oz 400
Scallops (cooked), 100 g 330
Snapper (cooked), 3 oz 300

119
2|nc: V|s|on 8enef|ts, D|etary keference Intake, Natura| Iood
Sources

Zlnc ls a Lrace mlneral requlred ln very small doses by Lhe human body. lL can be found
ln Lhe braln, muscle Llssues, bones, llver and kldneys however lLs hlghesL concenLraLlon
ls ln Lhe reLlna of Lhe eye and Lhe vascular Llssue underneaLh lL (Lhe chorolds).

Cne of Lhe maln funcLlons of Zlnc ln Lhe human body ls Lhe LransporLaLlon of vlLamln A
from Lhe llver Lo Lhe eyes. Lack of Zlnc can lead Lo lmpalred vlslon, loss of nlghL vlslon
and developmenL of cloudy caLaracLs. Many sLudles suggesL LhaL Zlnc can lower Lhe rlsk
of age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon (AMu) and slower Lhe progresslon of Lhe dlsease ln
lLs early sLages.

U.S. Iood and Drug Adm|n|strat|on (IDA) 2|nc D|etary keference Intake
8ecommended dally allowance (adulL male) 11 mg per day
8ecommended dally allowance (adulL female) 8 mg per day
1olerable upper lnLake (adulL male) 40 mg per day
1olerable upper lnLake (adulL female) 40 mg per day

1he human body cannoL synLheslze Zlnc and food ls lLs only source of Lhls essenLlal
nuLrlenL. varlous foods conLaln good amounLs of Lhe Lrace elemenLs and lncludlng Lhem
ln your dally menu wlll be greaLly beneflclal for your vlslon healLh. 1he Lable below
shows some of Lhe besL anlmal and planL food sources for Zlnc.

Iood Source Amount of 2|nc (mg)
CysLers, raw (6 medlum) 76,3
8eef (cooked), 3 oz 3,2
Lamb loln (roasLed), 4 oz 4,6
LobsLers (cooked), 3 oz 2,3
ork (cooked), 3 oz 2,4
120
Creen peas (bolled), 1 cup 1,9
Shrlmp (bolled/sLeamed), 4 oz 1,8
Splnach (bolled), 1 cup 1,37
Salmon (cooked), x fllleL 1,3
Asparagus (cooked), 1 cup 0,8
Summer squash (cooked), 1 cup 0,7
Lgg (hard-bolled), 1 large 0,3
Swlss chard (bolled), 1 cup 0,3
Maple syrup, 2 Lablespoons 0,3

121
now to |an a nea|thy V|s|on D|et?

now you know whlch Lhe mosL lmporLanL vlslon nuLrlenLs are and whlch foods are Lhe
besL dleLary sources of Lhose nuLrlenLs. ?our nexL sLep ls Lo learn how Lo devlse a
healLhy vlslon dleL.

1he key Lo creaLlng a healLhy vlslon dleL ls ln followlng Lhree slmple rules:

8a|ance
Var|ety
Moderat|on

lf you Lhlnk abouL each of Lhem you wlll reallze LhaL a dleL beneflclal for your eyeslghL ls
noL only abouL 8+)* 6#9 ()* buL +#8 6#9 ()*, and +#8 392+ 6#9 ()*. MosL
lmporLanLly, a dleL LhaL ls good for your eyes ls ulLlmaLely good for your overall healLh.

8a|ance
?our general healLh and your eye healLh are dlrecLly llnked noL only Lo Lhe speclflc foods
you eaL, buL Lo Lhe proporLlon beLween Lhe dlfferenL food groups LhaL comprlse each of
your meals. A dleL ls consldered balanced when you choose foods from dlfferenL food
groups ln Lhe correcL proporLlons.

1here are four general food groups. Lach food group conslsLs of varlous foods lmporLanL
for malnLalnlng and enhanclng your vlslon and general healLh.

Gra|ns: any food made of wheaL, rlce, cornmeal, barley or anoLher cereal graln
belongs Lo Lhls food group. Consumlng sufflclenL quanLlLles of graln foods ls
exLremely lmporLanL for your healLh as Lhey conLaln 8-vlLamlns, lron and dleLary
122
flbers. 1hese nuLrlenLs supporL Lhe healLh of oLher sysLems ln your body, whlch
on Lurn conLrlbuLe Lo proper eye funcLlon.

1here are Lwo Lypes of graln foods - whole gralns (whole-wheaL flour, bulgur,
brown rlce, oaLmeal, whole cornmeal) and reflned gralns (whlLe flour, whlLe rlce,
whlLe bread). ln general, whole gralns and foods made of whole gralns are
consldered a healLhler nuLrlLlon cholce. 1hese foods reLaln Lhelr naLural vlLamlns
and mlnerals LhaL are usually depleLed durlng Lhe reflnemenL process. Moreover,
unllke reflned gralns, whole graln foods dlgesL slowly and do noL cause rapld,
dangerous for eyeslghL splkes of blood sugar levels.

Vegetab|es: any vegeLable or 100 vegeLable [ulce belongs Lo Lhls group.
vegeLables are an excellenL dleLary source of numerous essenLlal nuLrlenLs,
lncludlng some of Lhe mosL lmporLanL eye nuLrlenLs. A healLhy vlslon dally menu
should have vegeLables wlLh every meal and even ln beLween meals. uo noL sLlck
Lo only one Lype of vegeLables Lhough, vary your vegeLable cholces by plcklng
vegeLables of dlfferenL colors - Lhls way you wlll know your body ls geLLlng
enough of all lmporLanL nuLrlenLs.

Iru|ts: any frulL or 100 frulL [ulce belongs Lo Lhls group. Slmllar Lo vegeLables,
frulLs are exLraordlnary naLural sources of vlLamlns, mlnerals and oLher essenLlal
nuLrlenLs. A sLudy from Lhe Channlng LaboraLory aL Parvard Medlcal School and
8rlgham Women's PosplLal lndlcaLes LhaL Lhree or more servlngs of frulLs per day
lower Lhelr rlsk of developlng age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon as senlors.
AddlLlonally, frulLs are greaLly beneflclal for our general vlslon sLaLus and overall
healLh.

D|ary products: all fluld mllk producLs and some foods made of mllk belong Lo
Lhls group. ulary foods are essenLlal for healLh as Lhey provlde your body wlLh
123
loLs of vlLal nuLrlenLs, for lnsLance calclum. 1o promoLe your vlslon healLh,
choose low-faL naLural dlary producLs and avold any sweeLened mllk producLs
(flavored mllk, desserLs, sweeLened yogurL, eLc).

rote|n foods: foods made from meaL, poulLry, flsh, eggs, nuLs, dry beans and
peas belong Lo Lhls group. roLeln foods are very lmporLanL for your overall
healLh and your eyeslghL. Many essenLlal vlslon nuLrlenLs are only conLalned ln
proLeln foods. lor lnsLance omega-3 faLLy asslsL are conLalned ln sufflclenL
quanLlLles only ln cold waLer flsh, beef ls one of Lhe besL sources of zlnc, eggs are
a greaL dleLary source of luLeln and zeaxanLhln, nuLs are an excellenL source of
vlLamln L. Co for organlc lean cuLs of meaL and poulLry and avold processed
meaLs (hams, sausage, dell meaLs, eLc.) as Lhey have loLs of added salL whlch ls
bad for your eyes.

Var|ety
A healLhy and var|ed dleL can help Lo malnLaln a healLhy body welghL, enhance general
wellbelng and reduce Lhe rlsk of a number of dlseases lncludlng eyeslghL dlsorders,
cardlovascular dlseases, cancer, dlabeLes and osLeoporosls.

8egardless of how beneflclal cerLaln food Lype ls, eaLlng only one Lype of foods may
cause a decllne ln your general healLh and eyeslghL. lor lnsLance, by eaLlng only
vegeLables and avoldlng any meaL or flsh foods, you are deprlvlng your eyes of varlous
nuLrlenLs essenLlal for your vlslon.

ln addlLlon Lo balanclng your meals by lncludlng foods of all four food groups, a healLhy
vlslon dleL should lnclude a varleLy of foods from each of Lhese four food groups every
day.

124
MalnLalnlng a varled vlslon dleL may sound overwhelmlng. ln facL, Lhere ls a slmple way
Lo achleve Lhls efforLlessly. All you need Lo do ls Lo check how varled your currenL dleL ls
and make some llLLle ad[usLmenLs Lo lL. ?ou can easlly do so by uslng our slmple :)%).2(
; <)$/(*6 7/(* =+(2>%/4* lncluded aL Lhe end of Lhls chapLer.

Moderat|on
no maLLer how balanced and varled your dleL ls, eaLlng Loo much or Loo llLLle ls
poLenLlally dangerous for your vlslon healLh.

8elng overwelghL puLs you aL greaLer rlsk of varlous dlseases. ulabeLes and
cardlovascular dlseases such as hlgh blood pressure are exLremely dangerous Lo
your eyeslghL.

8elng underwelghL weakens your lmmune sysLem and leaves your body open Lo
varlous dlseases and lnfecLlons. Moreover, lnsufflclenL food consumpLlon
dlrecLly lmpacLs Lhe lnLake and absorpLlon of vlLal nuLrlenLs - essenLlal amlno
aclds, vlLamlns and mlnerals, whlch leads Lo a large number of vlslon dlsorders
and general healLh problems.
lL ls very hard Lo generallze how much food per meal a person musL consume, lndlvldual
food requlremenLs are very speclflc and vary accordlng Lo age, gender, llfesLyle and any
ongolng healLh condlLlons. 1he easlesL ways Lo achleve moderaLlon are:
Go for sma||er port|ons. Avold overeaLlng by consclously servlng smaller
porLlons aL home and orderlng an enLry raLher Lhan a maln course or spllLLlng
your meal wlLh a frlend aL a resLauranL. uo noL opL for super-slzed meals
regardless of Lhe savlngs you have been offered. A good way Lo know when a
food servlng ls sufflclenL ls Lo measure Lhe slze of each food lLem vlsually. lor
lnsLance, a servlng of meaL or flsh should be approxlmaLely Lhe slze of deck of
cars and a servlng of bread - Lhe slze of a Cu. lrulLs and vegeLables are Lhe foods
125
you can go crazy abouL and eaL as much as you wlsh.

Do not eat |f you are not hungry. LaLlng [usL because lL ls Llme Lo eaL or durlng
some oLher acLlvlLy, for example whlle waLchlng a movle or readlng a book, ls
Lhe worsL Lhlng you can do Lo your body and Lo your eyes. 1he only excepLlon
allowed ls lf you are eaLlng frulLs or vegeLables.

Do not overeat. 8egular overeaLlng may lead Lo obeslLy whlch ls dangerous for
your general healLh and your vlslon. 1hlnk how ofLen you eaL more Lhan you
acLually need and why. ldenLlfylng Lhe reasons of excesslve eaLlng wlll deflnlLely
help you avold lL. keep ln mlnd LhaL lL Lakes a few mlnuLes for your braln Lo
process Lhe slgnals from your sLomach, so eaL slowly and make regular pauses.
1hls ls how you wlll flgure ouL when you need Lo sLop eaLlng.
126
Iru|ts 8enef|c|a| for Lye nea|th
Many frulLs can have a Lremendous lmpacL on your vlslon. Addlng frulLs Lo your dally
menu wlll noL only make lL much LasLler buL wlll help you lmprove your vlslon naLurally.
A research publlshed ln Lhe Archlves of CpLhamology lndlcaLed LhaL eaLlng 3 or more
servlngs of frulL per day may lower your rlsk of age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon
(A8Mu), Lhe prlmary cause of vlslon loss ln older adulLs, by 36. Pere are some of Lhe
maln frulLs beneflclal for eye healLh.
8|ueberr|es. 8lueberrles are an excellenL source
of vlLamln C whlch makes Lhem greaLly
beneflclal for your eyeslghL. A cup of blueberrles
conLaln around 23 of your dally vlLamln C
requlremenL. ln addlLlon, blueberrles help
malnLalnlng healLhy cholesLerol levels whlch ls
noL only good for your hearL buL for your eyes. A
less known facL abouL blueberrles ls LhaL Lhey
conLaln subsLances wlLh anLloxldanL properLles.
Accordlng Lo Lhe uSuA daLabase of Lhe
anLloxldanL acLlvlLy of selecLed foods (C8AC
values), blueberrles rank among Lhe hlghesL on a per servlng basls. AnLloxldanLs
neuLrallze Lhe negaLlve lmpacL of free radlcals and lower Lhe rlsk of varlous age-
relaLed dlseases, lncludlng age-relaLed eye condlLlons such as age-relaLed
8||berr|es. 8llberrles have been used for varlous medlclnal purposes for
cenLurles. 1hey are probably one of Lhe mosL beneflclal frulLs for eyeslghL.
8llberrles are used for promoLlng eye healLh and lmprovlng nlghL vlslon. 1hey are
an effecLlve naLural alLernaLlve when lL comes Lo LreaLlng problems wlLh Lhe
reLlna caused by dlabeLes or hlgh blood pressure.
127
k|w|s. klwls are an excellenL source of vlLamln C - one average slzed klwl wlll
saLlsfy 93 of your dally vlLamln C requlremenL! klwls are also a naLural dleLary
source of Zlnc - anoLher nuLrlenL essenLlal for eye healLh.
Lemons. Lemons are a greaL source of vlLamln C and varlous phyLonuLrlenLs wlLh
anLloxldanL effecL. AnLloxldanLs are very good for reLalnlng good vlslon and
lowerlng Lhe rlsks of varlous eye condlLlons because Lhey neuLrallze Lhe harmful
effecLs of free radlcals on Lhe eye cells.
Apr|cots. lresh or drled, aprlcoLs are one of Lhe besL vlslon frulLs. 1hey are an
excellenL source of vlLamln A - an lmporLanL eye vlLamln promoLlng good vlslon.
vlLamln A reduces Lhe degeneraLlve effecL of free radlcals on Lhe lens of Lhe eye
and Lhus lowers Lhe rlsk of caLaracL or delays lLs progresslon. AprlcoLs are also a
good source of vlLamln C and dleLary flbers - boLh lmporLanL Lo cardlovascular
healLh and eyeslghL.
App|es. Cne of Lhe mosL common frulLs, Lhe apple, has a vasL array of healLh
beneflLs, lncludlng vlslon healLh beneflLs. Apples are a good naLural source of
vlLamln A and vlLamln C and Lhey are beneflclal for prevenLlon of age-relaLed
healLh problems, lncludlng macular degeneraLlon of Lhe eye.
Avocados. 1he avocado ls surely noL Lhe only frulL rlch ln varlous essenLlal
vlLamlns and mlcroelemenLs buL lL ls deflnlLely one of Lhe few frulLs so rlch ln
anLloxldanLs. WhaL makes avocados unlque ls Lhe comblnaLlon of anLloxldanLs
and faL-soluble phyLonuLrlenLs requlred for Lhelr absorpLlon. Avocados conLaln
Lwo of Lhe mosL lmporLanL anLloxldanLs for eye healLh - luLeln and zeaxanLhln.
1hese are caroLenolds LhaL fllLer Lhe harmful uv rays from Lhe sunllghL, proLecL
eye cells and speclflcally Lhe eye lens, from Lhe negaLlve effecLs of free radlcals.
lncorporaLlng avocados ln your dally dleL wlll lower Lhe rlsk of caLaracL and age-
relaLed macular degeneraLlon.
128
Vegetab|es 8enef|c|a| for Lye nea|th
When lL comes Lo preservlng our
naLural eyeslghL, noLhlng can subsLlLuLe
fresh frulLs and vegeLables. MosL of Lhe
vlLamlns, mlnerals and mlcroelemenLs
essenLlal for vlslon healLh can only be
found ln producLs of planL orlgln. 1haL ls
why one of Lhe flrsL Lhlngs you should
do Lo lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally ls
Lo lncorporaLe as much vegeLables as you can ln your vlslon dleL.
vlrLually all vegeLables are good for eyeslghL slnce vegeLables conLaln many essenLlal
nuLrlenLs. As a general rule, Lhe more saLuraLed Lhe color of Lhe vegeLable ls, Lhe hlgher
lLs conLenL of nuLrlenLs ls. So, lf you are noL sure wheLher a cerLaln vegeLable ls good for
your eyes, look aL lLs color. We have llsLed Lhose LhaL have Lhe greaLesL poslLlve effecL
on your vlslon and LhaL can prevenL Lhe developmenL or Lhe progresslon of varlous
common eye dlsorders.
8rocco||. 8roccolls conLaln a powerful mlx of nuLrlenLs essenLlal Lo vlslon healLh.
Cne cup of broccoll wlll provlde you wlLh over 30 of Lhe dally requlremenL of
vlLamln C and over 43 of Lhe dally requlremenL of vlLamln A. Moreover,
broccolls conLaln omega 3 faLLy aclds, zlnc and vlLamln L, all of whlch are
lmporLanL for your eye healLh. uue Lo Lhe hlgh concenLraLlon of Lwo speclal
caroLenolds ln broccoll - luLeln and zeaxanLhln, addlng Lhls LasLy vegeLable Lo
your vlslon dleL wlll lower Lhe rlsk of dlseases lnvolvlng Lhe macula of Lhe eye
and Lhe lens of Lhe eye.
Carrots. CarroLs have a long-sLandlng repuLaLlon when lL comes Lo preservlng
and lmprovlng eye healLh naLurally. 1he hlgh amounLs of vlLamln A conLalned ln
carroLs supporL your vlslon sysLem and are parLlcularly beneflclal for nlghL vlslon.

129
ka|e. kale ls noL only one of Lhe LasLler vegeLables around buL ls also one of Lhe
mosL beneflclal vegeLables for eye healLh you can flnd. lL conLalns a unlque
comblnaLlon of nuLrlenLs greaL for your overall healLh and for your eyeslghL. kale
can help you lmprove eyeslghL naLurally because lL ls an excellenL dleLary source
of vlLamln C and A, luLeln and zeaxanLhln. lL has cholesLerol-lowerlng ablllLy,
whlch ls noL only greaL for your hearL buL has poslLlve lmpacL on eye healLh.
1omatoes. 1omaLoes are a greaL naLural source of vlLamln C and A as well as of
one less known anLloxldanL - lycopene. 1hls nuLrlenL has Lremendous effecL on
lowerlng Lhe oxldaLlon sLress ln your body and prevenLlng cells from oxygen
damage. AddlLlonally, LomaLoes are a good source of dleLary flber, whlch lowers
cholesLerol levels and Lhus prevenLs blood sugar from reachlng dangerously hlgh
levels. Culck rlses of blood sugar have deLrlmenLal effecL on your eyes and
especlally Lo Lhe reLlna of Lhe eye. A cup of fresh LomaLoes wlll provlde you wlLh
37.3 of Lhe dally value for vlLamln C, 22.4 of Lhe dally value for vlLamln A, and
7.9 of Lhe dally value for flber.
CLher vegeLables beneflclal for eye healLh are corn, beans, 8russels sprouLs, celery,
leaks, peppers, leLLuce, musLard greens, peas, squash and sweeL poLaLoes. All of Lhese
vegeLables wlll provlde you wlLh Lhe mosL lmporLanL eye nuLrlenLs and wlll help you
lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally.
130
Vegetab|e and Iru|t Iu|ces for 8etter Lyes|ght
MalnLalnlng a healLhy and varled dleL ls ln
Lhe core of proLecLlng your naLural
eyeslghL and reduclng Lhe rlsk of varlous
eye dlsorders. A healLhy dleL should noL
only provlde you wlLh Lhe baslc nuLrlenLs
essenLlal for your body, buL wlLh sufflclenL
quanLlLles of some essenLlal eyeslghL
nuLrlenLs.
lrulLs and vegeLables are Lhe besL naLural sources of some of Lhe mlcronuLrlenLs
lmporLanL for your vlslon healLh. Some sLudles suggesL LhaL consumlng aL leasL 3
servlngs of frulLs and vegeLables a day can proLecL your eyes from caLaracLs and age-
relaLed macular degeneraLlon - Lwo of Lhe mosL common eye dlsorders leadlng Lo
severe vlslon lmpalrmenL and bllndness.
lrulL and vegeLable [ulces are probably Lhe besL way Lo fuel" your eyes and body Lhose
vlLamlns and mlnerals. Slnce you can make a frulL or vegeLable [ulce from varlous
lngredlenLs, lL ls good Lo know whlch vegeLable and frulLs are mosL beneflclal for your
eyes:
8|ackcurrant: because of lLs greaL vlLamln C conLenL.
k|w|: a greaL source of vlLamln C, vlLamln L and Lwo of Lhe mosL lmporLanL
anLloxldanLs for eyeslghL - LuLeln and ZeaxanLhln.
Strawberry: a cup of [ulce wlll glve you all Lhe vlLamln C you need for Lhe day.
Cranges, Grapefru|ts, Lemons: a cup of [ulce wlll revlLallze you and glve your
eyes vlLamln C.
Carrots: an excellenL naLural source of vlLamln A and essenLlal beLa-careLonolds.
Mango: lL conLalns Lwo very lmporLanL vlslon vlLamlns - vlLamln L and A.
apaya, peach: a good dleLary source of vlLamln A.
131
1here are also some vegeLables essenLlal for your vlslon. Slnce pure vegeLables [ulces
are noL LhaL LasLy, lL ls recommended Lo mlx Lhem wlLh any of Lhe above [ulces. So whlch
vegeLables Lo add Lo your frulL [ulce?
ars|ey: because lL ls an excellenL vlLamln C dleLary source.
8rocco||: because lL conLalns vlLamln C, vlLamln L, LuLeln and ZeaxanLhln.
Sp|nach: because lL wlll provlde your eyes and body wlLh Lons of healLhy
nuLrlenLs (vlLamln C, L, A, lron, zlnc, LuLeln and ZeaxanLhln).
ka|e: lL ls one of Lhe besL planL sources of LuLeln and ZeaxanLhln.
lL ls lmporLanL Lo remember LhaL many vlLamlns and mlnerals are desLroyed when
exposed Lo heaL, cold or alr. lor LhaL reason lL ls good Lo drlnk Lhe [ulce rlghL afLer you
make lL. ?ou may also conslder uslng a [ulcer LhaL doesn'L generaLe Loo much heaL.
Make sure you buy and use only fresh organlc frulLs and vegeLables, Lhls way you wlll
ensure Lhey conLaln all Lhe beneflclal vlslon nuLrlenLs.
132
Meat and I|sh 8enef|c|a| for Lye nea|th
MeaL and flsh are Lwo of Lhe maln food
groups rlch ln some of Lhe mosL
beneflclal nuLrlenLs for your vlslon.
Consumlng lnadequaLe amounLs of meaL
and flsh food producLs puLs you aL hlgh
rlsk of developlng varlous eye dlsorders
and can speed up Lhe progresslon of
some of Lhe mosL common eye
condlLlons. We have complled a llsL of some of Lhe mosL lmporLanL meaL and flsh food
producLs you need Lo have ln your menu lf you are looklng Lo lmprove your eyeslghL
naLurally.
8eef. 8eef and oLher dark-red lean meaLs are of uLmosL lmporLance for your
overall healLh and your vlslon healLh ln parLlcular. 1he maln reason why beef ls
so good for your eyes ls LhaL lL ls a greaL source of zlnc - a mlcroelemenL vlLal for
Lhe proper developmenL of vlslon and reLlnal funcLlon. Zlnc ls a molecule LhaL
also helps Lhe uLlllzaLlon of vlLamln A, lL brlngs" lL from Lhe llver Lo Lhe reLlna of
Lhe eye. 1here ls a dlrecL llnk beLween zlnc deflclency and Lhe developmenL of
caLaracL, loss of nlghL vlslon, age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon. Moreover,
adequaLe dally lnLake of zlnc may slgnlflcanLly slow down Lhe progresslon of

Sa|mon and 1una. Salmon and Luna are Lwo of Lhe maln sources of Lhe omega-3
essenLlal faLLy aclds needed by your vlslon sysLem. Accordlng Lo Lhe Amerlcan
CpLomeLrlc AssoclaLlon 1wo omega-3 faLLy aclds have been shown Lo be
lmporLanL for proper vlsual developmenL and reLlnal funcLlon - uocosahexaenolc
acld and LlcosapenLaenolc acld." SufflclenL lnLake of Lhose faLLy aclds ls essenLlal
for opLlmal vlsual developmenL ln chlldren and prevenLlon of vlsual lmpalrmenL
133
and reLlnal degradaLlon ln adulLs. Cne of Lhe mosL common eye dlsorders, ury
Lye ls also dlrecLly llnked Lo Lhe amounLs of omega-3 faLLy aclds we consume.
Low dleLary lnLake of uocosahexaenolc acld and LlcosapenLaenolc acld ls also
assoclaLed wlLh eye dlseases such as dlabeLlc reLlnopaLhy, age-relaLed macular
degeneraLlon, and reLlnopaLhy of premaLurlLy.

ou|try. oulLry meaLs, chlcken and Lurkey meaL ln parLlcular, are a greaL naLural
source of selenlum, a Lrace mlneral essenLlal Lo eye healLh. Selenlum ls an
lmporLanL nuLrlenL ln Lhe prevenLlon of caLaracLs and macular degeneraLlon. lL
works LogeLher wlLh vlLamln L and reduces Lhe negaLlve effecLs of oxygen ln eye
Llssues.

Lggs. Lggs have a greaL lmpacL on your eyeslghL, as Lhey are excellenL source of a
varleLy of vlLamlns, mlnerals and oLher eye nuLrlenLs. Lggs conLaln huge amounLs
of luLeln, a caroLenold consldered Lo prevenL age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon
and caLaracL. noL only lLs conLenL ln eggs ls hlgher Lhan lLs conLenL ln vegeLables,
buL Lhe luLeln found ln eggs ls much easlly absorbed by Lhe human body. 1hose
who are concerned LhaL eggs cause an lncrease of cholesLerol levels may be
relaxed - more and more cllnlcal Lrlals show LhaL an egg a day boosLs blood
levels of boLh luLeln and zeaxanLhln wlLhouL lncreaslng cholesLerol or Lrlglycerlde
levels.
134
nerbs 8enef|c|a| for Lye nea|th
1he number of people complalnlng from some klnd of eye problem ls rapldly lncreaslng.
nearly everyone over Lhe age of 40 suffers from an eye dlsorder and has lmpalred
vlslon. Many experLs belleve LhaL vlslon exerclses, well-balanced dleL and some herbal
remedles are Lhe keys Lo lmprovlng eyeslghL naLurally and flghLlng back Lhe unpleasanL
sympLoms of many of Lhe mosL common eyeslghL dlsorders.
1he beneflclal effecLs of herbs have been known slnce cenLurles. eople have been
uslng herbs for medlclnal purposes slnce Lhe dawn of clvlllzaLlon. 1oday, Lhere ls sLrong
sclenLlflc evldence LhaL clearly shows why cerLaln herbs can have exLremely poslLlve
effecL on our overall healLh and eye healLh ln parLlcular. Pere are some of Lhe maln
herbs beneflclal for eye healLh.
8||berry 123//04056 6+.(0775)8. 8llberry ls probably Lhe herb wlLh
Lhe greaLesL lmpacL on human vlslon. 8llberry frulLs or exLracLs
conLaln chemlcal compounds wlLh sLrong anLloxldanL funcLlons.
1hey mlnlmlze Lhe harmful effecLs of free radlcals ln eye cells and
Llssues, and are parLlcularly lmporLanL for reLlnal healLh. lL ls commonly belleved LhaL
bllberry can lmprove nlghL vlslon however Lhere ls no sclenLlflc evldence Lo supporL LhaL
clalms. neverLheless, bllberry ls greaL for proLecLlng your eyeslghL agalnsL macular-
degeneraLlon, one of Lhe leadlng eye dlsorders causlng lrreverslble
bllndness ln Lhe uS.
G|nkgo 1904:;& <07&<38. Clnkgo blloba ls a very well sLudled herb. lL
has hugely poslLlve effecL on varlous bodlly sysLems, lncludlng Lhe
vlslon sysLem. Clnkgo blloba mlnlmlzes Lhe damage done by free radlcals and
slgnlflcanLly lmproves Lhe blood flow Lo all parLs of Lhe eye and especlally Lo Lhe reLlna
of Lhe eye. uue Lo lLs anLloxldanL and blood-clrculaLlon lmprovemenL funcLlons, Clnkgo
blloba can lower Lhe rlsks of reLlnal deLerloraLlon.
135
ass|onf|ower 1=3))0>7&.3 04/3.43(38. asslonflower ls a herb LhaL can release Lhe
Lenslon of your eye muscles and LhaL's why lL ls a greaL herb for Lhose sufferlng from
frequenL eye sLraln.
Aspa|athus 1?)@373(A5) 704,3.0)8. AsphalaLus ls Lhe maln lngredlenL of Lhe well-known
8oolbos Lea. AspalaLhus can help you lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally as lL conLalns
huge amounLs of powerful anLloxldanLs.
Mahon|a Grape 1B3A&403 3C50>&70568. LxLracLs from Lhe seeds of
Mahonla grape wlll proLecL your eyes from Lhe harmful uv rays and
wlll sLrengLhen Lhe small blood vessels ln your eyes. Mahonla
exLracL slows down Lhe aglng processes ln eye cells and ls beneflclal
for Lhe overall healLh of your vlslon sysLem.
Common kue 1D5(3 ;.3E,&7,4)8. 8ue, also known as Perb-of-Crace,
conLalns Lhe flavonold ruLln LhaL lmproves blood clrculaLlon,
sLrengLhens Lhe small blood vessels, and has anLloxldanL effecL.
1hls makes 8ue one of Lhe besL herbs for general vlslon
lmprovemenL and prevenLlon.
136
Natura| nerba| V|s|on kemed|es
A greaL varleLy of herbs can be exLremely beneflclal for proLecLlng and preservlng your
eyeslghL buL don'L have sufflclenL curaLlve power. Lucklly, Lhere are also many herbs
LhaL offer a naLural alLernaLlve for Lhe LreaLmenL of some of Lhe mosL common eye
dlseases. Some of Lhese herbs can fully subsLlLuLe convenLlonal medlcaLlons whlle
oLhers can be used ln con[uncLlon wlLh prescrlpLlon medlcaLlons.
ass|f|ora |ncarnata, commonly known as Maypop, urple
passlonflower, 1rue passlonflower, Wlld aprlcoL, and Wlld passlon
vlne ls used Lo LreaL hyperacLlvlLy, lnsomnla, arklnson's dlsease,
nervous Lenslon. lL ls very useful Lo rellve eye sLraln - one of Lhe
mosL common eye condlLlons LhaL ofLen remalns undlagnosed and unLreaLed.
8|ack tea 1F36,7703 )04,4)0)8 ls a herbal remedy known for lLs anLl-
lnflammaLory and anLl-bacLerlal acLlons. lL ls greaLly helpful ln cases
of lnk Lye or oLher eye lrrlLaLlons. lL works wonders ln perfecLly
healLhy eyes Loo as lL conLalns many chemlcals wlLh powerful
anLloxldanL effecL.
Common ch|ckweed 1G(,773.03 6,H038 ls noL only a dellclous and
nuLrlLlous edlble planL buL a herb beneflclal for eyeslghL. lL has anLl-
lnflammaLory properLles and ls excellenL for calmlng lLchy or
lrrlLaLed eyes. lL can be used for eye rlnse or eye compress Lo sooLh
Llred eyes.
Ind|an Co|eus 1=7,/(.34(A5) <3.<3(5)8 ls a planL useful for LreaLlng Lhe underlylng cause
for glaucoma - one of Lhe leadlng causes for severe vlslon lmpalrmenL and lrreverslble
bllndness ln Lhe world. 1he medlclnal effecL of Lhe planL ls due Lo a chemlcal forskolln lL
conLalns. lorskolln decreases Lhe lnLraocular pressure by supporLlng Lhe funcLlon of Lhe
enzymes requlred for eye fluld dralnage.
137
L|derberry 1G36<5/5) 40;.38 ls qulLe helpful ln cases of
Con[uncLlvlLls. A cold fuslon of lLs flowers applled exLernally on Lhe
eyes or used as an eyewash provldes naLural alLernaLlve Lo
convenLlonal con[uncLlvlLls LreaLmenLs.
Lyebr|ght 1*5@A3)038 ls used as a poulLlce for reduclng redness, swelllng, and vlsual
dlsLurbances caused by 8lepharlLls and Con[uncLlvlLls. LyebrlghL ls greaL for LreaLlng
eyesLraln and lmprovlng eyeslghL clarlLy.
138
Ioods 8ad for our V|s|on
Cne of Lhe keys Lo lmprovlng eyeslghL
naLurally ls malnLalnlng well-balanced
dleL. LssenLlally, Lhls means LhaL you
need Lo eaL a varleLy of producLs from
all food caLegorles ln order Lo supply
your eyes wlLh all Lhe nuLrlenLs Lhey
need. Powever, Lhere are many food
producLs LhaL may have negaLlve lmpacL
on your vlslon or speed up Lhe progresslon of some common eye dlsorders.
lurLhermore, someLlmes cooklng meLhods and eaLlng hablLs can Lurn an oLherwlse
healLhy food lnLo food bad for vlslon. Whlch foods you need Lo avold llke polson lf you
wanL Lo preserve, proLecL and lmprove vlslon naLurally?
Iunk food. Candles, chlps, cookles, even some nuLs can have a deLrlmenLal effecL
on eyes. Accordlng Lo Cood Mornlng Amerlca recenL news, a new sLudy suggesLs
vegeLable, monounsaLuraLed and polyunsaLuraLed faLs, along wlLh llnolelc acld
are Lhe Lype of faLs LhaL puL [unk food enLhuslasLs aL a hlgher rlsk for Lhe eye
dlsease". noL only Lhe faLs conLalned ln [unk food are bad for your eyes, buL Lhe
abundanL amounLs of sugar or salL many snacks conLaln. SalL and sugar are
noLorlous for Lhelr negaLlve lmpacL on vlslon.
Margar|ne. Many conslder margarlne a healLhler cholce Lo buLLer because of lLs
planL orlgln. 1he LruLh ls LhaL margarlne, along wlLh oLher commonly used
hydrogenaLed olls such as peanuL buLLer and soybean oll, ls poLenLlally bad for
your eyes. PydrogenaLlon ls an lndusLrlal meLhod for Lurnlng llquld vegeLable olls
lnLo solld ones. uurlng Lhe process of hydrogenaLlon vegeLable faL molecules noL
only lose almosL all of Lhelr beneflclal vlLamlns and mlnerals buL are Lransformed
lnLo Lrans-faLs. 1rans-faLs are exLremely dangerous for your overall healLh and
for your eye healLh ln parLlcular.
139
Deep fr|ed foods. lf you wanL Lo en[oy 20/20 vlslon for longer, forgeL abouL
deep-frled foods. noL only prolonged heaLlng of Lhe oll changes lLs sLrucLure and
makes lL bad for your eyes buL mosL of Lhe foods slmply loose Lhelr nuLrlLlonal
value when deep-frled. 8y eaLlng Loo much deep frled foods, you lncrease Lhe
amounLs of free radlcals ln your body (Lhey damage Lhe eye cells and lead Lo
varlous eye dlsorders plus speed up Lhe naLural processes of aglng) and decrease
Lhe amounLs of Lhe nuLrlenLs LhaL can flghL Lhose free radlcals. lor lnsLance,
sweeL poLaLoes are an excellenL source of vlLamln C - a well-known free radlcal
scavenger. 8y frylng Lhem Lhough, you desLroy nearly all of Lhelr vlLamln C
conLenL and saLuraLe Lhem wlLh harmful Lrans-faLs from Lhe frylng olls.
n|gh sugary foods. LaLlng loLs of sugary, sLarchy foods may make eyes more
vulnerable Lo age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon (AMu), Amerlca's Lop cause of
vlslon loss." reporLs WebMu. Any food lLem LhaL causes your blood sugar Lo rlse
rapldly, for lnsLance chocolaLe, puLs Lhe mosL lmporLanL parL of your eye - Lhe
reLlna, aL rlsk. ?ou can sLlll lndulge a sweeL blLe from Llme Lo Llme buL chose
carbohydraLes LhaL don'L make your blood sugar splke qulckly.
140
S Steps Ior A Successfu| V|s|on D|et

lannlng and malnLalnlng a dleL beneflclal for your eyeslghL wlll noL happen overnlghL
and lL shouldn'L. 1he easlesL way Lo swlLch from your currenL eaLlng hablLs Lo new,
healLhler ones ls Lo gradually change Lhe Lypes of foods you are eaLlng.

Ln[oy your food. lL's a common mlsconcepLlon
LhaL healLhy food lsn'L LasLy. 8uL lf you Lhlnk for a
second, you'll qulckly reallze LhaL Lhose vlslon-
frlendly foods you need Lo lnclude ln your dleL
are dellclous as well. Moreover, you can prepare
numerous healLhy dlshes LhaL are noL only good
for your eye healLh buL LasLy as well.

Pere ls a Llp LhaL wlll help you geL sLarLed: lnsLead of geLLlng obsessed wlLh devlslng and
followlng a healLhy vlslon dleL, Lake a second Lo Lhlnk whaL you are abouL Lo eaL every
Llme you buy or Lo prepare food, Lhlnk how you can lmprove your meal by addlng a
vlslon-frlendly lngredlenL or subsLlLuLlng an unhealLhy cooklng meLhod wlLh a healLhler
one. 1hls way you wlll change your dleL gradually and you wlll noL feel Lhe pressure of
belng on a dleL".

Lat a var|ed d|et. So, you have declded Lo make some healLhy changes Lo your dleL and
LhaL ls greaL. 8uL don'L ellmlnaLe foods from your menu ln favor of several food producLs
you've learned are good for your eyes. ln facL, a vlslon frlendly dleL musL be as varled as
posslble - remember LhaL provldlng your body wlLh foods from each of Lhe food groups
dlscussed prevlously ls essenLlal Lo malnLalnlng healLhy welghL and good overall healLh,
boLh of whlch are lmporLanL for your eyes.

5 Steps for a Healthy Vision Diet

Enjoy your food.
Eat a varied diet, rather than
any one particular food or
group of foods.
Eat the right amount and do
not overeat.
Eat fruit and vegetables at
least three times a day.
Avoid foods that contain a
lot of sugar and salt.
141
1he easlesL way Lo evaluaLe your currenL dleL and see whaL changes you need Lo make
ln order Lo make lL varled ls Lo use Lhe PealLhy vlslon uleL CheckllsL (p. 133).

Lat the r|ght amount of food. Lven Lhe healLhlesL menu ls poLenLlally dangerous lf you
eaL Loo much. MalnLalnlng a healLhy welghL Lhrough a healLhy, balanced and varled dleL
ls of uLmosL lmporLance for your general healLh and eye healLh.

Pow much do you need Lo eaL? 1he rlghL amounL of food a person should eaL depends
on Lhelr age, sex, physlcal acLlvlLy level and speclflc healLh condlLlons. ln general, a
healLhy adulL need Lo provlde Lhelr body wlLh approxlmaLely 2000 calorles per day.
Accordlng Lo Lhe unlLed SLaLes ueparLmenL of AgrlculLure (uSuA) lood and nuLrlLlon
Servlce, for 2000 calorle dleL you need a dally menu conslsLlng of 6 oz graln foods, 2 x
cups vegeLables, 2 cups frulLs, 3 cups of mllk, 3 x oz meaLs per day. We wlll dlscuss how
Lo make Lhe mosL of such menu ln Lhe vlslon Menu lannlng 1lps chapLer (p. 133).

Lat at |east three cups of fru|ts and vegetab|es per day. 8ecenL sLudles have shown LhaL
people who eaL aL leasL Lhree cups of frulLs and vegeLables per day are less llkely Lo
develop age-relaLed eye dlsorders. ?ou can opL for any Lype of fresh, drled, cooked or
canned frulLs and vegeLables and frulL and/or vegeLable [ulces.

Avo|d foods bad for eye hea|th and v|s|on. CpL for foods and beverages low ln added
sugars and salL. Powever, Lry Lo be reallsLlc and Lake Lhlngs one sLep aL a Llme. AlLhough
many foods are dangerous for your eyeslghL, do noL Lhlnk of Lhese foods as forbldden".
uolng so wlll only make you crave Lhem more. lnsLead, reduce Lhelr porLlon slzes or eaL
Lhem less ofLen and evenLually you wlll noLlce LhaL you don'L wanL Lhem anymore.
142
nea|thy V|s|on D|et Check||st

1hls slmple checkllsL wlll help you monlLor your menu dally and wlll show you how
balanced and varled your dleL ls ln Lerms of your consumpLlon of foods from dlfferenL
food groups and dlfferenL foods wlLhln Lhe same food group.

1. rlnL lL.
2. AfLer every meal, clrcle Lhe foods you have eaLen on Lhe form and place a Llck
mark on Lhe rlghL slde of each of Lhe food lLems.
3. uo lL for abouL a week

1o check your score, counL Lhe number of clrcles. 1hey wlll show you how varled your
dleL ls.
Less Lhan 10 - lnadequaLe food varleLy,
Less Lhan 20 - borderllne food varleLy,
20 - 24 - falr food varleLy,
23 - 30 - good food varleLy,
Cver 30 - excellenL food varleLy,

nexL, examlne closely Lhe food lLems nexL Lo whlch you have placed Llck marks. 1he
number of Llck marks you have nexL Lo a cerLaln food lLem shows how Lhls food ls
domlnaLlng your dleL. Cbvlously, you should have less Llck marks nexL Lo a large number
of dlfferenL food lLems, raLher Lhan many Llck marks nexL Lo [usL a few foods.

143

Iru|ts Vegetab|es Nuts & Sp|ces Gra|ns Meat & I|sh D|ary Ioods
apples
aprlcoLs
avocados
bananas
blueberrles
canLaloupe
cherrles
clemenLlnes
cranberrles
daLes
flgs
guava
honeydew
[ams
klwlL
kumquaLs
lemons/llmes
melons
necLarlnes
oranges
papaya
passlon
peaches
pears
plneapples
planLalns
prunes/plums
ralslns/grapes
raspberrles
sLrawberrles
Langelos
asparagus
bell peppers
beeLs
broccoll
8russel sprouLs
cabbage
carroLs
caullflower
celery
collard greens
cucumber
eggplanL
beans
green onlons
[alapeno chlll
kale
leLLuce
musLard greens
parsnlps
peppers
poLaLoes
pumpkln
radlshes
salads
sauerkrauL
splnach
squash
LomaLoes
Lurnlp greens
yams/sweeL
poLaLoes
almonds
8razll nuLs
cashews
chesLnuLs
fllberLs/hazelnuLs
pecans
plsLachlos
walnuLs
oLher nuLs
allsplce
black pepper
clove
clnnamon
cumln
garllc
glnger
onlon powder
oregano
rosemary
paprlka
saffron
sage
Lurmerlc
oLher Splces
barley
buckwheaL
corn
flaxseed
oaLs
rlce
rye
wheaL
oLher Cralns
beef
ham
lamb
pork
veal
llver
chlcken
duck
goose
Lurkey
ground
chlcken and
Lurkey
chlcken eggs
duck eggs

faL-free mllk
low faL mllk
reduced faL
mllk
whole mllk
flavored
mllks
uddlngs
made wlLh
mllk
lce mllk
frozen
yogurL
lce cream
Cheddar
cheese
Mozzarella
cheese
Swlss cheese
armesan
cheese
SofL cheeses
8lcoLLa
cheese
CoLLage
cheese
laL-free
yogurL
low faL
yogurL
reduced faL
144
Langerlnes
waLermelon
oLher frulLs

zucchlnl
peas
lenLlls
oLher vegeLables
yogurL
whole mllk
yogurL

V|s|on Menu |ann|ng 1|ps

now you have all Lhe lnformaLlon you need Lo sLarL plannlng your vlslon frlendly dleL.
8efore you do so, here are some Llps LhaL wlll make Lhe process easler.

|an ahead. lannlng a week of meals ahead wlll help you creaLe a well-balanced
and varled dleL. Moreover, lL wlll help you plan your food budgeL and cuL down
Lhe Llme you need for shopplng and even food preparaLlon.

lL ls absoluLely normal Lo flnd plannlng a 7 day menu a blL challenglng aL Lhe
beglnnlng. 1o make Lhlngs slmpler, you can elLher use our Sample vlslon-lrlendly
7-uay Manu (p. 137) or Lhe PealLhy vlslon uleL CheckllsL (p. 133). Pere ls whaL
you have Lo do, lf you declde Lo use Lhe checkllsL:

1. Clrcle 1 or 2 food producLs from each food group,
2. Look for cooklng reclpes lncorporaLlng Lhese producLs,
3. uo Lhls for every day of Lhe week,
4. Avold repeaLlng foods Loo ofLen.

Make v|s|on fr|end|y food cho|ces. As dlscussed above, a balanced menu ls one
LhaL conLalns adequaLe amounLs of foods from each food group. ?eL agaln, you
wlll need Lo opL for Lhe healLhlesL foods posslble:

a. Co for whole graln cereals, breads, rlce or pasLa,
b. LaL dark-green vegeLables and frulLs of red, orange and blue colors,
c. Choose low-faL mllk and mllk producLs,
d. CpL for lean meaLs and poulLry lnsLead of cured or oLherwlse processed
meaL producLs.

Choose foods your fam||y ||kes. no maLLer how healLhy cerLaln food ls, lL wlll be
useless lf your famlly doesn'L llke lL. lnsLead of maklng your parLner or klds eaL
someLhlng Lhey loaLhe, go for Lhe healLhy foods LhaL Lhey acLually love. lf some
of Lhe vlslon-frlendly foods dlscussed ln Lhls book are noL among your favorlLe
food cholces or ouL of your budgeL, subsLlLuLe Lhem wlLh oLher foods of slmllar
145
nuLrlLlonal quallLles.

Learn to cook hea|thy. ?ou can prepare a healLhy meal wlLhouL compromlslng lLs
LasLe even lf you sLlck Lo a healLhler cooklng sLyle. CpL for baked, grllled or
brolled cooklng meLhods, llmlL faLs llke buLLer, margarlne, lard or shorLenlng,
choose cooklng reclpes lncludlng fresh frulLs and vegeLables. As you can see,
such cooklng sLyle ls noL only healLhler buL ls less Llme consumlng.

Make |t easy. ?ou don'L need Lo measure every lngredlenL ln order Lo prepare a
healLhy, well-balanced and varled meal. All you have Lo do ls remember several
ground rules LhaL wlll help you devlse and prepare vlslon-frlendly meals:

1. Cne ounce whole graln food equals Lo 1 sllce of bread or x cup cooked
rlce, cooked pasLa or cooked cereal.

2. Cne cup of vegeLables ls a cup of fresh or cooked vegeLables, a cup of
vegeLable [ulce or 2 cups of raw leafy vegeLables.

3. Cne cup of frulLs ls a cup of fresh or cooked frulLs or 1 cup of frulL [ulce or
x cup drled frulLs.

4. Cne cup of mllk ls a cup of mllk or yogurL or 1 x oz fresh cheese or 2 oz
processed cheese.

S. Cne ounce from Lhe meaL food group ls 1 ounce lean meaL, poulLry or
flsh, or x cup cooked dry beans or 1 egg or 1 Lablespoon peanuL buLLer or
x ounce nuLs.

146
Samp|e V|s|on-Ir|end|y 7 Day Menu

?ou can flnd all Lhe reclpes feaLured ln Lhe sample vlslon-frlendly menu ln Lhe Iood &
D|et Gu|de LhaL you recelved along wlLh Lhls book.

8reakfast Lunch Snack D|nner
Monday lrulL & nuL CaLmeal
1 cup low-faL mllk
Crllled Chlcken
Splnach Salad wlLh 8aked
Cheese
1 medlum apple
1 cup aprlcoL necLar 8aked Salmon lllleLs
1ossed Creen Salad
8erry Cheesecake
arfalL
1uesday Cood Mornlng
Mufflns
1 cup low-faL mllk
8eef SLake
SweeL oLaLoes wlLh
Perbs
8aby CarroLs wlLh ulll
1 cup ClLrus lce 1ea
1 cup red grapefrulL
[ulce
1rouL WlLh Almonds
Classlc 8roccoll Salad
Melon wlLh 8aspberry
Sauce
Wednesday 1una Sandwlch
1 cup ?ogurL
8reakfasL urlnk

1urkey 1acos
Avocado Salad
Poney lrulL Salad

1 cup low-faL mllk Chlcken asLa wlLh
esLo
8roccoll Carden Salad
Apple & umpkln
ueserL
1hursday lrench 1oasL
1 cup low-faL mllk
1 cup assorLed frulLs
Splnach Cream Soup
Mlnl 8eef MeaLloaf
8russels SprouLs WlLh
Mushrooms
1 cup plaln yogurL
1 medlum apple
Crllled Cod Sandwlch
Splnach & Cranberrles
Salad
lrulL 8ake

Ir|day 8lce uddlng
1 cup low-faL mllk

llsh 1acos
1omaLoes & Creen
epper Salad
1 cup ClLrus lce 1ea
1 cup-low faL mllk
Wholegraln Cookles

Chlcken Llver WlLh
Creen eppers
8roccoll-8lce
Cucumber & Avocado
Salad
8lackberry SorbeL
Saturday Almond lrench
1oasL
1 cup low-faL mllk
LggplanL 8olls
Aslan 8rolled Mackerel
8rown 8lce Salad
Mango Mousse
8erry CompoLe vegeLable 8eef SLew
Carllc kale
umpkln 8lce uddlng
Sunday Whole WheaL
8lueberry ancakes
1 cup orange [ulce
8oasLed Lamb leg
eas & Celery
SweeL CarroLs
8aked lrench lrles
8aspberry each Crumble
1 cup low-faL mllk Salmon Mlnl lzzas
lLallan Creen Salad
Sunday lrulL Salad

147
Vegetar|an D|ets and V|s|on Concerns
Mllllons of people follow sLrlcL
vegeLarlan dleLs cuLLlng ouL meaL, eggs,
dalry producLs, flsh and all oLher
sources of anlmal proLeln. WhaL lmpacL
such dleL has on your eyeslghL?
Lverybody knows LhaL vegeLables and
frulLs are Lhe maln sources of vlLamlns
and mlnerals lmporLanL Lo good healLh. When lL comes Lo vlslon, many belleve LhaL a
vegeLarlan dleL wlll do Lhem good by provldlng Lhelr eyes wlLh huge amounLs of all Lhose
nuLrlenLs essenLlal for eye healLh. WhaL Lhey are mlsslng ouL however ls LhaL foods of
planL orlgln do noL conLaln oLher nuLrlenLs, equally vlLal for malnLalnlng Lhe healLh of
our vlslon sysLem.
Man's bllndness 'due Lo vegan dleL'" reporLed Lhe 88C several years ago. uocLors found
he ls sufferlng from severe deflclencles of some of Lhe mosL lmporLanL eyeslghL
nuLrlenLs - Lhe vlLamlns A, C, u and L, and Lhe mlnerals zlnc and selenlum. ln addlLlon,
he had exLremely low levels of vlLamln 81 and 812, boLh responslble for good vlslon. So,
ls Lhls a slngle unforLunaLe evenL or you are really puLLlng yourself aL rlsk by leavlng ouL
all food sources of anlmal proLelns?
lndeed, frulLs and vegeLables are Lhe prlmal sources of mosL of Lhe nuLrlenLs necessary
for good vlslon. Powever, sufflclenL amounLs of many essenLlal faLLy aclds, vlLamlns,
mlnerals and mlcroelemenLs can be obLalned from anlmal food sources or producLs -
meaLs, flsh, eggs, mllk and dlary producLs. lor lnsLance, omega-3 faLLy aclds have a very
lmporLanL role ln proper vlslon developmenL and reLlnal funcLlon. Whlle small amounLs
of Lhese faLLy aclds are found ls some vegeLables, Lhelr prlmary dleLary source remalns
flsh-based foods (salmon, Luna, mackerel, scallops, anchovy, snapper, LrouL, eLc).
148
Zlnc ls anoLher nuLrlenL of exLreme lmporLance Lo malnLalnlng good eyeslghL, lowerlng
Lhe rlsks of varlous eye dlseases and slowlng Lhe progresslon of some of Lhe mosL
common eye dlsorders. Accordlng Lo Lhe Amerlcan CpLomeLrlc AssoclaLlon lmpalred
vlslon has been llnked Lo zlnc deflclency. A deflclency of zlnc can resulL ln poor nlghL
vlslon and cloudy caLaracLs." Whlle zlnc ls conLalned ln some frulLs and vegeLables, lLs
maln dleLary sources are oysLers, beef, pork, mllk and eggs.
As you can see, an lmbalanced dleL can puL your eyeslghL Lo greaL rlsk. Cood vlslon can
only be malnLalned Lhrough proper vlslon dleL, rlch ln all Lhe nuLrlenLs your body and
your eyes need. vlLamln supplemenLaLlon ls essenLlal ln persons who adhere Lo a sLrlcL
vegeLarlan dleL.
149

VISICN AND MLDICA1ICNS
150
Med|cat|ons narmfu| for our Lyes|ght
AlLhough medlcaLlons are made Lo help you
flghL varlous dlseases, some of Lhem can puL
your vlslon healLh and eyeslghL Lo rlsk.
Cbvlously, Lhere ls no way Lo llsL all
medlcaLlons LhaL may have adverse slde
effecLs on your eyes. 1haL ls why we have llsLed some of Lhe mosL commonly used
medlcaLlons and how Lhey can be harmful for your vlslon.
Med|cat|ons that may cause ret|na| damage: some of Lhe mosL commonly
prescrlbed drugs for rheumaLold arLhrlLls (laquenll (hydroxchlorlqulne sulfaLe)),
medlcaLlons for hlgh blood pressure (Clonldlne), all nSAluS medlcaLlons (non-
sLerold anLl-lnflammaLory medlcaLlons such as asplrln, lbuprofen, flurblprofen,
keLoprofen and naproxen sodlum).
Med|cat|ons that can cause g|aucoma: all nSAluS medlcaLlons, some sLerolds,
SlmvasLaLln (for hlgh cholesLerol), lenfluramlne (for welghL loss), some gasLrlc
anLlspasmodlcs and anLldepressanL medlcaLlons.
Med|cat|ons that may cause cataract and]or macu|ar damage: all medlcaLlons
LhaL lncrease your llghL senslLlvlLy such as anLlhlsLamlnes, blrLh conLrol pllls,
Lranqulllzers, sulfa drugs, oral anLl-dlabeLlc drugs, anLldepressanLs, nSAluS
medlcaLlons, glucocorLlcolds (rednlsone), lluroqulnone, Lerblnaflne,
mefloqulne Lype anLlbloLlcs.
Med|cat|ons that may cause Dry Lye symptoms: anLlbloLlc, blood pressure
medlcaLlons, anLldepressanLs, anLlhlsLamlnes, blrLh conLrol pllls, appeLlLe
suppressanLs.
Med|cat|ons that may cause eye hemorrhage: nSAluS medlcaLlons lncludlng
over-Lhe-counLer paln rellevers, venlafaxlne (an anLldepressanL), AmphoLerlcln 8
(an anLlbloLlc), enLoxlfylllne, Peparln, coumadln, anlslndlone, and oLher oral
anLl-coagulanLs, prescrlbed Lo prevenL blood cloLLlng.
151
1here are many oLher medlcaLlons LhaL can have dlrecL lmpacL on your vlslon especlally
lf used long-Lerm. Moreover, cerLaln drugs don'L have any vlslon LhreaLenlng slde effecLs
buL reduce Lhe amounLs of some of Lhe mosL lmporLanL vlslon vlLamlns (vlLamln C, A and
L) whlch ls also poLenLlally harmful for your eyeslghL.
1o avold unnecessary damage Lo your eyes, always make sure you know whaL slde
effecLs an over-Lhe-counLer or prescrlpLlon medlcaLlon mlghL have. Ask your physlclan
abouL Lhe posslble adverse reacLlons you may experlence and check lf Lhere ls a
subsLlLuLe of Lhe medlcaLlon you are prescrlbed whlch wlll cause less or no damage Lo
your eyes.
152

LIILS1LL AND VISICN
153
L|festy|e Changes to Improve our Lyes|ght Natura||y
1he ma[orlLy of people Lake eyeslghL for granLed. 1hey
assume Lhelr vlslon wlll remaln Lhe same unLll Lhelr
slxLles, when probably lL wlll lnevlLably geL worse
because of age. Well, Lhls ls all wrong.
?our eyes healLh, [usL llke Lhe healLh of any oLher organ
ln your body, depends noL only on some geneLlc
predlsposlLlons your mlghL have buL on your llfesLyle.
varlous llfesLyle facLors can lmpacL quallLy of vlslon,
Lhere are some LhaL can even cause Lhe onseL of some
dangerous eyeslghL condlLlons leadlng Lo severe vlslon lmpalrmenL and bllndness.
Lucklly, you can Lake everyLhlng under conLrol wlLh some easy yeL slgnlflcanL llfesLyle
changes LhaL wlll help you preserve, proLecL and even lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally.
our d|et |s |mportant to your eyes|ght. WhaL, when and how you eaL dlrecLly
lmpacLs your eye healLh and Lhus your eyeslghL. 1he llnk beLween dleL and vlslon
has been dlscovered long Llme ago buL recenLly Lhere has been even more
research ln Lhls area. 1oday, lL ls a well-known facL LhaL cerLaln foods and eaLlng
hablLs are poLenLlally dangerous for eyeslghL whlle oLhers have poslLlve effecL on
vlslon. Moreover, cerLaln foods can posLpone Lhe onseL, relleve Lhe sympLoms or
slow down Lhe progresslon of many common eyeslghL dlsorders leadlng Lo
serlous vlslon loss and bllndness. lf you wanL Lo preserve, proLecL and lmprove
your eyeslghL naLurally, make sure you follow a healLhy, well-balanced and
varled vlslon dleL.
8e|ng act|ve protects your v|s|on. Lack of regular physlcal acLlvlLy can be
dangerous for your eyeslghL. lor lnsLance, lnacLlve people have hlgher rlsk for
developlng age relaLed macular degeneraLlon, one of Lhe leadlng causes of
154
severe vlslon loss and lrreverslble bllndness. Moreover, lnsufflclenL physlcal
acLlvlLy greaLly lncreases Lhe rlsk of oLher general healLh problems such as
obeslLy, hlgh blood pressure, cardlo vascular problems whlch all have negaLlve
lmpacL on eyeslghL.
uolng exerclses or oLher Lype of physlcal acLlvlLles aL leasL Lhree Llmes a week
can greaLly lmprove your general healLh and has Lremendously poslLlve lmpacL
on eyeslghL. neverLheless, lL wlll keep your body welghL under conLrol and
greaLly lmprove your overall appearance and wellbelng.
Get r|d of bad hab|ts. 8ad hablLs such as smoklng and excesslve alcohol
consumpLlon are noL only exLremely dangerous for your general healLh buL
parLlcularly hazardous for your eyeslghL. 1he rlsk of developlng varlous vlslon
dlseases and condlLlons leadlng Lo poor eyeslghL can be greaLly lncreased lf you
smoke and/or drlnk. lor lnsLance, smokers are aL 4 Lo 3 Llmes hlgher rlsk of
developlng AMu and doubled rlsk of developlng caLaracLs. ln addlLlon, non-
smokers llvlng wlLh a smoker are also aL hlgher rlsk of eyeslghL problems.
155
10 nab|ts for 8etter V|s|on
reservlng, proLecLlng and enhanclng vlslon should be a consclous efforL. Maklng sure
you do Lhe mosL for your eyeslghL wlll help you en[oy greaL vlslon quallLy for longer. 1he
followlng 10 hablLs for beLLer vlslon are deslgned Lo help you achleve [usL LhaL.
1. 8a|ance work and re|axat|on. CreaLlng balance beLween work and relaxaLlon ls
essenLlal for your mlnd, your body and your eyes. Powever busy you may be, make a
consclous efforL Lo dedlcaLe some Llme Lo eye relaxaLlon. lf you don'L know how Lo
properly relax your eyes, read Lhe chapLer vlslon 8elaxaLlon 1echnlques (p. 22) and you
wlll dlscover LhaL eye relaxaLlon ls qulLe slmple and has
numerous beneflLs.
2. 8e act|ve. 8elng acLlve ls exLremely lmporLanL for
your overall healLh and wellbelng and for your vlslon.
Many serlous vlslon condlLlons leadlng Lo severe vlslon
loss and bllndness may be caused by lack of regular
physlcal acLlvlLy. 1he Lype of exerclses you wlll be dolng
doesn'L really maLLer - you can do someLhlng as slmple
as Laklng a long walk, go swlmmlng or geL a subscrlpLlon
for Lhe local sporL club. 1ry Lo exerclse a mlnlmum of 30
mlnuLes per day.
3. M|nd your d|et. lL ls noL only whaL you eaL buL when and how you eaL. A healLhy,
well-balanced and varled dleL ls noL only good for your general healLh buL exLremely
lmporLanL for your eyeslghL. lncludlng some vlslon frlendly foods ln your dally menu can
proLecL you eyes from varlous eyeslghL dlsorders and slow down Lhe progresslon of
Lhose you mlghL already have. 1he easlesL way Lo flnd ouL whlch foods are good for your
eyes and how Lhey can help you lmprove your eyeslghL naLurally ls Lo read Lhe vlslon
and uleL secLlon of Lhls book (p. 92).
156
4. Create a v|s|on fr|end|y work|ng env|ronment. Worklng ln healLhy condlLlons ls very
lmporLanL for varleLy of reasons, lncludlng proLecLlng and preservlng your eyeslghL.
8egardless of Lhe exacL Lype of work you are dolng, make sure Lhe alr ln your worklng
area ls humld and clean and LhaL Lhe room ls well llL. lf you are worklng aL a compuLer or
dolng some oLher close eye work, make sure you are slLLlng aL Lhe correcL dlsLance from
your compuLer screen or readlng maLerlal. LasL buL noL leasL, remember Lo Lake regular
breaks and relax your eyes.
S. 8||nk regu|ar|y. 8llnklng ls an unconsclous acLlon and probably LhaL's why we are
ofLen unaware when we sLop bllnklng as ofLen as we should. normally, a person bllnks
10-12 Llmes per mlnuLe. When we read, waLch 1v or sLare aL Lhe compuLer screen
however, we bllnk up Lo 60 less. lnfrequenL bllnklng may cause eyesLraln, general
feellng of eye faLlgue and even some unpleasanL dry eye sympLoms. lf you wanL Lo
promoLe your eye healLh, make bllnklng a hablL. ?ou can also Lry Lhe 8llnklng vlslon
Lxerclse (p. 40).
6. G|ve up smok|ng. lf you are a smoker,
do your besL Lo qulL. Smoklng ls
exLremely dangerous for your general
healLh and for your eyes. 1he rlsk of
developlng varlous vlslon condlLlons ls
much hlgher for smokers and Lhose who
llve wlLh smokers compared Lo non-
smokers. lor example, people who
smoke are exposed Lo 4-3 Llmes blgger rlsk of macular degeneraLlon, a serlous eye
dlsease leadlng Lo severe vlslon loss and lrreverslble bllndness, Lhan Lhose who don'L
smoke.
7. Check your eyes regu|ar|y. A full medlcal eye examlnaLlon ls Lhe only way Lo dlscover
lf you have an eye problem. Lven lf you en[oy perfecL eyeslghL and don'L have any vlslon
157
relaLed complalns, vlslL your eye docLor aL leasL once a year. 1hose wlLh famlly hlsLory of
eye dlsorders such as glaucoma, macular degeneraLlon, asLlgmaLlsm, caLaracL and
myopla should opL ln for medlcal eye examlnaLlons as ofLen as once every 6 monLhs.
8. Wear correct eye prescr|pt|on. lf you are already vlsually lmpalred due Lo some eye
dlsorder, make sure you have Lhe correcL prescrlpLlon on your eyeglasses or conLacL
lenses. Wearlng Loo low or Loo hlgh prescrlpLlon wlll noL only mulLlply your vlslon
dlfflculLles buL ls poLenLlally dangerous for your eyeslghL.
9. L|m|t the use of contact |enses. unless speclflcally advlsed from your
ophLhalmologlsL, Lry Lo llmlL Lhe use of conLacLs. Wearlng conLacL lenses for long perlods
of Llme lncreases Lhe rlsk of dry eye and varlous eye lnfecLlons wlLh severe
compllcaLlons.
10. 1h|nk pos|t|ve. 1urn poslLlve Lhlnklng lnLo a hablL. ?our mlnd and your body are
more connecLed and dependenL on each oLher Lhan you mlghL Lhlnk. 1hose wlLh vlslon
problems ofLen Lhlnk My eyes are bad" or 1here ls noLhlng l can do, l [usL lnherlLed
poor vlslon". lnsLead, be opLlmlsLlc and repeaL Lo yourself My eyes are beauLlful" or l
feel greaL even lf my vlslon ls noL perfecL".
158
now to Save our Lyes|ght at the Computer?
ln Lhe pasL, lL was belleved LhaL eyeslghL could geL
worse due Lo radlaLlon from Lelevlslon or compuLer
screens. 1oday, we know LhaL vlslon problems due Lo
close up eye work relaLed Lo compuLer use are caused
by a number of dlfferenL reasons.
1he mosL common vlslon relaLed complalns among
people worklng aL a compuLer lnclude: eye sLraln, dry
eyes, blurred vlslon or a general feellng of eye
dlscomforL. 1hese mlghL be caused by a number
of facLors such as screen resoluLlon and conLrasL,
lmage refresh raLe and fllcker and worklng dlsLance and angles. Pere are a few
suggesLlons how Lo save your eyeslghL aL Lhe compuLer by addresslng each of Lhese
problems.
Screen reso|ut|on and contrast. SeL your compuLer monlLor aL Lhe hlghesL
resoluLlon posslble. 8eLLer resoluLlon provldes clearer lmage and Lhus poses less
sLraln on your vlslon sysLem. lf screen LexLs appear Loo small, slmply lncrease Lhe
fonL slze. Ad[usL Lhe conLrasL and Lhe brlghLness of your monlLor Lo a level
comforLable for your eyes. Make sure LexLs are easlly readable whlle avoldlng
addlng Loo much conLrasL and/or brlghLness.
Computer screen refresh rate. Ad[usL Lhe refresh raLe of your compuLer screen
Lo Lhe hlghesL posslble raLe.
Work|ng d|stances and ang|es. MalnLalnlng correcL worklng dlsLances and angles
ls very lmporLanL for your eyeslghL. ?our compuLer screen should be placed
sLralghL ahead, 20 Lo 26 lnches away from your eyes and lLs upper edge should
be sllghLly below your horlzonLal eye level. lf you have dlfflculLles seelng clearly
from such dlsLances, you need Lo geL your eyes checked and posslbly geL
prescrlpLlon correcLlon glasses or conLacL lenses. 1he cenLre of your compuLer
159
screen should be 10 Lo 20 degrees below your eyes (approxlmaLely 4 - 9 lnches
aL 24'' dlsLance). Make sure your screen ls dusL free and Lhere aren'L any
flngerprlnLs or oLher sLalns on lLs surface.
Savlng your eyeslghL aL Lhe compuLer ls noL only relaLed Lo Lhe way you wlll
ad[usL your compuLer screen and where and how you wlll slLuaLe lL. 1here are a
number of oLher Lhlngs you can do Lo proLecL your vlslon.
8||nk regu|ar|y. eople worklng aL a compuLer or dolng oLher close up eye work
bllnk 60 less Lhan normal. lnfrequenL bllnklng ls a ma[or facLor for onseL and
developmenL of dry eye and conLrlbuLes Lo a general feellng of eyesLraln. Make a
consclous efforL Lo bllnk regularly or Lry Lhe 8llnklng vlslon Lxerclse (page).
Improve the qua||ty of a|r |n your work|ng p|ace. Alr-condlLloned alr ls usually
very dry. 1hls makes lL bad for your eyes and may lmpacL Lhe quallLy of your
vlslon. use an alr humldlfler aL your work place and even aL your home,
especlally lf you have alr condlLlon and/or llve ln area wlLh dry cllmaLe.
ke|ax your eyes. lf you are unable Lo reduce Lhe Llme you spend ln fronL a
compuLer screen, provlde your eyes wlLh sufflclenL Llme for full relaxaLlon. l
sLrongly recommend you Lo check ouL Lhe </4/#. ?@($2/4( ).& 1(%)@)*/#.
1#9*/.( 5#$ =#3A9*($ </4/#. B6.&$#3( on page 89.
160
Shou|d I Wear Computer G|asses?
lf you are one of Lhe people spendlng
day ln and day ouL ln fronL of a
compuLer screen, you may have
consldered uslng compuLer glasses.
CompuLer glasses are speclal
prescrlpLlon glasses deslgned Lo
provlde clear vlslon ln Lhe so-called
lnLermedlaLe" vlslon zone. 1hls ls closer Lhan drlvlng (dlsLance) vlslon, buL farLher away
Lhan readlng (near) vlslon. lor mosL compuLer users, Lhls lnLermedlaLe zone of vlslon ls
somewhere beLween 20" and 26" as Lhls ls where a compuLer screen usually ls.
MosL people wear elLher eyeglasses for dlsLance vlslon (Lhose wlLh myopla) or glasses
for near vlslon (Lhose who are farslghLed). AddlLlonally, people over 40 ofLen wear
readlng glasses or blfocals due Lo presbyopla. Whlle Lhe glasses for each condlLlon
provlde clear dlsLanL or near vlslon, none of Lhem ls acLually deslgned Lo meeL Lhe vlslon
requlremenLs for LhaL lnLermedlaLe zone of vlslon. Lven blfocal and mulLlfocal lenses
(used for correcLlon of near and dlsLanL vlslon aL Lhe same Llme) have only a small
porLlon of Lhe lens dedlcaLed Lo Lhls area, noL nearly large enough for comforLable
compuLer work.
CompuLer glasses are speclflcally deslgned Lo help Lhe eye see beLLer aL lnLermedlaLe
dlsLance. Slnce vlslon aculLy and vlslon requlremenLs are very speclflc for each person,
any compuLer glasses should be made lndlvldually. ln oLher words, Lhere ls no such Lhlng
as unlversal" compuLer glasses. So, lf you wanL Lo en[oy Lhe maxlmum beneflLs of a palr
of compuLer eyeglasses, you should geL your prescrlpLlon from a quallfled eye docLor.
CompuLer glasses can slgnlflcanLly reduce Lhe sympLoms of CompuLer vlslon Syndrome
(CvS): eye sLraln, blurred vlslon, loss of focus, headaches. ?eL agaln, lf you wanL Lo
161
proLecL and preserve eyeslghL, you need musL dedlcaLe enough Llme Lo eye relaxaLlon
Loo.
162
3 Lasy 1|ps for Creat|ng V|s|on Ir|end|y Work|ng Lnv|ronment
Worklng ln a healLhy worklng envlronmenL ls of uLmosL
lmporLance for our safeLy and wellbelng. WhaL abouL
our vlslon Lhough? Are Lhe sLandard healLhy worklng
envlronmenL pracLlces enough for provldlng sufflclenL
safeLy for our eyeslghL?
1he followlng Lhree easy Llps are speclflcally useful for
Lhose dolng some close eye work LhaL requlres long
hours of unlnLerrupLed eye work and frequenL focus
shlfLs.
1. V|s|on fr|end|y work|ng stat|on. Close eye work puLs
addlLlonal vlslon sLress on your vlslon sysLem due Lo lncreased vlsual demand. WheLher
you are worklng aL a compuLer or dolng some oLher Lype of close eye work, you need Lo
make sure your worklng sLaLlon ls poslLloned ln a way beneflclal for your eyes. Make
sure your compuLer screen ls sLralghL ln fronL of you and LhaL lL ls 20-26'' away from
your eyes.
2. L|ght your work|ng area appropr|ate|y. Make sure you have good overhead,
background and foreground llghLlng. Also, make sure any addlLlonal readlng maLerlals
you are uslng are well llL. ?ou can use a comblnaLlon of celllng and desk lamps or any
oLher llghLlng appllances, [usL make sure no llghL ls comlng dlrecLly lnLo your eyes.
3. 8e ware of a|r qua||ty. MosL work areas are alr-condlLloned. Whlle alr condlLlonlng
provldes comforL, lL ls also poLenLlally bad for your eyes. CondlLloned alr ls Lyplcally very
dry and full of dusL and oLher harmful parLlcles. lrequenL exposure Lo dry alr ofLen
causes eye lrrlLaLlons and may even lead Lo dry eye - an unpleasanL eye condlLlon wlLh
poLenLlally dangerous compllcaLlons. lf you are worrled LhaL Lhe alr ln your work place ls
Loo dry or lf you are worklng ln a dry and/or warm cllmaLe reglon, geL an alr humldlfler.
163
164
3 V|s|on Lxerc|ses to ne|p our Lyes|ght at the Computer
eople spendlng long hours sLarlng aL a
compuLer screen aL exposed Lo a hlgher
rlsk of varlous eyeslghL dlsorders such
as eyesLraln, nearslghLedness (myopla),
dry eye and blurry vlslon. 1hese vlslon
problems as well as many oLher
uncomforLable sympLoms such as
headaches, neck and back sLraln can be
avolded by creaLlng a healLhy worklng envlronmenL and by dolng some slmple yeL very
effecLlve eye exerclses.
8efore we Lake a look aL Lhe Lop 3 vlslon exerclses LhaL can help your eyeslghL aL Lhe
compuLer, leL's explore Lhe reasons why our eyes are exposed Lo hlgher vlslon sLress
whlle sLarlng aL a compuLer screen.
CompuLer use requlres a number of speclflc vlslon skllls, whlch pose greaLer demand on
your vlslon sysLem. Whlle worklng aL a compuLer you need Lo move your eyes ln varlous
dlrecLlons more ofLen, Lo malnLaln unlnLerrupLed near focus for long perlods of Llme
and Lo frequenLly change Lhe focus beLween dlfferenL dlsLances. Moreover, your
bllnklng raLe ls greaLly decreased whlch ls poLenLlally bad for your eyeslghL.
1he followlng vlslon exerclses are almed aL Lralnlng your eye muscles and lmprovlng
your eyes focuslng ablllLles aL varlous dlsLances, reduclng eye sLraln as well as provldlng
your eyes wlLh much needed relaxaLlon.
8llnklng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 40)
165
All of Lhese vlslon exerclses are exLremely easy and can be done vlrLually anywhere and
aL any Llme of Lhe day. lor besL resulLs, perform Lhem every day and even several Llmes
a day.
lL ls hlghly recommended LhaL you comblne Lhe vlslon exerclses above wlLh some of our
Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlques. ?ou can also Lry some of our self-massage Lechnlques for
beLLer vlslon as Lhey are very helpful noL only for your eyes buL for your body.
AlLernaLlvely, you can Lry any of Lhe exerclses lncluded ln Lhe </4/#. ?@($2/4( ).&
1(%)@)*/#. 1#9*/.( 5#$ =#3A9*($ </4/#. B6.&$#3( (p. 89)
166

VISICN AND CS1UkL
167
1here are varlous ways ln whlch your body and your eyes depend on each oLher and
your posLure ls [usL anoLher example beLween Lhese dynamlc lnLeracLlons. ln oLher
words, your vlslon affecLs your posLure and your posLure affecLs your vlslon.
now osture Affects Lyes|ght?
ulfferenL posLure paLLerns are speclflc for some vlslon
problems. lor lnsLance, nearslghLed people Lend Lo
lean Lhelr heads forward ln aLLempL Lo see dlsLanL
ob[ecLs clearly, farslghLed people do [usL Lhe opposlLe -
slnce Lhey have reduced near vlslon such people Lend
Lo lean back, people wlLh asLlgmaLlsm ofLen LllL Lhelr
head Lo Lhe lefL or Lo Lhe rlghL. Whlle Lhese lmbalanced
posLure paLLerns ofLen provlde Lemporary vlslon help,
Lhey cause a varleLy of oLher problems - back paln,
Lenslon ln Lhe shoulders, neck and face.
Cn Lhe oLher hand, bad posLure hablLs puL Lhe eyeslghL
of people wlLhouL vlslon problems aL rlsk. unbalanced posLure resulLs ln Lenslon and
lncreases Lhe sLraln on your vlsual sysLem. varlous sLudles have shown LhaL lncorrecL
posLure may lmpacLs blnocular and slde vlslon and resulL ln myopla (nearslghLedness),
hyperopla (farslghLedness), asLlgmaLlsm and fuslon (blnocular vlslon) dlfflculLles.
Why correct posture |s |mportant for your v|s|on?
1. CorrecL posLure faclllLaLes good blood supply Lo your eyes and Lhls ls of uLmosL
lmporLance for general eye healLh.
2. CorrecL posLure reduces Lhe sLress on your vlslon sysLem. unbalanced posLure
puLs enormous sLraln on your eyes, as Lhey have Lo work harder Lo focus and
malnLaln clear vlslon.
3. CorrecL posLure ls lmporLanL for good blnocular vlslon.
168
MalnLalnlng good body posLure ls vlLal for malnLalnlng good eyeslghL. Moreover, lL ls of
greaL lmporLance for people already sufferlng from an eyeslghL dlsorder such as myopla,
hyperopla, asLlgmaLlsm or lazy eye.
169
S ku|es for V|s|on Ir|end|y 8ody osture Wh||e Stand|ng
8ody balance and coordlnaLlon would be qulLe dlfflculL
wlLhouL vlslon. Cn Lhe oLher hand, vlslon ls greaLly
lnfluenced by body posLure and can be negaLlvely
lmpacLed by varlous posLure lmbalances. Anyone
lnLeresLed ln preservlng Lhelr naLural vlslon or
lmprovlng Lhelr eyeslghL naLurally should learn how Lo
malnLaln proper body posLure whlle sLandlng, slLLlng or
lylng down.
1he flrsL sLep Lo learnlng how Lo malnLaln a healLhy
posLure ls learnlng how Lo sLand up sLralghL correcLly.
SLandlng up sLralghL requlres our skeleLal and muscle sysLems Lo work LogeLher. Slnce
our balance whlle sLandlng ls supporLed by Lhe muscles of Lhe neck, upper and lower
back, legs and feeL, Lhe way we sLand depends on Lhe poslLlon of Lhe neck, pelvls and
feeL.
1he key Lo esLabllshlng correcL posLure whlle sLandlng ls Lo allgn Lhe Lhree balance"
polnLs menLloned above correcLly. 1hls wlll allow your body welghL Lo dlsLrlbuLe evenly
around your splne and Lhus wlll prevenL bulldup of Lenslon or sLraln ln any of Lhe parLs
of your body.
1he easlesL way Lo achleve proper posLure whlle sLandlng ls Lo do Lhe followlng:
1. ke|ax a|| the musc|es |n your body. lf you should noL feel Lenslon ln any areas.
2. Look stra|ght ahead. Make sure your head ls noL LllLed Lo Lhe lefL or Lo Lhe rlghL
and LhaL your chln ls noL polnLlng up or down.
3. Stra|ghten your shou|ders and upper back. 1ry Lo achleve Lhls whlle keeplng
your muscles relaxed.
170
4. Center your pe|v|s. lmaglne your splne ls a column and your pelvls should be
exacLly ln lLs lower cenLer. lor many people malnLalnlng good poslLlon ls qulLe
hard aL Lhe beglnnlng as Lhey are used Lo pushlng Lhelr pelvls Lo Lhe fronL -
resulLlng ln hollow back, or Lo Lhe back - resulLlng ln Lhe so called flaL" pelvls
and causlng Lhe whole upper body Lo lean forward.
S. our |egs shou|d be h|p w|dth apart and para||e| to each other. Make sure your
welghL ls dlsLrlbuLed evenly beLween boLh legs.
An excellenL way Lo flnd ouL lf you have any posLure lmbalances ls Lo use a full helghL
mlrror. Looklng aL your posLure from Lhe fronL and slde poslLlons wlll help you see lf
Lhere are any problems wlLh your posLure and wlll allow you Lo correcL Lhem easlly.
LasL buL noL leasL, remember Lo be conslsLenL and correcL your posLure every Llme you
caLch yourself LhaL you are sLandlng lmproperly. Soon, you wlll dlscover LhaL malnLalnlng
a healLhy and vlslon frlendly posLure whlle sLandlng has Lurned lnLo a hablL and you
don'L need Lo consclously conLrol lL anymore.
171
V|s|on and osture When S|tt|ng and Ly|ng Down
MosL of us spend almosL Lhe enLlre day slLLlng ln fronL
of a desk. Moreover, Lhe mosL common way Lo relax ls
Lo lye down on Lhe sofa or ln bed and waLch a 1v show
or read a book. 8oLh slLLlng and lylng down affecL your
eyeslghL. 1haL ls why belng aware how Lo slL and lye
down correcLly ls of uLmosL lmporLance for preservlng
your eyeslghL.
now to s|t correct|y for better v|s|on?
Slnce almosL all [obs LhaL requlre us Lo remaln seaLed
for long perlods of Llme lnvolve some klnd of close eye
work or long perlods of eye concenLraLlon, correcL posLure whlle slLLlng ls very
lmporLanL for vlslon healLh. Close eye work such as readlng or worklng aL a compuLer
poses lncreased vlsual demands by lLself, when our posLure ls lmbalanced or ln any
oLher way lmproper, Lhe demands on our vlslon sysLem become even hlgher. Lxposlng
our vlslon Lo consLanL vlslon sLress leads Lo varlous eyeslghL dlsorders as well as Lo some
unpleasanL sympLoms such as headaches, neck sLraln, back paln and wrlsL paln.
Pere are Lhe baslc rules for correcL, vlslon frlendly-seaLed posLure seLLlng.
1. SlL wlLh your pelvls pushed back ln Lhe seaL Lo Lhe polnL where lL Louches Lhe
back of Lhe chalr.
2. keep your back sLralghL yeL relaxed - leL your body welghL resL on your pelvls.
ldeally, your back and your pelvls should form a 90 degrees angle.
3. ?our knees should be bended ln 90-degree angle and your feeL musL Louch Lhe
floor.
4. ?ou may place your arms aL your desk or aL Lhe arms of Lhe chalr buL you should
never use Lhem Lo supporL Lhe welghL of your upper body.
172
1o easler achleve healLhy seaLed posLure, geL a chalr wlLh ad[usLable helghL. lf your feeL
cannoL reach Lhe ground whlle you are malnLalnlng correcL pelvls poslLlon, use a flrm
plllow or oLher supporL underneaLh Lhem buL never leave Lhem hanglng ln Lhe alr.
now to ||e down correct|y for better v|s|on?
MosL people prefer Lo lle down whlle waLchlng Lhelr favorlLe 1v shows or readlng. Whlle
lylng down seems preLLy sLralghLforward, many people do noL have correcL lylng
posLure and Lhus puL Lhelr vlslon and oLher body parLs aL rlsk of problems.
1he mosL lmporLanL rule for correcL body posLure whlle lylng down ls Lo always make
sure you have adequaLe neck supporL. eople wlLh vlslon problems should avold
waLchlng 1v or readlng whlle lylng down as Lhls puLs exLra sLress on Lhelr vlsual sysLem
regardless of Lhelr posLure.
173
3 8a|ance and Coord|nat|on Lxerc|ses for 8etter Lyes|ght
?our vlslon ls noL only lmporLanL for
seelng Lhe world around you buL for
helplng your body Lo malnLaln proper
balance and coordlnaLlon. Many
eyeslghL dlsorders lead Lo poor eye-
hand coordlnaLlon and even Lo balance
problems.
1he followlng Lhree balance and coordlnaLlon exerclses are deslgned Lo help you
lmprove your eye-hand coordlnaLlon and your overall balance skllls.
1he Stork Lxerc|se
1. SLand wlLh your legs hlp wldLh aparL and your hands on your hlps.
2. Slowly llfL your rlghL leg up and bend lL ln Lhe knee. ?our upper leg should be
parallel Lo Lhe ground and form 90-degree angle wlLh your hlps and Lhere should
be 90 degree bend ln Lhe knee.
3. 8emaln ln Lhls poslLlon for abouL 3 seconds and slowly puL back your leg on Lhe
ground.
4. 8epeaL wlLh Lhe oLher leg.
nand to Ank|e Lxerc|se
1. SLand wlLh your legs hlp wldLh aparL. ?our hands should resL on boLh sldes of
your body.
2. 8end your rlghL leg backwards unLll your lower leg ls parallel Lo Lhe ground. AL
Lhe same Llme reach back wlLh your lefL hand and grab your ankle.
3. Pold Lhe poslLlon for 10 seconds and reLurn ln lnlLlal sLandlng poslLlon.
4. 8epeaL wlLh Lhe oLher leg and hand.
174

Leg S||de Lxerc|se
1. SLand dlrecLly behlnd a chalr or a Lable wlLh your legs hlp wldLh aparL.
2. Poldlng Lhe Lable for exLra balance, slowly sllde your rlghL leg sldeward unLll lL ls
10 lnches away from your body. Pold Lhe poslLlon for 3 seconds and reLurn ln
lnlLlal poslLlon.
3. 8epeaL wlLh Lhe oLher leg.
1he above balance and coordlnaLlon exerclses are noL only greaL for lmprovlng your
eye-hand coordlnaLlon and your balance skllls, buL are a greaL way Lo relax afLer a busy
day. ?ou can do all Lhree exerclses or a comblnaLlon of Lhose LhaL you llke Lhe mosL.
8egardless of Lhe exerclses you wlll chose Lo do on a regular basls, lL ls very lmporLanL Lo
do Lhem slowly and Lo Lry Lo malnLaln correcL body posLure LhroughouL each exerclse.
8emember Lo breaLhe deeply and regularly Loo.
175

CCMMCN LLSIGn1 DISCkDLkS
176
Myop|a
Accordlng Lo a survey of Lhe naLlonal Lye lnsLlLuLe (nLl) Lhe esLlmaLed prevalence of
myopla among adulLs ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes ls over 33. Many chlldren and young
adulLs also experlence reduced dlsLanL vlsual aculLy due Lo nearslghLedness, whlch
makes myopla probably, Lhe mosL common eyeslghL dlsorders.
vlrLually anyone ls aL rlsk of myopla - lL may occur ln chlldhood or adolescence and may
be caused by heredlLary or envlronmenLal facLors.
Myop|a, a|so known as nears|ghtedness |s an eye cond|t|on, wh|ch affects your ab|||ty
to see d|stant ob[ects c|ear|y. eop|e w|th myop|a have no prob|ems see|ng ob[ects
that are c|ose by but ob[ect further away appear b|urred.
Learnlng more abouL Lhe causes and Lhe sympLoms of Lhe dlsease as well as whaL Lhe
avallable naLural LreaLmenLs are wlll help you preserve and proLecL your eyeslghL.
Why Are So Many eop|e Nears|ghted?

Accordlng Lo a recenL sLudy aL Lhe
naLlonal Lye lnsLlLuLe (nLl), parL of Lhe
naLlonal lnsLlLuLes of PealLh, nearly 33.1
of Lhe Amerlcans suffer from
nearslghLedness (myopla). lf you look aL
oLher sLaLlsLlcal daLa from Lhelr research,
you wlll lmmedlaLely noLlce LhaL
nearslghLedness Lakes Lhe Lop place among Lhe mosL common eyeslghL dlsorders -
farslghLedness, caLaracL, glaucoma, dlabeLlc reLlnopaLhy and age-relaLed macular
degeneraLlon.

177
8esearchers also found LhaL raLes of myopla ln people ages 12 Lo 34 ralsed from 23 ln
Lhe early 70's Lo nearly 42 ln 1999-2000. 1hls daLa marks a nearly 70 lncrease of
myopla prevalence for Lhe pasL 20 years.

Why are so many people nearslghLed? Why Lhe raLes
of myopla are so rapldly lncreaslng?

AlLhough nearslghLedness usually develops ln
chlldhood, lL may as well develop laLer on ln llfe. lL
occurs when Lhe eyeball ls Loo long or lf Lhe cornea
has lrregular shape. ln any of Lhese cases, llghL
enLerlng Lhe eye doesn'L focus on Lhe reLlna buL ln
fronL of lL, whlch resulLs ln blurred dlsLanL vlslon.

1radlLlonally, sclenLlsLs belleved LhaL myopla ls one
of Lhe heredlLary eyeslghL dlsorders. Powever,
newer sLudles suggesL LhaL nearslghLedness may
develop even ln people wlLh no famlly hlsLory of
myopla and LhaL some envlronmenLal facLors
lncrease Lhe rlsk of myopla.

lL ls now LhoughL LhaL any acLlvlLy LhaL lnvolves long
perlods of unlnLerrupLed close-up eye work may
change Lhe shape of Lhe eye and Lhus lead Lo
myopla. Cn Lhe oLher hand, looklng aL ob[ecLs ln Lhe
dlsLance acLually relaxes Lhe eyes and lowers Lhe rlsk
of nearslghLedness. Some sLudles even suggesL LhaL
noL Lhe Llme spenL ln close-up eye work buL Lhe Llme
3 Nearsightedness Myths
Myth: Prescription glasses
increase nearsightedness
because the eyes become
accustomed to them.
Fact: Prescription glasses
dont increase myopia. Wear
your prescription glasses
even if you are using a
natural vision correction
program until you dont need
them anymore. Make sure
that you have a correct
prescription all the time.
Myth: Wearing contact
lenses is better than wearing
glasses in case of myopia.
Fact: Contacts dont help
nearsightedness better than
eyeglasses; they provide an
alternative to people reluctant
to wear glasses. Contact lens
wearers are at higher risk of
various eye health problems
such as dry eye and
infections.
Myth: Using night light in
infant rooms increases the
risk of myopia.
Fact: Latest studies have
found no connection between
nighttime lighting and
development of myopia. The
results show that it doesnt
matter if a child sleeps in a
dark room, with a night light
or in a fully lit room.
178
spenL uslng dlsLance vlslon ls whaL lncreases or decreases Lhe rlsk of nearslghLedness.

SLress ls also consldered one of Lhe rlsk facLors for nearslghLedness.

WlLh Lhls daLa ln mlnd we can conslder LhaL Lhe drasLlc lncrease of myopla raLe durlng
Lhe pasL 20 years ls prlmarlly due Lo soclal and llfesLyle changes - modern chlldren spend
mosL of Lhelr free Llme ln fronL of a compuLer screen and less Llme playlng ouLdoors.

8ecenL sLudles have shown LhaL sunllghL and vlLamln 82 (rlboflavln) sLrengLhen Lhe
ouLslde layer of Lhe eye (Lhe sclera). 1haL ls why chlldren who spend more Llme
ouLdoors are less prone Lo myopla.

AlLhough lL seems LhaL nearslghLedness only causes vlsual dlscomforL LhaL can easlly be
ellmlnaLed by wearlng prescrlpLlon eyeglasses, conLacL lenses or wlLh a refracLlve eye
surgery, myopla ls a ma[or cause of bllndness. Myoplc people are more prone Lo serlous
eye problems such as glaucoma and reLlnal deLachmenL, serlous condlLlons LhaL may
lead Lo permanenL bllndness.

8egardless of Lhe exacL meLhod a person wlll choose Lo manage Lhelr nearslghLedness,
prevenLlon remalns Lhe besL opLlon. Pere are several Llps LhaL wlll help you reLaln your
good dlsLanL vlslon or relleve Lhe sympLoms of myopla ln a naLural way.

nave your eyes checked at |east once per year.

A|ways wear correct eyeg|asses or contact |enses prescr|pt|on. lf you are
currenLly dolng vlslon exerclses, geL your eyes checked Lhe momenL you noLlce
an lmprovemenL of your vlslon and geL a correcL prescrlpLlon.

179
Learn wh|ch the symptoms of the most common myop|a comp||cat|ons are. lf
you experlence sudden loss of vlslon ln one eye, sudden blurred vlslon, flashes of
llghL or halos, ralnbows, sLars" and/or black spoLs seek medlcal help
lmmedlaLely as Lhese may all be slgns of reLlnal damage or reLlnal deLachmenL -
eye healLh emergencles LhaL may lead Lo permanenL vlslon loss lf lefL unLreaLed.

A|ways wear sung|asses to protect your eyes from harmfu| UV ||ght. CeL a palr
of hlgh quallLy sunglasses and wear Lhem every Llme lL ls sunny ouLslde.

Create and st|ck to a hea|thy d|et. lndeed, a healLhy dleL alone may noL be
enough Lo correcL nearslghLedness. 8uL lL ls proven LhaL cerLaln foods are greaLly
beneflclal for eyeslghL and can help myopla sympLoms. Moreover, a healLhy dleL
lmproves general healLh and lowers Lhe rlsk of chronlc lllnesses LhaL have
deLrlmenLal lmpacL on eye healLh and vlslon.

u|t unhea|thy hab|ts such as smok|ng and]or chron|c a|coho| consumpt|on -
Lhey may worsen nearslghLedness and lncrease Lhe rlsk of oLher serlous eye
dlseases.

rov|de your eyes w|th enough t|me for re|axat|on and eye exerc|s|ng. uedlcaLe
a few mlnuLes per day Lo vlslon exerclslng. vlslon exerclses and relaxaLlon wlll
keep your eyes flL, ease Lhe sympLoms of nearslghLedness and even help
lmprove eyeslghL naLurally.
Causes of Myop|a
eople wlLh myopla focus Lhe llghL ln
fronL of Lhe reLlna lnsLead of
180
preclsely on lL and LhaL ls Lhe cause for poor dlsLanL vlslon.
Cbvlously, Lhe reason for Lhe llghL Lo come on focus ln fronL Lhe reLlna ls lncorrecL
sLrucLure of Lhe refracLlve elemenLs of Lhe eye. Powever, medlcal professlonals sLlll
don'L know for sure whaL causes Lhese lrregularlLles.
1here are Lwo maln hypoLheses regardlng Lhe mosL common causes of Lhls eye dlsorder:
Many belleve LhaL myopla ls a heredlLary condlLlon.
LoLs of medlcal evldence suggesLs LhaL myopla ls caused by lncreased vlsual
sLress and close eye work.
lL ls clear LhaL boLh heredlLary facLors and llfesLyle hablLs can lncrease your rlsk of
nearslghLedness. eople wlLh parenLs wlLh myopla are aL greaLer rlsk of developlng Lhe
dlsease, especlally lf Lhey are lnvolved ln some Lype of close eye work. Cn Lhe oLher
hand, people wlLh no heredlLary Lread may be aL rlsk of nearslghLedness lf Lhey puL Lhelr
eyes under consLanL vlsual sLress - spendlng conslderable Llme readlng, worklng aL a
compuLer, or dolng oLher lnLense close vlsual work.
AparL from Lhe Lwo maln myopla causes, general healLh condlLlons and envlronmenLal
facLors may also lncrease Lhe rlsk of myopla.
eople wlLh hlgh blood sugar levels or dlabeLes ofLen experlence blurred dlsLanL
vlslon.
Myopla sympLoms may also be slgns for an early caLaracL.
eople who perform an excesslve amounL of close vlslon work may have Lhe so
called pseudo" myopla - Lhelr lnablllLy Lo see clearly ln Lhe dlsLance ls caused by
overuse of Lhe eye focuslng mechanlsm raLher Lhan changes ln Lhe eye
characLerlsLlc for nearslghLedness. Powever, conLlnuous close eye work may
lead Lo permanenL changes ln Lhe eye and cause myopla.
181
Myopla may be congenlLal (presenL aL blrLh) or develop durlng chlldhood (prlor Lo age of
20) or adulLhood (beLween Lhe age of 20 and 40). ln addlLlon, Lhere are many cases of
laLe adulL onseL myopla LhaL develops afLer Lhe age of 40.
182
Myop|a Symptoms
1he flrsL sympLoms of myopla are dlfflculLles ln focuslng ob[ecLs LhaL are locaLed away
from Lhe vlewer. Many people may noL reallze Lhey have an eye dlsorder as Lhey have
only sllghL problems seelng clearly dlsLanL ob[ecLs. AL Lhls sLage unconsclous or
consclous squlnLlng helps Lhe person Lo focus dlsLanL ob[ecLs.

As nearslghLedness progresses, people sLarL Lo experlence dlfflculLles seelng clearly
ob[ecLs aL closer proxlmlLy - for lnsLance one may have Lroubles readlng Lhe scrlpLs on
Lhe 1v screen. ln cases of hlgh myopla (myopla of -6.00 u or more) near vlslon may be
also affecLed and people may need Lhelr glasses for dlsLance when readlng or dolng
oLher close eye work.
Lucklly, myopla can be easlly dlagnosed by some slmple eye examlnaLlon meLhods.
1hese meLhods lnclude ldenLlfylng leLLers or symbols on an eye charL (such as Lhe
Snellen eye charL) Lo esLlmaLe Lhe vlsual aculLy of Lhe paLlenL, assesslng Lhe refracLlve
sLaLus of each eye wlLh a reLlnoscope and maklng flne ad[usLmenLs Lo Lhem by placlng
dlfferenL lens ln fronL of each eye uslng a phoropLer.
183
CphLhalmologlsLs may also choose Lo use auLomaLed devlces LhaL assess Lhe focuslng
ablllLy of Lhe eyes auLomaLlcally.

Natura| 1reatments for Myop|a
1here are varlous myopla naLural
LreaLmenL opLlons you can conslder lf
you are looklng for a naLural LreaLmenL
for myopla.
vlslon Lherapy ls ofLen recommended
Lo people wlLh myopla caused by sLress
or envlronmenLal facLors such as dally
lnvolvemenL ln eye lnLenslve work. vlslon Lherapy LreaLmenLs use varlous vlslon
exerclses Lo lmprove poor eye focuslng ablllLy and regaln clear dlsLanL vlslon.
ln many people nearslghLedness ls caused by spasm of Lhe muscles whlch conLrol eye
focuslng. 1hese are usually people dolng close-up eye work or lnvolved ln oLher
acLlvlLles LhaL requlre unlnLerrupLed eye concenLraLlon. ln Lhese cases, vlslon exerclses
and some eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques can be used Lo relax Lhe eye muscles and release
Lhelr Lenslon and Lhus Lo naLurally lmprove eyeslghL.
1he mosL common eye exerclses for myopla are Lhose almed aL lmprovlng Lhe focuslng
ablllLy of Lhe eye.
vlslon Lxerclse and 8elaxaLlon 8ouLlne for nearslghLedness (Myopla) (p. 77)
184
Anyone looklng for a naLural LreaLmenL for myopla should conslder relaxlng Lhelr eyes
regularly. 1here are several easy eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques LhaL are noL only greaLly
beneflclal for Lhe eyes buL provlde overall relaxaLlon and reduce sLress.
Many people suffer from heredlLary nearslghLedness. ln Lhese cases, dlsLanL vlsual
aculLy ls decreased noL due Lo Lenslon of Lhe eye muscles buL due Lo lrregularlLles ln Lhe
shape of Lhe cornea. AlLhough lL ls conLroverslal LhaL eye exerclses for myopla can
provlde permanenL vlslon lmprovemenL ln cases of heredlLary myopla, performlng eye
exerclses and relaxaLlon Lechnlques ls sLlll beneflclal for lmprovlng Lhe focuslng ablllLles
of Lhe eyes and general vlslon relaxaLlon.
185
nyperop|a
nyperop|a, a|so known as hypermetrop|a
or fars|ghtedness, |s an eye d|sorder that
affects the ab|||ty of the eyes to focus on
near ob[ects. ln Lhe ma[orlLy of cases
people can see clearly dlsLanL ob[ecLs buL
experlence dlfflculLles seelng clearly close
ob[ecLs. uependlng on Lhe degree of
hyperopla and Lhe age of Lhe person, Lhe overall focuslng ablllLy of Lhe eye may be
affecLed and ob[ecLs aL any dlsLance may appear blurred.
Accordlng Lo Lhe naLlonal Lye lnsLlLuLe (nLl) nearly 12 mllllon people of 40 years and
older ln Lhe uS suffer from farslghLedness. Slnce farslghLedness may occur ln boLh adulLs
and chlldren, Lhese numbers are llkely Lo be much hlgher, and Lhls makes hyperopla one
of Lhe mosL common eyeslghL dlsorders.
1he key Lo Lhe successful managemenL of farslghLedness ls ln early deLecLlon, accuraLe
dlagnosls and correcL LreaLmenL. knowlng whaL ls hyperopla and whaL lLs causes and
sympLoms are wlll help you preserve and proLecL your eyeslghL.
Causes of nyperop|a
1he maln causes of hyperopla are
consldered Lo be heredlLary facLors
and oLher Lhan normal blologlcal
varlaLlons of Lhe refracLlve
componenLs of Lhe eye. ln general,
hyperopla occurs when Lhe llghL
enLerlng Lhe eye comes on focus
behlnd Lhe reLlna. 1he reasons why
186
Lhe llghL doesn'L focus correcLly aL Lhe cenLer of Lhe reLlna (where lL needs Lo be so LhaL
clear lmage ls produced) vary and may lnclude one or several of Lhe followlng:
ShorL axlal lengLh of Lhe eyeball,
1oo llLLle curvaLure of Lhe cornea,
lnsufflclenL focuslng power of Lhe lens,
lncreased Lhlckness of Lhe lens,
Pyperopla may be caused by maldevelopmenL of Lhe eye sLrucLures durlng Lhe prenaLal
and early posLnaLal perlod and lnflammaLlons of some eye sLrucLures.
nyperop|a Symptoms
Pyperopla sympLoms vary and generally depend on Lhe Lype of hyperopla, lLs degree
and Lhe age of Lhe person.
Cenerally, young people wlLh low, mlld and even hlgh hyperopla may noL experlence
any sympLoms. 1hls ls largely due Lo Lhe accommodaLlon capablllLles of Lhe eyes.
Powever, when Lhe accommodaLlon capablllLy of Lhe eye ls noL sufflclenL due Lo age or
lncreased vlslon sLress, or when Lhe level of hyperopla ls Loo greaL, hyperopla sympLoms
sLarL Lo surface.
1wo of Lhe mosL common hyperopla sympLoms are consLanL or sporadlc blurred vlslon
and eye sLraln (asLhenopla). CLher common slgns of hyperopla are red and/or Learlng
eyes, frequenL bllnklng, squlnLlng when readlng or dolng oLher close eye work, general
feellng of eye faLlgue and/or eye sLraln, general focuslng problems, decreased eye-hand
coordlnaLlon, headaches afLer dolng close eye work, burnlng eyes and a general feellng
of lrrlLablllLy and nervousness.
Larly deLecLlon and LreaLmenL of hyperopla ls of uLmosL lmporLance especlally for
lnfanLs, chlldren and young adulLs. uncorrecLed mlld or hlgh hyperopla ln chlldren may
lead Lo more serlous eye dlsorders such as lazy eye (amblyopla) or sLrablsmus.
187
Moreover, uncorrecLed farslghLedness ln chlldren may lead Lo poor moLor developmenL
and/or learnlng problems.
Natura| 1reatments for nyperop|a
1here ls no unlversal approach Lo LreaLlng hyperopla. 1he Lype of hyperopla, Lhe age of
Lhe person, accommodaLlon power of Lhe eyes, Lype and degree of sympLoms
deLermlne Lhe exacL LreaLmenL.
vlslon Lherapy LreaLmenLs for farslghLedness lnvolve
eye exerclses, vlslon relaxaLlon Lechnlques,
modlflcaLlons of Lhe paLlenL's hablLs and envlronmenL.
vlslon Lherapy can ease Lhe sympLoms of
farslghLedness and even reduce Lhe level of hyperopla.
1he eye exerclses for farslghLedness are generally
almed aL lmprovlng Lhe focuslng ablllLles of Lhe eye,
enhanclng lLs accommodaLlon capablllLles and reduclng
Lhe vlslon sLress. 8egular eye exerclse rouLlnes may
decrease Lhe rlsk of developlng hyperopla, reduce Lhe
severlLy of lLs sympLoms and lessen Lhe need of wearlng prescrlpLlon glasses or conLacL
lenses.
Pere are several vlslon exerclses LhaL may help people wlLh farslghLedness lmprove
vlslon naLurally:
ShlfLlng and Swlnglng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 32)
vlslon Lxerclse and 8elaxaLlon 8ouLlne for larslghLedness (Pyperopla) (p. 81)
188
Long hours of unlnLerrupLed close-up eye work may lncrease Lhe severlLy of some of Lhe
sympLoms of farslghLedness. lor LhaL reason eye relaxaLlon ls of uLmosL lmporLance for
[usL abouL anybody sufferlng from hyperopla. 1here are many easy eye relaxaLlon
Lechnlques LhaL can be greaLly beneflclal for [usL abouL anyone sufferlng from
farslghLedness. larslghLed people who spend long hours dally ln fronL of a compuLer
screen should also conslder pracLlclng Lhe eye exerclses and relaxaLlon Lechnlques
lncluded ln our </4/#. ?@($2/4( ).& 1(%)@)*/#. 1#9*/.( 5#$ =#3A9*($ </4/#. B6.&$#3(
(p. 89)
189
resbyop|a
resbyop|a |s a v|s|on cond|t|on |n wh|ch the f|ex|b|||ty of the |ens |s affected and |t
cannot re-ad[ust |ts shape for near focus and near v|s|on |s decreased.
Clear near and dlsLanL vlslon ls achleved because of Lhe ablllLy of Lhe crysLalllne lens
lnslde Lhe eye Lo change lLs shape. When we look aL dlsLanL ob[ecLs, Lhe lens ln each eye
becomes flaLLer. When we look aL near ob[ecLs, lL becomes Lhlcker and bulges from
fronL Lo back. 1he degree Lo whlch Lhe lens can change lLs shape largely depends on lLs
flexlblllLy as well on Lhe flexlblllLy and Lhe power of Lhe clllary muscle.
resbyopla ls ofLen confused wlLh farslghLedness. AlLhough some of Lhe sympLoms may
seem allke, presbyopla causes are age-relaLed and farslghLedness ls caused by lrregular
change of Lhe eyeball or/and Lhe cornea of Lhe eye.
AlLhough presbyopla ls consldered an lnevlLable parL of aglng [usL llke wrlnkles and
fadlng halr color and lL cannoL be prevenLed, belng aware of presbyopla causes and
sympLoms, whaL Lhe avallable presbyopla LreaLmenLs are and how you can lmprove
your vlslon naLurally wlll help you delay lLs onseL or slow down lLs progresslon.
resbyop|a Causes
resbyopla happens Lo everyone,
even Lo Lhose who have never had
any eye dlsorders or lllnesses. lL ls
consldered Lo be an eye condlLlon
parL of Lhe normal aglng process.
Several Lheorles exlsL abouL Lhe
exacL presbyopla causes. lL ls largely
belleved LhaL lL ls an age-relaLed
190
vlslon condlLlon caused by Lhe naLural aglng processes Laklng place ln Lhe Llssues of Lhe
eye lens and Lhe clllary muscle.
WlLh age, cerLaln proLelns lnslde Lhe crysLalllne lens change Lhelr sLrucLure and make
Lhe lens less elasLlc and flexlble. Along wlLh Lhls process, Lhe clllary muscle LhaL acLually
conLrols Lhe shape of Lhe lens and ad[usLs lL for far or near vlslon becomes less flexlble
and looses lLs sLrengLh. Slnce much more efforL on Lhe parL of Lhe muscle ls requlred Lo
re-shape Lhe lens and ad[usL lL for near vlslon and much blgger change ln Lhe shape of
Lhe lens ls needed Lo focus near ob[ecLs, Lhese changes cause dlfflculLles ln seelng
clearly near ob[ecLs.
1hese changes don'L occur overnlghL. 1hey develop gradually and usually Lhe flrsL
presbyopla sympLoms sLarL Lo surface around Lhe age of 40. lL ls lnLeresLlng LhaL
presbyoplc people wlLh myopla Lend Lo reLaln Lhelr near vlslon even afLer Lhe age of 40.
resbyop|a Symptoms
1he flrsL presbyopla sympLoms Lyplcally appear beLween Lhe ages of 40 and 30. AL flrsL
people flnd lL harder Lo read flne prlnLs or Lo see clearly oLher small ob[ecLs nearby.
1asks llke Lreadlng a needle for lnsLance mlghL become dlfflculL. CLher lnlLlal presbyopla
sympLoms are eyesLraln, dlfflculLy seelng well ln dlm llghL, blurred vlslon when
LranslLlonlng beLween vlewlng dlsLances.
1o compensaLe Lhe lncreaslng lnablllLy of Lhe eyes Lo malnLaln clear near vlslon, people
wlLh presbyopla ofLen hold books, magazlnes, newspapers, menus and oLher readlng
maLerlals furLher away unLll Lhelr hands are no longer long enough". uslng addlLlonal
llghL also seems Lo help Lhem malnLaln relaLlvely good near vlslon.
lL ls lnLeresLlng LhaL people wlLh myopla ofLen do noL experlence any presbyopla
sympLoms. Such people manage Lo reLaln good near vlslon even afLer 40. Powever, Lhe
lack of sympLoms doesn'L necessarlly mean LhaL Lhey are presbyopla free. 8egular eye
examlnaLlons are of uLmosL lmporLance Lo deLecL presbyopla and deLermlne lf any
191
presbyopla LreaLmenL ls requlred. Moreover, early deLecLlon of presbyopla allows
people Lo flnd presbyopla naLural LreaLmenL opLlons LhaL wlll allow Lhem Lo reLaln Lhelr
good near vlslon for longer and delay Lhe need of expenslve medlcal LreaLmenLs.
Natura| 1reatment for resbyop|a
resbyopla ls consldered an age-relaLed vlslon
condlLlon LhaL occurs ln everyone and even ln people
who have never had any eye dlsorders. varlous
presbyopla naLural LreaLmenL opLlons exlsL for people
lnLeresLed ln preservlng or enhanclng Lhelr vlslon.
CorrecL nuLrlLlon ls Lhe key Lo delaylng Lhe onseL age-
relaLed vlslon dlfflculLles and slowlng down presbyopla
progresslon. loods rlch ln vlLamln A, C and L are
beneflclal for Lhe crysLallne lens of Lhe eye and can
malnLaln lLs healLh and delay aglng. Some herbs, eaLlng
a loL of frulLs and vegeLables, qulLLlng smoklng and llmlLlng alcohol consumpLlon can
also delay Lhe developmenL of age-relaLed changes ln Lhe lens of Lhe eye, preserve
eye muscle power and flexlblllLy and Lhus delay Lhe onseL and/or hold back Lhe
progresslon of presbyopla.
Many eye care professlonals belleve LhaL vlslon exerclses can help people wlLh
presbyopla lmprove Lhelr eyeslghL naLurally. uue Lo Lhe facL LhaL presbyopla ls caused
by reduced flexlblllLy of Lhe lens and/or lnsufflclenL power of Lhe clllary muscles, any eye
exerclse almed aL Lhese eye sLrucLures can help people wlLh presbyopla lmprove Lhelr
near vlslon. Pere are Lhree of Lhe besL eye exerclses for presbyopla:
Zoomlng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 44)
llgure LlghLs vlslon Lxerclse (p. 33)
192
vlslon Lxerclse and 8elaxaLlon 8ouLlne for Aglng vlslon (p. 83)
Lye relaxaLlon ls also of uLmosL lmporLance for people wlLh presbyopla. Slnce focuslng
on near ob[ecLs requlres much more efforLs, people wlLh presbyopla ofLen feel
eyesLraln, headaches and general feellng of faLlgue afLer dolng close eye work. WheLher
you declde Lo Lry our vlslon Lxerclse and 8elaxaLlon 8ouLlne for Aglng vlslon or Lo
perform eye exerclses LhaL enhance Lhe sLrengLh and flexlblllLy of Lhe eye muscles, make
sure you provlde your eyes wlLh enough Llme for relaxaLlon durlng Lhe day. ?ou can
relax your eyes by dolng any of Lhe eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques feaLured ln Lhls book or
Lhe 8llnklng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 40).
Cataract
Cataract |s a progress|ve pa|n|ess eye
d|sorder caus|ng c|oud|ng of the
crysta|||ne |ens of the eye.
Cur eyes work preLLy much llke a
camera - Lhere are several lmporLanL
eye sLrucLures LhaL leL llghL pass
Lhrough Lhe eye and focus llghL rays preclsely on Lhe reLlna. 1he crysLalllne lens of Lhe
eye ls one of Lhe eye sLrucLures maklng vlslon posslble.
1he lens of Lhe eye ls composed of waLer and speclal proLelns. ln a healLhy eye, lL ls
clear and LransparenL. Age, some eye dlsorders and general healLh dlseases cause
proLelns Lo sLarL clusLerlng ln abnormal ways and Lhls ls when caLaracL sLarLs Lo form.
Cradually, porLlons of Lhe lens become clouded and no longer pass llghL pass Lhrough.
1hese cloudy" areas may form ln Lhe back of Lhe lens (subcapsular caLaracL), ln lLs
cenLer (nuclear caLaracL) or on lLs surface (corLlcal caLaracL).
lf lefL unLreaLed caLaracL progresses and leads Lo bllndness. AlLhough lL ls an eye
dlsorder prevalenL among older people, lL may affecL chlldren and young adulLs as well.
193
Causes of Cataract
CaLaracL ls formed when Lhe proLelns normally found ln Lhe crysLalllne lens of Lhe eye
sLarL Lo clusLer ln abnormal way. SclenLlsLs and medlcal professlonals sLlll don'L know for
sure why Lhese proLelns sLarL Lo blnd beLween each oLher ln Lhe wrong way or ln oLher
words whaL Lhe exacL caLaracLs causes are.
CaLaracL ls one of Lhe mosL prevalenL eye dlsorders and a loL of caLaracL research has
been done Lo esLabllsh lLs causes. 8esearchers have managed Lo ldenLlfy several facLors
LhaL lncrease Lhe rlsk of caLaracL and may speed up lLs progresslon.
Sun||ght and UV rad|at|on. lrequenL and/or long exposure Lo sunllghL wlLhouL
sunglasses greaLly lncreases Lhe rlsk of caLaracL. SunllghL conslsLs of ulLravloleL
(also known as uvA or uv8) rays. Many sLudles suggesL LhaL uvA and uv8 llghL
ray has damaglng effecL on Lhe lens. uvA radlaLlon ls consldered Lo be Lhe maln
cause of caLaracL. lL changes Lhe sLrucLure of Lhe cells of Lhe lens and greaLly
lncreases Lhe rlsk of caLaracL formaLlon. uv8 radlaLlon lncreases Lhe rlsk of
caLaracL as lL promoLes Lhe release of oxldanLs.

Cx|dants (free-rad|ca|s). 8esearches belleve free-radlcals are one of Lhe ma[or
caLaracLs causes. lree-radlcals or oxldanLs are molecules LhaL form as a resulL of
Lhe normal chemlcal processes Laklng place ln Lhe human body. CerLaln hablLs
such as smoklng, some foods, lnfecLlons and sunllghL may lncrease Lhe amounLs
of free-radlcals and hlgh amounL of oxldanLs are very dangerous for all of Lhe
cells ln Lhe body and especlally for Lhe cells of Lhe eyes. 1he negaLlve effecL of
Lhese oxldanLs can be reduced by cerLaln nuLrlenLs and LhaL ls why many eye
care pracLlLloners belleve LhaL nuLrlLlon may be facLor ln caLaracL formaLlon and
developmenL as well as a way of lLs prevenLlon. Some vlLamlns, anLloxldanLs and
mlcroelemenLs have dlrecL lmpacL on Lhe crysLalllne lens of Lhe eye. A healLhy
dleL rlch ln Lhose nuLrlenLs may foresLall caLaracL developmenL.

194
Med|cat|ons. Many medlcaLlons commonly prescrlbed for chronlc lllnesses
greaLly conLrlbuLe Lo caLaracL formaLlon. Long Lerm use of sLerolds, cerLaln anLl-
depressanL medlcaLlons, some glaucoma medlcaLlons ls assoclaLed wlLh
formaLlon and developmenL of caLaracL. Some sLudles suggesL LhaL hormone
replacemenL Lherapy ls anoLher of Lhe caLaracLs causes. AlLhough more research
ls needed ln Lhls dlrecLlon, many eye care professlonals and researchers Lhlnk
LhaL hormone LreaLmenLs as well as blrLh conLrol pllls may lncrease Lhe rlsk of
caLaracL and speed up lLs progresslon.

Lye d|seases. CerLaln glaucoma medlcaLlons and glaucoma fllLerlng surgerles
lncrease Lhe rlsk of caLaracL. uvelLls, a chorlc lnflammaLlon of Lhe eye, ls also
among caLaracLs causes.

Smok|ng and a|coho| consumpt|on. Smokers and chronlc heavy drlnkers are
exposed Lo hlgher rlsk of caLaracL.
8elng aware of Lhe maln caLaracLs causes can help you preserve and proLecL your
eyeslghL by avoldlng Lhe dangerous rlsk facLors LhaL may conLrlbuLe Lo Lhe formaLlon
and developmenL of caLaracLs.
Cataract Symptoms
CaLaracL has llLLle effecL on vlslon durlng lLs early sLages. Moreover, many of Lhe flrsL
caLaracL slgns and sympLoms are lnslgnlflcanL or may mlmlc sympLoms you already have
due Lo anoLher eyeslghL dlsorder. 8elng aware of Lhe naLure of caLaracL slgns and
sympLoms wlll help you recognlze Lhe condlLlon ln lLs early sLages and Lake Llmely
measures.
195

Some of Lhe slgns and sympLoms of early caLaracL mlmlc Lhose of nearslghLedness
(myopla). ?ou may experlence dlfflculLles focuslng on dlsLanL ob[ecLs or have brlef
momenLs of blurry vlslon. eople who are nearslghLed may noL reallze Lhey have
caLaracL and may aLLrlbuLe Lhese sympLoms Lo Lhelr exlsLlng vlslon condlLlon.
Cn Lhe oLher hand, farslghLed people may experlence a slgnlflcanL lmprovemenL of Lhelr
near vlslon. Many farslghLed people wlLh early caLaracL need lower readlng glasses
prescrlpLlons or do noL need readlng glasses aL all. 1hls lnLeracLlon beLween hyperopla
and caLaracL ls called second s|ght buL Lhe lmprovemenL of Lhe near vlslon goes away
once caLaracL progresses.
AnoLher dlsLlncL slgn of caLaracL ls glare. ?ou may have poor vlslon and see halos when
ouLslde ln a sunny day, when drlvlng aL nlghL or aL even home lf Lhe llghL ln Lhe room ls
Loo brlghL.
CaLaracL slgns and sympLoms also lnclude
lmpalred color percepLlon. CaLaracL affecLs
color percepLlon ln varlous ways and aL Lhe
beglnnlng you may noL even noLlce LhaL Lhe
colors you see are noL really Lhe same as
196
Lhey used Lo be. Some people flnd colors are noL LhaL vlvld anymore, oLhers have
parLlcular dlfflculLles maklng ouL blue and purple hues or Lhelr vlslon Lakes on a yellow
or brown Llnge.
uouble vlslon ls anoLher slgns of early caLaracL LhaL Lends Lo dlsappear when Lhe
caLaracLs develop furLher.
1he Lype of caLaracL LhaL ls developlng preLLy much deLermlnes Lhe exacL Lype of Lhe
sympLoms you'd be experlenclng and how soon you wlll experlence Lhem. lor lnsLance,
lf you are developlng nuclear caLaracL and you are farslghLed, you are llkely Lo have
second slghL. CorLlcal caLaracLs don'L presenL wlLh any sympLoms durlng Lhelr lnlLlal
sLages of developmenL, as Lhey form on Lhe ouLer area of Lhe lens. As Lhey develop
furLher, people usually suffer from lncreased llghL senslLlvlLy and glare, dlfflculLles wlLh
dlsLanL vlslon and reduced vlslon clarlLy. When caLaracL forms aL Lhe back of Lhe lens
(posLerlor subcapsular caLaracL) Lhe vlslon deLerloraLes rapldly and people usually suffer
from near vlslon problems and glare.
Natura| 1reatment for Cataract
CaLaracL ls a progresslve dlsorder however lL doesn'L have a consLanL raLe of
developmenL. Moreover, caLaracL progresslon ls very lndlvldual - Lhe dlsease develops
fasLer ln some people and slower ln oLhers. 1here are also cases when caLaracL develops
Lo a cerLaln sLage and Lhan sLops. usually, people have plenLy of Llme Lo delay caLaracL
developmenL naLurally before caLaracL surgery ls requlred.
1here are many Lhlngs you can do Lo prevenL caLaracL onseL or slow down lLs
progresslon.
V|tam|ns work aga|nst cataract. lree radlcals ln Lhe cells of Lhe lens are a ma[or
facLor for caLaracL formaLlon. 1haL ls why 20(3604 F, 20(3604 * and 20(3604 ? are
of uLmosL lmporLance for eye healLh and can lower Lhe rlsk of caLaracL or delay
lLs progresslon. vlLamln C, L and A are powerful anLloxldanLs LhaL work agalnsL
197
Lhe harmful free-radlcal molecules. rovldlng your eyes wlLh sufflclenL amounLs
of Lhose vlLamlns wlll surely beneflL your vlslon as well as your overall healLh.
?ou can flnd deLalled llsL of naLural dleLary sources of vlLamln C, vlLamln L and
vlLamln A ln Lhe vlslon and uleL chapLer of Lhls book (p. 92).

Lute|n and 2eaxanth|n protect from UV rad|at|on damage. When lL comes Lo
naLural caLaracL prevenLlon, luLeln and zeaxanLhln are Lwo of Lhe mosL lmporLanL
nuLrlenLs. 1hey are found ln greaL amounLs ln Lhe lens of Lhe eye and proLecL lL
from Lhe harmful uv radlaLlon. 1he besL naLural sources of Lhese anLloxldanLs
are dark green leafy vegeLables such as kale, splnach, Lurnlp greens.

no|d|ng back ag|ng ho|ds back cataract. AlLhough caLaracL may occur ln chlldren
and young adulLs, lL ls consldered Lo be an age-relaLed eye dlsorder. Slowlng
down Lhe naLural aglng processes ln Lhe eye cells can delay Lhe onseL of caLaracL.
Some herbs, eaLlng a loL of frulLs and vegeLables, qulLLlng smoklng and llmlLlng
alcohol consumpLlon can delay Lhe developmenL of cerLaln age-relaLed changes
ln Lhe lens of Lhe eye and Lhus prevenL or hold back Lhe progresslon of caLaracL.
As you can see Lhere lsn'L [usL one naLural caLaracL LreaLmenL. lnsLead, Lhere are varlous
easy llfesLyle changes you can make Lo prevenL or delay Lhe onseL of caLaracL and many
oLher eyeslghL dlsorders and preserve your naLural eyeslghL for longer.
198
G|aucoma
G|aucoma |s an eye d|sease |nc|ud|ng severa| d|fferent eye d|sorders. It |s assoc|ated
w|th a dangerous |ncrease of |ntraocu|ar pressure (the pressure |ns|de the eye) that,
over t|me, damages the opt|c nerve. If |eft untreated, g|aucoma |eads to severe v|s|on
|mpa|rment and |rrevers|b|e b||ndness.

1here are Lwo maln Lypes of glaucoma and several oLher varlaLlons of Lhe dlsease. 1he
Lwo maln Lypes of glaucoma are:
Cpen-ang|e g|aucoma (or chron|c g|aucoma). Cpen-angle glaucoma ls one of Lhe
mosL common Lypes of Lhe dlsease. lL ls ofLen called Lhe sllenL Lhlef of slghL"
because Lhere aren'L any sympLoms unLll vlslon ls slgnlflcanLly lmpalred. Cpen-
angle glaucoma occurs when Lhe producLlon of aqueous humor (Lhe clear llquld
lnslde Lhe eye) and lLs dralnage are noL balanced. 1he lmbalance may be due Lo
overproducLlon of fluld or poor dralnage of Lhe lnLerlor chamber of Lhe eye.
WhaLever Lhe exacL cause, Lhe pressure lnslde Lhe eye lncreases and pushes on
Lhe opLlc nerve. 1hls consLanL pressure on Lhe opLlc nerve damages lL over Llme.
199
A varlaLlon of open-angle glaucoma ls Lhe so called normal-Lenslon glaucoma. lL sLlll
leads Lo vlslon loss and bllndness however lL doesn'L represenL wlLh lncreased
lnLraocular pressure.
Narrow-ang|e g|aucoma (or acute g|aucoma). narrow-angle glaucoma ofLen
presenLs wlLh sudden sympLoms. lL develops when Lhe lrls (Lhe colored porLlon
of Lhe eye) ls pushed or puller forward and blocks Lhe dralnage sysLem of Lhe
fronL porLlon of Lhe eye. 1he lnLraocular pressure splkes rapldly and damages Lhe
opLlc nerve. narrow-angle glaucoma ls a medlcal emergency as lL can lead Lo
slgnlflcanL vlslon loss and even bllndness ln a maLLer of hours. Powever, Lhere
are several varlaLlons of Lhls eye dlsorder LhaL progress slowly wlLhouL obvlous
sympLoms ln Lhelr early sLages.
CLher varlaLlons of glaucoma are p|gmentary g|aucoma (a rare form of Lhe dlsease),
secondary g|aucoma (usually developed afLer an eye ln[ury or may be Lrlggered by eye
lnflammaLlon, eye lnfecLlon, caLaracL or eye Lumor) and congen|ta| g|aucoma (lnherlLed
glaucoma presenL aL blrLh).
Claucoma ls one of Lhe mosL common eyeslghL dlsorders, however lL ls very ofLen
mlsdlagnosed or noL dlagnosed aL all. Slnce Lhe mosL common Lypes of Lhls eye dlsease
have no sympLoms ln Lhelr lnlLlal sLages, Lhe only way Lo deLecL glaucoma early enough
ls Lo undergo regular eye examlnaLlons.
Pavlng sufflclenL lnformaLlon on glaucoma wlll help you Lo proLecL and preserve your
eyeslghL by avoldlng Lhe rlsk facLors of glaucoma, recognlzlng lLs sympLoms and
chooslng Lhe besL glaucoma LreaLmenL before lrreverslble vlslon damage ls done.
200
Causes of G|aucoma
AlLhough glaucoma ls one of Lhe mosL
prevalenL eyeslghL dlsorders worldwlde,
noL much ls known abouL whaL causes
glaucoma. ln any case, educaLlng
yourself for Lhe mosL common cause of
glaucoma and Lhe rlsk facLors LhaL my
lead Lo lLs onseL wlll help you proLecL
and preserve your vlslon.
Claucoma ls an eye dlsease referrlng Lo
group of dlfferenL eye dlsorders all
damaglng Lhe opLlc nerve and leadlng Lo slgnlflcanL vlslon loss and/or lrreverslble
bllndness. 1here are Lwo maln Lypes of glaucoma and each Lype has a dlfferenL cause of
glaucoma onseL and developmenL.
Cpen-ang|e g|aucoma causes. 1hls ls one of Lhe mosL prevalenL Lypes of
glaucoma. Several facLors such as age, abnormallLles of Lhe sLrucLure of Lhe eye,
general healLh problems such as dlabeLes, hlgh blood pressure, mlgralne
headaches, cardlovascular dlsease and narrowed blood vessels may cause lL.
eople wlLh exLreme nearslghLedness (myopla) and Lhose who have undergone
some eye surgery are also aL hlgher rlsk of open-angle glaucoma. Cpen-angle
glaucoma may also be lnherlLed - people wlLh parenLs wlLh Lhls Lype of
glaucoma are 4-3 Llmes more llkely Lo develop lL Lhan people wlLhouL glaucoma
ln Lhelr famlly medlcal hlsLory.
Narrow-ang|e g|aucoma causes. narrow-angle glaucoma Lrlggers when Lhe lrls ls
pulled or pushed forward from lLs normal poslLlon and blocks Lhe dralnage
channels ln Lhe fronL porLlon of Lhe eye. 1he lrls may be pushed forward when
Lhe dralnage channels beLween Lhe back and fronL porLlons of Lhe eye are
blocked. ln Lhls case Lhe llquld ln Lhe lnslde Lhe eye bullds up behlnd Lhe lrls and
201
pushes lL forward. ln some people Lhe lrls ls aLLached Lo close Lo Lhe dralnage
sysLem of Lhe fronL parL of Lhe eye. When Lhe pupll dllaLes (for example ln dlm
llghL), lL pushes Lhe perlpheral parL of Lhe lrls over Lhe dralnage and blocks lL.
CLher narrow-angle glaucoma causes are age, hyperopla (farslghLedness) and
some eye Lumors. Moreover, Aslans, lnulLs and oLher norLhern naLlve people are
aL hlgher rlsk of narrow-angle glaucoma because Lhey have anaLomlcally
narrower anLerlor chambers.
A rare form of glaucoma ls p|gmentary g|aucoma. lL ls caused by dlsrupLlon of Lhe lrls
ouLer layer and deposlLlon of plgmenL granules ln Lhe anLerlor chamber of Lhe eye.
1hese plgmenL deposlLs clog Lhe dralnage sysLem of Lhe eye and cause lnLraocular
pressure Lo rlse. eople wlLh myopla and parLlcularly Lhose wlLh hlgher degrees of
myopla are aL hlgher rlsk of developlng plgmenLary glaucoma.
Are ou at k|sk for G|aucoma?
Claucoma ls ofLen called Lhe sllenL Lhlef of slghL" because, ln Lhe ma[orlLy of people, lL
develops subLly and announces lLself only when lrreverslble eyeslghL damage has
already been done.
1he only way Lo deLecL glaucoma early and sLarL an approprlaLe LreaLmenL ls Lo undergo
eye exams regularly. Any quallfled eye docLor wlll be able Lo deLermlne wheLher or noL
you have glaucoma by checklng your eye pressure and examlnlng Lhe opLlc nerves of
your eyes.
8egular eye check ups are very lmporLanL for [usL abouL anybody and noL only for
people wlLh hlgher rlsk of glaucoma. Powever, people of cerLaln age groups, eLhnlclLy
and Lhose who have a famlly hlsLory of glaucoma should be more aware of Lhe dlsLlncL
posslblllLy of developlng serlous eye condlLlon.
An easy meLhod Lo deLermlne are you aL rlsk for glaucoma provldes Lhe Claucoma
Servlce loundaLlon Lo revenL 8llndness.
202
Answer Lhe quesLlons ln Lhe followlng Lable:
G|aucoma k|sk Iactor Score
Pow old are you? ?ounger Lhan 30
30 Lhrough 64
63 Lhrough 74
73 or older
0
1
2
3
WhaL ls your
eLhnlclLy?
Caucaslan
Plspanlc
Afrlcan-Amerlcan
0
1
2
uo you have glaucoma
ln your famlly?
none lf Lhe famlly has glaucoma
ulsLanL relaLlves of mlne have
glaucoma
Cne/boLh of my parenLs have
glaucoma
Cne/more of my slbllngs have
glaucoma
Cne/boLh parenLs and one/more
of my slbllngs have glaucoma

0
0

2

3

3
When was your lasL
eye examlnaLlon?
WlLhln Lhe pasL 2 years
1wo or flve years ago
More Lhan 3 years ago
0
1
2
Add up Lhe score you have goL ln each secLlon. Pere ls how Lo lnLerpreL lL:
lf you have 0, 1 or 2 LoLal score you are aL low rlsk for glaucoma.
lf you score 3 polnLs, you are aL a moderaLe rlsk for glaucoma.
lf your score ls 4 or more polnLs, you are aL hlgh rlsk for glaucoma.
8emember, even lf you are aL low or moderaLe rlsk for glaucoma, regular eye
examlnaLlons are sLlll essenLlal for preservlng and proLecLlng your eyeslghL.
Cpen-Ang|e G|aucoma Symptoms
Cpen-angle glaucoma ls Lhe mosL prevalenL Lype of glaucoma. lL ls ofLen called Lhe
sllenL Lhlef of slghL" as open-angle glaucoma has no sympLoms ln lLs lnlLlal sLages. WhaL
Lhls means ls LhaL people usually don'L feel any eye paln and Lhere ls no change ln Lhelr
203
vlslon. Powever, Lhe elevaLed lnLraocular pressure caused by open-angle glaucoma
slowly damages Lhe opLlc nerve and perlpheral vlslon ls gradually reduced. ?eL, durlng
Lhe early sLage of open-angle glaucoma, many people do noL noLlce Lhese change ln
Lhelr vlsual fleld.
Cpen-angle glaucoma sympLoms sLarL Lo surface when Lhe dlsease has progressed far
enough Lo cause slgnlflcanL perlpheral vlslon loss.
As open-angle glaucoma progresses, more and more of Lhe perlpheral vlslon ls losL.
eople usually reLaln Lhelr cenLral vlslon - when Lhey look sLralghL ahead Lhey see flne,
buL may have bllnd spoLs for lmages locaLed ouLslde Lhe cenLral vlsual fleld. Powever,
many people suffer parLlal cenLral vlslon loss even lf Lhe dlsease ls sLlll ln lLs early sLage.
1he usual open-angle glaucoma complalnLs are mlsslng sLalrs, mlsslng words or parLs of
words when readlng and dlfflculLles drlvlng.
CLher open-angle glaucoma sympLoms are redness ln Lhe eye, dlm perlpheral vlslon,
blurred or foggy vlslon, dlfflculLles ad[usLlng Lo llghL, lncreased llghL senslLlvlLy, halos and
glare, mlld eye paln.
1unnel vlslon ls one of Lhe mosL dlsLlncL sympLoms of open-angle glaucoma. lL occurs
when Lhe opLlc nerve ls slgnlflcanLly damaged. 1unnel vlslon ls characLerlzed by
consLrucLed clrcular Lunnel-llke vlsual fleld.
Slnce open-angle glaucoma sympLoms surface when lrreverslble damage Lo Lhe opLlc
nerve has already been done, Lhe only way Lo deLecL lL early and sLarL LreaLmenL ls Lo
undergo regular eye checks. usually open-angle glaucoma sympLoms lnclude lncreased
lnLraocular pressure, however ln some cases Lhe pressure lnslde Lhe eye remalns
normal. 1hls ls why you should noL only geL your eye pressure measured buL ask for a
full eye examlnaLlon LhaL wlll lnclude examlnaLlon of Lhe eye opLlc nerve and dralnage
sysLem. Lven lf you don'L experlence any open-angle glaucoma sympLoms, an
204
experlenced eye care professlonal wlll deLecL Lhe sympLoms of Lhe dlsease by Lhe
appearance of your opLlc nerve.
205
Narrow-Ang|e G|aucoma Symptoms
unllke open-angle glaucoma, narrow-angle glaucoma sympLoms are sudden and acuLe.
narrow-angle glaucoma occurs when Lhe dralnage of Lhe fronL porLlon of Lhe eye ls
blocked due Lo lrregular poslLlon of Lhe lrls. 8egardless of Lhe reason why Lhe lrls ls
blocklng Lhe draln channels ln Lhe anLerlor chamber of Lhe eye, Lhe rapld bulld up of
pressure lnslde Lhe eye leads Lo severe eye paln and eye redness, colored halos around
llghLs, decreased vlslon, dllaLed pupll and headache. Many people experlence nausea
and vomlLlng. narrow-angle glaucoma sympLoms usually lasL as long as Lhe pressure
lnslde Lhe eye remalns hlgh.
ln many cases narrow-angle glaucoma sympLoms are uncommon. 1he dlsease
progresses slowly and slmllarly Lo open-angle glaucoma. ln Lhese cases, loss of
perlpheral vlslon ls usually Lhe flrsL sympLom people noLlce. Some people wlLh chronlc
narrow-angle glaucoma may have red eyes, blurred vlslon or headache buL Lhese
narrow-angle glaucoma sympLoms usually subslde wlLh sleep. Powever, chronlc narrow-
angle glaucoma leaves dlsLlncL slgns on Lhe opLlc nerve appearance and can be plcked
up durlng a full eye examlnaLlon.
Natura| 1reatments for G|aucoma
1here has been a loL of research LargeLed aL flndlng naLural LreaLmenLs for glaucoma
and many oLher eyeslghL dlsorders. AlLhough Lhere lsn'L sufflclenL sclenLlflc evldence ln
supporL of a slngle, fully naLural LreaLmenL for glaucoma, Lhere are many Lhlngs LhaL you
can do Lo preserve and proLecL your eyeslghL ln case of glaucoma.
G|aucoma and d|et. 1he llnk beLween nuLrlLlon and vlslon has been ln Lhe
spoLllghL for many years. WlLh Lhe sLeady lncrease of Lhe number of people wlLh
eyeslghL problems, sclenLlsLs are even more eager Lo flnd more abouL Lhe
connecLlon beLween food and vlslon healLh. When lL comes Lo flndlng a naLural
LreaLmenL for glaucoma some research suggesL LhaL omega-3 faLLy aclds may
206
help people wlLh Lhls eye dlsease as Lhey lmprove Lhe fluld flow lnslde Lhe eye
and Lhus decrease lnLraocular pressure. Cmega-3 faLLy aclds are mosLly found ln
cold waLer faLLy flsh such as Luna and salmon.
Some varlaLlons of glaucoma are noL caused by hlgh lnLraocular pressure buL
from poor blood supply Lo Lhe opLlc nerve. 1haL ls why a healLhy vlslon dleL
lncludlng loLs of frulLs and vegeLables and leavlng ouL sugary foods, salL, alcohol
and smoklng, ls very beneflclal.
Lye exerc|ses for g|aucoma. Many people experlence an lmprovemenL of Lhelr
condlLlon afLer performlng cerLaln vlslon exerclses. 1he mosL popular vlslon
exerclses for glaucoma are:
almlng Lye 8elaxaLlon 1echnlque (p. 24)
1wo uoLs vlslon Lxerclse (p. 34)
llgure LlghLs vlslon Lxerclse (p. 33)
ConLourlng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 34)

Lye massages and g|aucoma. Speclal massages are Lyplcally prescrlbed afLer a
glaucoma surgery. AddlLlonally, people wlLh glaucoma may Lry Lhe followlng
massages Lo lmprove Lhe dralnage of Lhelr eyes and Lhus Lo reduce Lhe
lnLraocular pressure.
Lyelld vlslon Self-Massage (p. 70)
Lye and lace vlslon Self-Massage (p. 71)
207
Macu|ar Degenerat|on

1he lnnermosL layer of Lhe human eye ls Lhe
reLlna. lL ls one of Lhe mosL lmporLanL
sLrucLures of Lhe eye as lL ls responslble for
capLurlng Lhe llghL rays LhaL enLer Lhe eye,
converLlng Lhem lnLo nerve lmpulses and
sendlng Lhese lmpulses Lo Lhe braln Lhrough
Lhe opLlc nerve. Cur cenLral and perlpheral
(slde) vlslon as well as our color percepLlon
depend on proper funcLlon of Lhe reLlna. 1he
cenLral porLlon of Lhe reLlna ls Lhe macula. 1he macula ls responslble for our cenLral
vlslon, deLecLlon of flne deLalls and color dlfferenLlaLlon.
Age-re|ated macu|ar degenerat|on (AMD or AkMD) |s a v|s|on d|sorder affect|ng the
macu|a of the eye. It |eads to |oss of centra| v|s|on and severe v|s|on |mpa|rment.
Age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon ls one of Lhe Lop causes of vlslon loss and bllndness
among elderly Amerlcans. nearly 1, 73 mllllon u.S. resldenLs currenLly have advanced
age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon wlLh assoclaLed vlslon loss, wlLh LhaL number
expecLed Lo grow Lo almosL 3 mllllon by 2020.
1here are Lwo maln Lypes of macular degeneraLlon:
Dry macu|ar degenerat|on (non-neovascular macular degeneraLlon).
Wet macu|ar degenerat|on (neovascular macular degeneraLlon).
ury macular degeneraLlon ls Lhe lnlLlal form of Lhe dlsease. lL sLarLs Lo develop wlLh
aglng and affecLs cenLral vlslon. WlLh dry macular degeneraLlon, Lhe Llssue of Lhe macula
gradually becomes Lhln and sLops funcLlonlng properly. 1yplcally, dry macular
degeneraLlon progresses slowly and doesn'L have lmmedlaLe severe lmpacL on vlslon.
208
Powever, afLer many years of progresslon dry macular degeneraLlon may lead Lo severe
vlslon loss. Around 10 of dry macular degeneraLlon progress Lo weL macular
degeneraLlon.
WeL macular degeneraLlon ls less common buL more damaglng form of macular
degeneraLlon. lL ls characLerlzed by abnormal growLh of blood vessels underneaLh Lhe
reLlna. 8lood and fluld leakage from Lhese blood vessels cause dlrecL lrreverslble
damage Lo Lhe cells of Lhe reLlna. lnsLead of gradual decrease of cenLral vlslon, people
wlLh weL macular degeneraLlon suffer from rapld and severe vlslon loss.
Macular degeneraLlon ofLen has no sympLoms ln lLs early sLages. MosL people reallze
Lhey have a problem when Lhelr cenLral vlslon worsens or when bllnd spoLs appear.
8egular eye examlnaLlons are essenLlal for early deLecLlon of boLh forms of macular
degeneraLlon.
Macu|ar Degenerat|on Causes
Macular degeneraLlon, and dry macular
degeneraLlon ln parLlcular, ls consldered Lo be an
age-relaLed eye dlsease. Age-relaLed processes lnslde
Lhe eye conLrlbuLe Lo Lhe gradual Lhlnnlng of Lhe
Llssues of Lhe reLlna and lmpalrmenL of Lhe funcLlons
of lLs cells.
SclenLlflc evldence also supporLs Lhe Lheory LhaL
macular degeneraLlon causes are also geneLlc. 8esearchers have deLermlned several
genes Lo be responslble for Lhe onseL and developmenL of Lhe dlsease.
AparL from aglng and gene predlsposlLlon, Lhe rlsk of macular degeneraLlon may be
lncrease by several facLors:
209
Smok|ng. Smoklng ls consldered a ma[or facLor ln AMu developmenL. Moreover,
non-smokers llvlng wlLh a smoker have double Lhe rlsk of developlng Lhe dlsease.
A sLudy publlshed by Lhe 8rlLlsh !ournal of CphLhalmology found LhaL smoklng ls
dlrecLly assoclaLed wlLh 23 of AMu cases causlng severe vlslon loss.
Cbes|ty. Some medlcal sLudles suggesL LhaL obese people wlLh macular
degeneraLlon are more llkely Lo develop more serlous forms of Lhe dlsease
compared Lo people wlLh normal body welghL.
Lack of phys|ca| act|v|ty. lnacLlve people are aL a hlgher rlsk of developlng
macular degeneraLlon Lhan people dolng some klnd of physlcal acLlvlLy aL leasL
Lhree Llmes a week.
n|gh b|ood pressure. A Luropean sLudy publlshed by lnvesLlgaLlve
CphLhalmology and vlslon Sclence showed LhaL hlgh blood pressure conLrlbuLes
Lo AMu developmenL.
Med|cat|on. Some medlcaLlons may lncrease Lhe rlsk of macular degeneraLlon lf
used long Lerm. lor more lnformaLlon, read Lhe chapLer MedlcaLlons Parmful for
?our LyeslghL.
Slnce macular degeneraLlon occurs more ofLen among Caucaslan populaLlons, and
parLlcularly ln people wlLh llghLer skln and eye color, lL was consldered LhaL llghL eye
color and sun exposure may be rlsk facLors for Lhe dlsease. 8ecenL research however
cannoL flnd concluslve evldence ln supporL of Lhls Lheory.
WlLh geneLlc predlsposlLlon puL aslde, lL seems macular degeneraLlon ls preLLy much
connecLed Lo dleL and llfesLyle. revenLlon Lhrough a healLhy dleL and llfesLyle Lhrough
llfe ls Lhe key Lo preservlng eyeslghL as senlors.
210
Macu|ar Degenerat|on Symptoms
8oLh dry and weL age relaLed macular degeneraLlon have palnless sympLoms. 1haL's
why many people, especlally Lhose wlLh dry AMu are noL aware of Lhe presence of Lhe
condlLlon unLll Lhelr vlslon deLerloraLes slgnlflcanLly.
Dry Macu|ar Degenerat|on Symptoms
ury macular degeneraLlon ls a slowly
progresslng eye dlsease LhaL may noL
have deflnlLlve lnlLlal sympLoms. MosL
people wlLh dry macular degeneraLlon
have blurred vlslon or slmply see flne
deLalls less clearly. usually, durlng Lhe lnlLlal sLages of Lhe dlsease readlng or maklng ouL
Lhe feaLures of a face may become harder. SomeLlmes, addlLlonal llghLlng lmproves
vlslon and people ofLen compensaLe wlLh readlng or dolng oLher near vlslon work ln well
llL rooms.
As dry macular degeneraLlon develops furLher, cenLral vlslon loss becomes greaLer and
can no longer be compensaLed wlLh exLra llghL. Cradually a bllnd spoL sLarLs Lo appear ln
Lhe cenLer of Lhe vlslon fleld.
211

Wet Macu|ar Degenerat|on Symptoms
WeL macular degeneraLlon sympLoms
are usually more sudden and severe.
uurlng Lhe early sLages of Lhe dlsease
sLralghL llnes sLarL Lo appear curved
and/or dlsLorLed. As weL macular
degeneraLlon progresses and bllnd spoLs sLarL Lo appear ln Lhe cenLral vlslon fleld. lf lefL
unLreaLed, weL macular degeneraLlon sympLoms become even worse as Lhe number
and/or Lhe slze of Lhese bllnd spoLs lncreases unLll cenLral vlslon ls compleLely losL.
AlLhough people wlLh macular degeneraLlon usually have hard Llme reallzlng Lhere ls
someLhlng wrong wlLh Lhelr vlslon unLll lrreverslble damage Lo Lhe reLlna has been
done, eye docLors can deLecL boLh dry and weL macular degeneraLlon ln Lhelr early
sLages and sLarL approprlaLe LreaLmenL.
A good way Lo LesL yourself for macular degeneraLlon sympLoms ls Lhe Ams|er Gr|d. lL ls
a Lool used by eye care professlonals Lo LesL cenLral vlslon and deLecL problems resulLlng
from damage of Lhe reLlna and Lhe macula. ?ou can use Lhe Amsler grld aL Lhe end of
Lhe book (p. 222) Lo LesL your vlslon aL home. Powever, keep ln mlnd LhaL Lhls self-LesL
doesn'L replace Lhe need of professlonal eye care. Pere ls how Lo use Lhe Amsler grld:
use your eyeglasses lf you need Lhem Lo see Lhe grld properly. keep lL aL Lhe same
dlsLance from your eyes aL whlch you usually keep oLher readlng maLerlal. Cover one
eye and focus aL Lhe doL ln Lhe cenLer of Lhe grld. Look for Lhe followlng slgns:
noL all corners and sldes of Lhe grld are vlslble.
Wavy, blurred or dlsLorLed llnes.
uark or mlsslng areas ln Lhe grld.
212
8epeaL Lhe same wlLh Lhe oLher eye. lf you noLlce any of Lhe above slgns, conLacL your
eye care docLor rlghL away.
Natura| 1reatment for Macu|ar Degenerat|on
1he resulLs of several ma[or sLudles showed a naLural LreaLmenL for macular
degeneraLlon LhaL may slgnlflcanLly slow down Lhe progresslon of Lhe dlsease.
1he naLlonal Lye lnsLlLuLe's Age-8elaLed Lye ulsease SLudy (A8LuS) found LhaL Laklng
hlgh-doses of anLloxldanLs and zlnc slgnlflcanLly reduces Lhe rlsk of advanced AMu and
lLs assoclaLed vlslon loss. 1he dally doses of A8LuS formulaLlon used durlng Lhe sLudy
were:
vlLamln C: 300 mg
vlLamln L: 400 lu
8eLa-caroLene: 13mg (consldered equlvalenL Lo 23,000lu of vlLamln A)
Zlnc (as zlnc oxlde): 80 mg
As hlgh dally doses of zlnc are assoclaLed wlLh copper deflclency anemla, 2 mg of copper
(as cuprlc oxlde) were also added Lo Lhe A8LuS formulaLlon.
1he second phase of Lhe sLudy ls evaluaLlng Lhe effecL of omega-3 faLLy aclds and some
caroLenolds (luLeln and zeaxanLhln) on Lhe progress of AMu. 1he flnal resulLs of Lhe
sLudy wlll be known ln 2012 buL Lhe predlcLed ouLcome suggesLs LhaL omega-3 faLLy
aclds and caroLenolds can be a vlable naLural LreaLmenL for age relaLed macular
degeneraLlon.
CLher sLudles also suggesL LhaL consumpLlon of omega-3 faLLy aclds, whlch are
parLlcularly abundanL ln cold-waLer flsh, also had a proLecLlve effecL agalnsL advanced
macular degeneraLlon. Cn Lhe oLher hand, consumpLlon of omega-6 faLLy aclds ls
assoclaLed wlLh an lncreased rlsk of developlng macular degeneraLlon.
213
Some sLudles also showed LhaL people who eaL plenLy of green leafy vegeLables have a
lower rlsk of developlng age relaLed macular degeneraLlon. ?ou can flnd ouL more how
Lo preserve and proLecL your eyeslghL naLurally Lhrough a healLhy vlslon dleL by readlng
Lhe vlslon and uleL chapLer of Lhe book (p. 92).
214
Dry Lye
1o beLLer undersLand whaL dry eye ls, lL
ls lmporLanL Lo Lake a qulck look aL Lhe
baslc sLrucLure of Lhe ouLer surface of
Lhe eye and purpose of Lears.
vlslon ls posslble lf all sLrucLures of Lhe
eye are ln good physlcal condlLlon and
funcLlon properly. An lmporLanL parL of
Lhe eye ls Lhe cornea. 1he cornea ls Lhe clear ouLer surface of Lhe eye LhaL covers Lhe lrls
(Lhe color dlsk ln Lhe cenLer of Lhe eye). lL ls of uLmosL lmporLance for vlslon as lL
proLecLs Lhe eye from harmful maLerlal, screens ouL mosL of Lhe damaglng uv sunllghL
and refracLs Lhe llghL enLerlng Lhe eye. 1he refracLlon ablllLy of Lhe cornea accounLs for
Lhe overall focuslng power of Lhe eye.
unllke oLher eye sLrucLures, Lhe cornea doesn'L have any blood vessels. lL recelves all
lmporLanL nuLrlenLs from Lhe tears and Lhe fluld (aqueous humor) LhaL fllls Lhe chamber
behlnd lL.
1ears are absoluLely necessary for eye healLh and clear vlslon. 1hey proLecL Lhe eye from
varlous harmful parLlcles as well as from bacLerlal and oLher Lypes of lnfecLlons. 1ears
are composed of Lhree maln componenLs and Lhls unlque comblnaLlon ls crlLlcal Lo
malnLaln Lhe healLh of Lhe eye surface and Lhe cornea.
Dry eye |s an eye d|sorder affect|ng the cornea of the eye. It occurs when the tear
g|ands fa|| to produce enough tears or when tear qua||ty |s poor.
ury eye may occur as a resulL of anoLher eye dlsorder or as parL of Lhe normal aglng
process of Lhe eye. ln addlLlon, exposure Lo smoke, wlnd and/or dry cllmaLes, fallure Lo
bllnk regularly and long Lerm use of conLacL lenses can be facLors ln Lhe developmenL of
dry eye.
215
usually, people wlLh dry eye have dlfflculLles dolng eye work LhaL requlres consLanL eye
concenLraLlon (such as readlng, sLarlng aL a compuLer screen) and feel uncomforLable ln
dry envlronmenLs (such as alr condlLloned rooms, alr planes or dry, wlndy cllmaLes).
AlLhough dry eye usually doesn'L lead Lo vlslon loss, lL may lncrease Lhe rlsk of oLher
serlous eye dlsease. lf unLreaLed severe dry eye dlsease may lead Lo dehydraLlon of Lhe
corneal surface, corneal ulcers and perforaLlon of Lhe cornea. Moreover, chronlc
unLreaLed dry eye greaLly lncreases Lhe rlsk of eye lnfecLlons. All of Lhese condlLlons
pose a dlsLlncL danger of serlous vlsual lmpalrmenL and bllndness. lor LhaL reason
knowlng whaL ls dry eye, whaL lLs causes and sympLoms are ls vlLal Lo seeklng Llmely
medlcal aLLenLlon and LreaLmenL.
Causes of Dry Lye
ln general, dry eye can occur from lmproper balance of Lear producLlon and Lear
dralnage and/or from poor Lear quallLy.
Improper tear ba|ance. Several glands ln and around Lhe eyellds produce Lears.
usually, Lear producLlon decreases wlLh age. Also, cerLaln dlseases and
medlcaLlons can cause decreased Lear producLlon. When Lhe normal amounL of
Lears lowers or Lears evaporaLe from Lhe eye Loo qulckly, dry eye occurs.

oor tear qua||ty. 1ears conslsL of Lhree maln componenLs: ouLer, olly llpld layer,
mlddle, waLery layer and lnner, mucus layer. Lach Lear componenL serves a
speclflc purpose - for example Lhe olly layer lubrlcaLes and proLecLs Lhe cornea
and prevenLs evaporaLlon of Lhe waLery Lear componenL, Lhe lnner mucus layer
helps Lears spread evenly over Lhe enLlre surface of Lhe eye. Any lmbalance
beLween Lhese Lhree componenLs may resulL lnLo dry eye.
1he mosL common causes of dry eye are assoclaLed wlLh age, gender, medlcaLlons,
cerLaln medlcal condlLlons, envlronmenLal facLors and llfesLyle hablLs.
216
Age. ury eye ls consldered parL of Lhe naLural aglng process as Lear producLlon
Lend Lo dlmlnlsh wlLh age. Powever, many young people also develop dry eye.
usually, Lhese are people spendlng long hours of unlnLerrupLed eye work.
Gender. ury eye ls mosL common among women due Lo hormonal lmbalances
and changes durlng pregnancles, menopause and conLracepLlon.
Med|cat|ons. Some medlcaLlons lnhlblL Lear producLlon and Lhelr long Lerm use
may cause dry eye. 1hese are anLlhlsLamlne medlcaLlons, blood pressure
medlcaLlons, some anLl-depressanLs and blrLh conLrol pllls.
Med|ca| cond|t|ons. Pavlng cerLaln medlcal problems may lncrease Lhe rlsk of
dry eye. Skln dlseases on or around Lhe eye llds, allergles, lmmune sysLem
dlsorders such as lupus and rheumaLold arLhrlLls, dlabeLes, Lhyrold gland
dlsorders may resulL ln dry eye.
Lnv|ronmenta| factors. lrequenL exposure Lo smoke, wlnd and dry cllmaLes or
condlLloned alr Lends Lo lncrease Lhe rlsk of dry eye.
ury eye may be caused by lnsufflclenL vlLamln lnLake or over lnLake of cerLaln vlLamlns.
1haL ls why malnLalnlng a healLhy vlslon dleL ls of uLmosL lmporLance for lLs prevenLlon.
217
Dry Lye Symptoms
8elng aware of Lhe mosL Lyplcal dry eye sympLoms
wlll help you recognlze Lhe condlLlon early and
seek medlcal help. AlLhough dry eye ls poLenLlally
dangerous eye dlsorder, lL ls easlly manageable
wlLh medlcaLlons, dleL and llfesLyle changes as
long as lL ls LreaLed ln a Llmely manner.
ury eye sympLoms can be very lndlvldual and
change accordlng Lo Lhe sLage of Lhe condlLlon.
ury eye sympLoms Lyplcally affecL boLh eyes and
may lnclude one or a comblnaLlon of Lhe
followlng:
8urnlng or sLlnglng sensaLlon ln Lhe eyes,
A feellng LhaL you have a forelgn body or sand ln your eyes,
erlods wlLh excesslve Learlng,
ulscharge from Lhe eye,
Lye paln,
8edness ln Lhe eye,
leellng of heavy" eyellds and general eye faLlgue,
erlods of blurred vlslon,
uecreased Lolerance Lo close eye work acLlvlLles such as readlng, worklng on a
compuLer or any oLher acLlvlLy LhaL requlres unlnLerrupLed eye concenLraLlon,
lnablllLy Lo cry when emoLlonally sLressed,
LlghL senslLlvlLy,
lncreased eye lrrlLaLlon from smoke, wlnd and hoL LemperaLure,
uurlng Lhe early sLages of Lhe dlsorder you may experlence any of Lhese dry eye
sympLoms lnfrequenLly and ofLen buL for shorL perlods of Llme. Powever, lL ls a good
218
ldea Lo vlslL your ophLhalmologlsL for a rouLlne eye exam and flnd ouL wheLher or noL
you have dry eye.
ury eye can be dlagnosed qulLe easlly. 1yplcally, Lhe docLor wlll examlne your exLernal
eye sLrucLure and bllnk frequency and evaluaLe Lhe condlLlon of your cornea. lf Lhey
suspecL you may have dry eye, Lhey wlll use speclal eye drops Lo color Lhe Lears and Lhe
surface of Lhe eye so LhaL Lhey can evaluaLe Lhe quanLlLy and quallLy of Lears.
Natura| 1reatment for Dry Lye
ury eye ls very common eye dlsorders. AlLhough lL ls prlmarlly assoclaLed wlLh aglng,
many young adulLs and especlally women suffer from lLs unpleasanL sympLoms. AparL
from LradlLlonal medlcal dry eye LreaLmenLs, Lhere are plenLy of dry eye naLural
LreaLmenL opLlons. Some of our suggesLlons below are almed aL prevenLlng dry eye,
oLhers - aL rellevlng lLs sympLoms and lmprovlng your eyeslghL naLurally.
varlous facLors may lncrease Lhe rlsk or Lrlgger Lhe onseL of dry eye. lnfrequenL b||nk|ng
ls one such facLor. 8llnklng ls an unconsclous process of closlng and openlng Lhe eyellds.
lL ls exLremely lmporLanL for eye healLh as regular bllnklng lubrlcaLes Lhe surface of Lhe
eyes and removes any harmful forelgn parLlcles and bacLerla.
eople dolng eye work LhaL requlres long perlods of unlnLerrupLed eye concenLraLlon
usually bllnk up Lo 60 less. Lucklly, Lhere ls one easy vlslon exerclse LhaL can help you
prevenL or lessen Lhe unpleasanL sympLoms of dry eye. 1ake a look aL our 8llnklng vlslon
Lxerclse (p. 40).
ury eye and dleL are also closely relaLed. Some essenLlal nuLrlenL deflclencles may cause
dry eye or worsen lLs sympLoms. Several sLudles found a llnk beLween omega-3 fatty
ac|ds and dry eye. A sLudy performed ln 2003, found LhaL by eaLlng 3 servlngs of Luna
weekly people reduced Lhelr dry eye sympLoms by almosL 70. Cf course, lf you wanL Lo
Lry Lhls dry eye naLural LreaLmenL, you don'L need Lo eaL only Luna flsh. Cmega-3 faLLy
aclds are found ln many oLher sea food producLs as well as ln some nuLs and olls. lor a
219
full llsL of omega-3 dleLary sources and oLher healLhy vlslon dleL Llps, read Lhe chapLer
vlslon and uleL (p. 92).
ury eye may be caused by V|tam|n A deflclency. AlLhough severe vlLamln A deflclency ls
rare ln Lhe developed counLrles, many people have lnadequaLe dally lnLake of Lhls
essenLlal eye vlLamln. vlLamln A ls lmporLanL for one of Lhe Lear componenLs - Lhe
mucln Lear layer, responslble for Lhe even dlsLrlbuLlon of Lears over Lhe enLlre eye.
Moreover, vlLamln A ls powerful anLloxldanL and has numerous oLher vlslon beneflLs.
CreaL naLural dleLary sources of vlLamln A are carroLs, yams, sweeL poLaLoes,
canLaloupes and flsh oll.
Some slmple yeL slgnlflcanL ||festy|e changes can also provlde dry eye naLural LreaLmenL.
lor lnsLance, make sure Lhe alr ln your home or offlce ls humld, avold exposlng your
eyes Lo dry and wlndy cllmaLe condlLlons, wear sunglasses every Llme you are ouL and
avold uslng conLacL lenses for Loo long.

220
Con[unct|v|t|s
Con[unct|v|t|s, a|so referred to as p|nk eye, |s an |nf|ammat|on of the con[unct|ve of
the eye - the outer |ayer of the eye and the |nner surface of the eye||ds. AlLhough
con[uncLlvlLls produces a varleLy of unpleasanL sympLoms, lL rarely leads Lo severe vlslon
compllcaLlons.
Con[unct|v|t|s Causes
Con[uncLlvlLls ls Lyplcally caused by a vlral or bacLerlal lnfecLlon. ln some cases lL may be
Lrlggered by varlous allergles and oLher general healLh dlseases. Some chemlcals can
also lead Lo onseL of con[uncLlvlLls.
1he way dlfferenL Lypes of con[uncLlvlLls are usually classlfled depends on Lhe cause of
Lhe lnflammaLlon:
Allerglc con[uncLlvlLls, caused by dlfferenL allergens such as dusL, pollen, anlmal
skln, perfumes, medlcaLlons and so on.
8acLerlal con[uncLlvlLls, caused by varlous bacLerla.
vlral con[uncLlvlLls, caused by dlfferenL vlruses.
Con[uncLlvlLls caused by chemlcals such as shampoos, dlrL, pool chlorlne, smoke
and so on.
221
Con[unct|v|t|s Symptoms
Con[uncLlvlLls presenLs wlLh varlous unpleasanL sympLoms whlch may dlffer accordlng Lo
Lhe Lype of Lhe lnflammaLlon. MosL ofLen people experlence Lhe followlng con[uncLlvlLls
sympLoms:
8edness ln Lhe eye,
Lxcesslve Learlng,
ulscharge from Lhe eye,
8urnlng and/or lLchy sensaLlon ln Lhe eyes,
lncreased senslLlvlLy Lo llghL,
8lurred vlslon,
vlral con[uncLlvlLls sympLoms usually
are mlld and lnclude waLery dlscharge
from Lhe eye and lLchlng. 8acLerlal
con[uncLlvlLls sympLoms usually lnclude
green, yellow or graylsh dlscharge from
Lhe eyes LhaL makes Lhe eyellds Lo sLlck
LogeLher, especlally afLer sleep. MosL
people wlLh bacLerlal con[uncLlvlLls
have a feellng of a forelgn body ln Lhe eye. vlral and bacLerlal con[uncLlvlLls sympLoms
may affecL only one of Lhe eyes however Lhey qulckly spread Lo boLh eyes.
Allerglc con[uncLlvlLls sympLoms don'L dlffer much from Lhe general con[uncLlvlLls
sympLoms. 1yplcally people wlLh allerglc con[uncLlvlLls experlence an lLchy and burnlng
sensaLlon ln Lhelr eyes, have waLery dlscharge and excesslve Learlng and Lhelr llghL
senslLlvlLy ls lncreased.
AlLhough con[uncLlvlLls rarely leads Lo severe compllcaLlons lL ls recommended Lo seek
medlcal advlce as soon as you noLlce any sympLoms.
222
223
Natura| 1reatment for Con[unct|v|t|s
1here are many naLural con[uncLlvlLls LreaLmenL opLlons. MosL of Lhem are almed aL
rellevlng Lhe sympLoms raLher Lhan LreaLlng Lhe cause of con[uncLlvlLls and LhaL ls why lL
ls recommended Lo Lry any naLural con[uncLlvlLls LreaLmenL only afLer your eye docLor
has ruled ouL and LreaLed Lhe more serlous causes of Lhe lnflammaLlon.
ln general, con[uncLlvlLls sympLoms can be relleved wlLh cold compresses and eye paln -
wlLh hoL waLer compresses. Many people flnd conLrasL hydroLherapy Lo help reduce Lhe
lnLenslLy of Lhelr plnk eye sympLoms.
Some naLural herbal vlslon remedles can also provlde naLural con[uncLlvlLls LreaLmenL.
Chamomlle and black Lea can also be used Lo reduce Lhe lrrlLaLlon. 1he easlesL way Lo
use Lhese herbs ls Lo molsL Lea bags of chamomlle or black Lea and Lo place Lhem over
your eyes for abouL 10 mlnuLes.
Some foods can also help your maln con[uncLlvlLls LreaLmenL. lresh vegeLables and
frulLs as well as fresh [ulces from carroLs, splnach, mango, papaya and clLrus frulLs are
qulLe helpful for people wlLh con[uncLlvlLls. Cn Lhe oLher hand, sweeL foods such as
candles, ples, puddlngs, cakes and so on can lncrease Lhe severlLy of sympLoms.
224
8|ephar|t|s
8|ephar|t|s |s an eye||d |nf|ammat|on. lL may be caused by varlous facLors such as
general eye lnfecLlon, bacLerlal lnfecLlon, dry eye and skln dlseases such as acne
rosacea.
8|ephar|t|s Causes
MosL commonly blepharlLls ls caused by malfuncLlon of oll glands locaLed ln Lhe eyellds.
1he oll glands may produce Loo much, noL enough or Lhe wrong Lype of olls and Lhus Lo
Lrlgger Lhe onseL of blepharlLls. ln many cases, acne rosacea, a general oll gland
dlsorder, may be Lhe reason why eyelld oll glands fall Lo funcLlon properly.
8lepharlLls may also be caused by some allergles, especlally allergles Lo eye cosmeLlcs or
conLacL lenses soluLlons.
8lepharlLls lnfecLlons fall lnLo Lwo maln caLegorles accordlng Lo Lhelr area of effecL:
Anter|or b|ephar|t|s. AnLerlor blepharlLls affecLs Lhe ouLer edge of Lhe eyellds
(Lhe area where Lhe eye lashes are aLLached).
oster|or b|ephar|t|s. osLerlor blepharlLls ls lnflammaLlon of Lhe melbomlan
glands of Lhe eye (locaLed lnslde Lhe eyelld).
usually, people wlLh blepharlLls have boLh Lypes aL Lhe same Llme buL wlLh dlfferenL
degrees of severlLy.
8|ephar|t|s Symptoms
8lepharlLls sympLoms Lyplcally affecL boLh eyes and boLh Lhe upper and Lhe lower
eyellds. 8lepharlLls may appear aL any age.
1he mosL common blepharlLls sympLoms lnclude:
8urnlng and/or lLchlng sensaLlon ln Lhe eyes.
225
A feellng of a forelgn body lnslde Lhe eye.
Sore and red eyellds.
Swollen marglns of Lhe eyellds.
Lxcesslve Learlng.
CrusLlng, especlally durlng sleep.
Creasy and/or olly eyelashes.
lncreased senslLlvlLy Lo llghL.
8lurry vlslon.
Loss of eyelashes or abnormal eyelash growLh.
uandruff of Lhe eyelashes and eyebrows.
1he ma[orlLy of people wlLh blepharlLls usually experlence shorL perlods wlLh severe
blepharlLls sympLoms, Lyplcally worse ln Lhe mornlngs, followed by long perlods of Llme
wlLhouL any sympLoms. 1he exacL Lype of sympLoms a person may have largely depends
on Lhe cause of Lhe lnflammaLlon. lor lnsLance, when blepharlLls ls caused by dry eye,
along wlLh lLs sympLoms a person may experlence some dry eye sympLoms as well.
AlLhough blepharlLls rarely leads Lo severe vlslon compllcaLlons, several serlous eye
condlLlons such as sLy, chalazlon and chronlc plnk eye, may be caused by unLreaLed
blepharlLls.
Natura| 1reatment for 8|ephar|t|s
ln mosL cases blepharlLls can be LreaLed wlLh varlous naLural remedles. Powever, keep
ln mlnd LhaL bacLerlal blepharlLls, severe eye lnflammaLlon due Lo blepharlLls or
blepharlLls caused by anoLher eye dlsease may requlre prescrlpLlon anLlbloLlc or sLerold
eye drops, olnLmenLs and/or pllls.
Good eye hyg|ene ls ln Lhe core of any naLural blepharlLls LreaLmenL approach.
Wash your face and eyes wlLh warm waLer regularly and geL used Lo a dally
eyelld hyglene rouLlne. A good eyelld hyglene rouLlne usually lncludes Lhe
226
appllcaLlon of warm compresses over Lhe eyes and mechanlcal removal of Lhe
debrls from Lhe eyelld marglns. ?ou can do LhaL wlLh a coLLon appllcaLor sLlck
soaked ln mlxLure of baby shampoo or oLher lld-cleanslng producL and waLer.
Contrast nydrotherapy. Some people flnd conLrasL hydroLherapy qulLe helpful
for reduclng Lhe unpleasanL blepharlLls sympLoms.
Natura| nerba| kemed|es. Several naLural herbal vlslon remedles also provlde
blepharlLls naLural LreaLmenL. A warm compress of goldseal, eyebrlghL or mulleln
Lea applled for 10-13 mlnuLes Lwo Llmes a day provldes slgnlflcanL sympLom
rellef. Chamomlle and black Lea compresses may also help as Lhese herbs
conLaln loLs of naLural anLl-sepLlc compounds LhaL help reduce eye lnflammaLlon
and lrrlLaLlon.
D|et. 8ecenL sLudles have also shown LhaL blepharlLls sympLoms may be reduced
by a vlslon dleL lncludlng lncreased lnLake of omega-3 faLLy aclds. AlLhough lL ls
conLroverslal LhaL a dleL alone can provlde Lhe requlred quanLlLles of omega-3
faLLy aclds, addlng some foods rlch ln Lhese essenLlal nuLrlenL lnLo your dally
menu may help you reduce blepharlLls sympLoms. Moreover, omega-3 faLLy
aclds are of uLmosL lmporLance for eyeslghL and eye healLh ln general. Cood
naLural sources of omega-3 faLLy aclds are old waLer flsh such as salmon and
Luna and some nuLs.
8egardless of Lhe exacL blepharlLls naLural LreaLmenL you may choose Lo Lry, lL ls
recommended Lo mlnlmlze or compleLely avold uslng eye make up and llmlL Lhe use of
your conLacL lenses durlng Lhe LreaLmenL.
Cood eye hyglene and a healLhy vlslon dleL comblned wlLh some naLural herbal vlslon
remedles are a greaL way Lo manage Lhe condlLlon and prevenL lL from progresslon.
227
Ast|gmat|sm
AsLlgmaLlsm ls one of Lhe mosL common eyeslghL dlsorders. lL may be caused by
lrregular shape of Lhe cornea of Lhe eye or lrregular shape of Lhe crysLalllne lens of Lhe
eye. uue Lo Lhe Lwo maln causes of asLlgmaLlsm, ofLen eye professlonals Lalk abouL
cornea| ast|gmat|sm or |ent|cu|ar ast|gmat|sm.
A person wlLh corneal asLlgmaLlsm may have oblong raLher Lhan spherlcal corneal
shape, one slde of Lhe cornea may be flaLLer Lhan Lhe oLher or one area of Lhe cornea Lo
be sLeeper Lhan lL should be. When Lhe llghL rays enLer Lhe eye, Lhls lrregular corneal
shape wlll cause Lhem Lo focus aL Lwo places on Lhe reLlna raLher Lhan preclsely aL one
spoL.
A person wlLh lenLlcular asLlgmaLlsm wlll have lrregular shape of Lhe lens of Lhe eye
(locaLed behlnd Lhe cornea and Lhe lrls). 1hese shape lrregularlLles of Lhe lens cause
llghL rays Lo focus badly on Lhe reLlna of Lhe eye. lL ls lmporLanL Lo menLlon LhaL many
people wlLh lrregularly shaped lens have perfecLly shaped cornea and vlse versa.
AsLlgmaLlsm can affecL boLh chlldren and adulLs and Lyplcally accompanles
nearslghLedness (myopla) or farslghLedness (hyperopla). ?eL, some people may have
asLlgmaLlsm wlLhouL havlng any oLher eyeslghL dlsorder.
Slnce Lhe maln causes of asLlgmaLlsm are relaLed Lo lrregular shape of some of Lhe
sLrucLures of Lhe eye, lL ls consldered a heredlLary eye dlsorder. Many cllnlcal sLudles
show LhaL chlldren have hlgher rlsk of asLlgmaLlsm lf one or boLh parenLs have lL. Cn Lhe
oLher hand, some eye care professlonals belleve LhaL long hours of unlnLerrupLed close-
up eye work may lead Lo permanenL changes of Lhe shape of Lhe cornea and Lhus Lo
asLlgmaLlsm.
AsLlgmaLlsm ls usually presenL aL blrLh however lL may develop laLer ln llfe due Lo an eye
ln[ury, eye surgery or anoLher eye dlsease affecLlng Lhe cornea. LenLlcular asLlgmaLlsm ls
228
more prevalenL among people wlLh dlabeLes as hlgh blood sugar levels cause changes ln
Lhe shape of Lhe lens.
229
Ast|gmat|sm Symptoms
AsLlgmaLlsm sympLoms vary accordlng Lo Lhe Lype of Lhe dlsorder and lLs severlLy. Small
degrees of asLlgmaLlsm may noL presenL wlLh any sympLoms or may only cause shorL
perlods of blurred vlslon, headaches, eye sLraln or a general unpleasanL feellng of eye
faLlgue. Plgher degrees of asLlgmaLlsm cause serlous vlslon problems. 1he mosL
common sympLoms of asLlgmaLlsm are dlsLorLed and blurred vlslon aL all dlsLances,
senslLlvlLy Lo llghL, excesslve squlnLlng and ofLen bllnklng.
AsLlgmaLlsm may only be deLecLed Lhrough a medlcal eye examlnaLlon and LhaL ls why
regular eye check ups are greaLly recommended Lo everybody and especlally Lo Lhose
wlLh famlly hlsLory of asLlgmaLlsm.
Lye Lxerc|ses for Ast|gmat|sm
Many eye professlonals belleve LhaL vlslon exerclses and eye relaxaLlon Lechnlques can
be greaLly beneflclal for asLlgmaLlsm.
lf you are eager Lo Lry eye exerclses for asLlgmaLlsm, you should look for vlslon exerclses
almed aL reduclng eye sLraln and lmprovlng Lhe focuslng ablllLles of Lhe eye. Pere are
some suggesLlons for eye exerclses LhaL can help reduce Lhe overall vlslon sLress,
enhance focuslng and relleve eye sLraln:
locuslng vlslon Lxerclse (p. 37)
1wo uoLs vlslon Lxerclse (p. 34)
8egardless of Lhe exacL vlslon exerclses you wlll be dolng, lL ls lmporLanL Lo esLabllsh a
good vlslon relaxaLlon rouLlne as well.
230
Doub|e V|s|on

uouble vlslon (dlplopla) ls one of
Lhe mosL deblllLaLlng eyeslghL
problems. 1he name ls derlved
from Lwo Creek words - H0@7&5)
(double) and &@) (eye). As Lhe
name suggesLs, people wlLh
double vlslon see Lwo lmages of a
slngle ob[ecL raLher Lhan one.

Doub|e v|s|on |s the s|mu|taneous percept|on of two |mages of a s|ng|e ob[ect. 1he
|mages may be d|sp|aced hor|zonta||y, vert|ca||y or d|agona||y (both hor|zonta||y and
vert|ca||y).

1here are Lwo maln Lypes of dlplopla: monocular dlplopla (double vlslon occurs only ln
one eye) and blnocular dlplopla (double vlslon occurs ln boLh eyes aL Lhe same Llme).

CurrenLly, Lhere are no flgures abouL Lhe prevalence of dlplopla ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes nor
worldwlde. Lye care professlonals belleve LhaL Lhere ls no dlfference ln Lhe lncldence of
double vlslon wlLh regards Lo race and gender. Powever, double vlslon ls nearly
excluslvely found ln adulLs. Chlldren wlLh dlplopla rarely exhlblL any sympLoms even
when Lhey have Lhe condlLlon unLll more serlous vlslon compllcaLlons occur.
Causes of Doub|e V|s|on

uouble vlslon may be caused by a number of reasons - eye faLlgue due Lo prolonged eye
work, lmproper funcLlon of Lhe exLraocular muscles, amblyopla (lazy eye), asLlgmaLlsm,
dlfference ln Lhe refracLlve power beLween Lhe eyes, and oLhers. ln many cases, double
231
vlslon ls a sympLom of anoLher eye dlsorder, sysLemlc dlseases or neurologlcal problem.
ulplopla may resulL from conLacL lens use and compllcaLlons from varlous eye surgerles.

Some of Lhe mosL common causes of double vlslon are:

rob|ems w|th any part of the v|s|on system such as: lnfecLlons of Lhe cornea,
compllcaLlons of LASlk and caLaracL surgerles, senlle or LraumaLlc caLaracL,
keraLoconus, sLrablsmus, age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon.
Musc|e prob|ems: weak eye muscles may lead Lo dlplopla. An auLolmmune
dlsease called MyasLhenla gravls ofLen presenLs wlLh double vlslon, Crave's
dlsease, a Lhyrold condlLlon, also weakens Lhe muscles of Lhe eyes and causes
verLlcal double vlslon.
Nerve prob|ems: nerve damage due Lo Lrauma or sysLemlc dlseases (dlabeLes,
mulLlple sclerosls, Culllaln-8arre syndrome) may lead Lo double vlslon.
8ra|n prob|ems: 1rauma or any dlsorder affecLlng Lhe vlsual cenLer of Lhe braln
or Lhe cranlal nerves responslble for vlslon may resulL ln double vlslon. 8raln
condlLlons LhaL may presenL wlLh double vlslon lnclude braln Lumors, aneurysms,
mlgralne headaches, damage of Lhe Lhlrd, fourLh or slxLh cranlal nerves,
boLullsm.

Whlle dlplopla ln chlldren frequenLly goes unnoLlced unLll slgnlflcanL eye compllcaLlons
occur, double vlslon ln adulLs requlre prompL medlcal aLLenLlon as lL may slgnlfy a
serlous underlylng condlLlon.

Doub|e V|s|on Symptoms

ulplopla may occur suddenly or develop slowly, lL may be sporadlc or consLanL and may
have no oLher sympLoms.

232
1he mosL lmporLanL sympLoms of double vlslon concern:

WheLher Lhere ls a problem wlLh [usL one eye (monocular dlplopla) or wlLh boLh
eyes (blnocular dlplopla),
Pow ls Lhe second lmage dlsplaced - horlzonLally (slde-by-slde lmages),
verLlcally (lmages above each oLher) or dlagonally (horlzonLally and verLlcally).
uoes double vlslon remalns Lhe same when looklng aL dlfferenL dlrecLlons or ln
dlfferenL poslLlons of Lhe head. lf double vlslon changes or dlsappears ln a glven
dlrecLlon of gaze or head poslLlon, Lhere mlghL be a problem wlLh lnnervaLlon.

uependlng on Lhe cause, double vlslon may be accompanled wlLh mlsallgnmenL of one
or boLh eyes, eye paln, paln around Lhe eyes, weakness ln Lhe eyes or general weakness,
droopy eyellds, headache and nausea.
Natura| 1reatments for Doub|e V|s|on

Some eye care professlonals suggesL LhaL cerLaln vlslon exerclses may be very helpful for
allevlaLlng Lhe sympLoms of double vlslon and even compleLely resLorlng clear eyeslghL.
Cf course, correcLlng double vlslon wlLh eye exerclses ls only posslble lf Lhe condlLlon ls
caused by weak eye muscles or problems wlLh Lhe allgnmenL of Lhe eyes.

uue Lo Lhe facL LhaL double vlslon, especlally when occurs abrupLly, may slgnlfy some
serlous healLh condlLlons, always seek medlcal aLLenLlon prlor Lo commenclng any vlslon
Lherapy program.

Many eye exerclses may help relleve Lhe sympLoms of double vlslon. usually, Lhese are
eye exerclses almed aL sLrengLhenlng Lhe eye muscles and lmprovlng Lhelr flexlblllLy, eye
exerclses deslgned Lo Lraln Lhe ablllLy of Lhe eyes Lo shlfL Lhelr focus LogeLher and
speclal eye exerclses LargeLed aL enhanclng Lhe ablllLy of Lhe eyes Lo see" LogeLher.

233
Pere ls whaL you can do lf you suffer from double vlslon:

r|or to try|ng v|s|on exerc|ses: vlslL your ophLhalmologlsL Lo rule ouL any
serlous underlylng causes for Lhe condlLlon. ln case dlplopla ls caused by a
sysLemlc dlsease or an eye dlsorder, make sure you follow Lhe prescrlbed
LreaLmenL even lf you plan Lo use a naLural vlslon correcLlon approach.

now to choose eye exerc|ses for doub|e v|s|on: As menLloned above, you should
look for vlslon work-ouLs LhaL wlll enhance your eye muscles and promoLe Lhelr
proper funcLlon as well as for speclal eye exerclses for double vlslon. ?ou can Lry
Lhese eye exerclses: near lar locus vlslon Lxerclse (p. 38), Zoomlng vlslon
Lxerclse (p. 44), Lyes SLreLch vlslon Lxerclse (p. 33), 3 Cups vlslon Lxerclse (p.
36), luslon vlslon Lxerclse for uouble vlslon (p. 38), near - lar locus ShlfLs
vlslon Lxerclse for uouble vlslon (p. 39).

What |f you a|ready do v|s|on exerc|ses for nears|ghtedness, fars|ghtedness or
age|ng v|s|on: ?ou can conLlnue your currenL vlslon exerclse rouLlne and lnclude
eye exerclses for double vlslon Lo lL.
234
V|s|on G|ossary
CfLen, when we read vlslon relaLed arLlcles, we come across varlous medlcal Lerms we
are unfamlllar wlLh. 1he followlng vlslon Clossary ls deslgned Lo help you undersLand
some of Lhe mosL common vlslon relaLed Lerms.
ACCCMMCDA1ICN: Lhe ablllLy of Lhe eyes Lo ad[usL Lhelr focus as Lhe dlsLance beLween
Lhe lndlvldual and Lhe ob[ecL changes.
ACUI1: Lhe ablllLy Lo see clearly.
ACUI1 LCSS: loss ln vlslon due Lo some klnd of eyeslghL problem (caLaracL, reLlnlLls
plgmenLosa, age-relaLed macular degeneraLlon, eLc.)
AS1nLNCIA: or eyesLraln, an uncomforLable feellng ln Lhe eyes.
AS1IGMA1ISM: an abnormal condlLlon of Lhe eye due Lo lrregularlLles ln Lhe shape of
Lhe cornea.
8INCCULAk IUSICN (8INCCULAk VISICN): Lhe ablllLy of Lhe braln Lo geL lnformaLlon
from each eye separaLely and merge lL lnLo a slngle, unlfled lmage. lf, for some reason,
one of Lhe eyes cannoL dellver clear lmages, Lhe braln suppresses lL Lo avold confuslon.
1hls may resulL lnLo amblyopla (lazy eye).
8LIND SC1: a blank area ln Lhe vlsual fleld correspondlng Lo Lhe poslLlon of Lhe opLlc
nerve, or, an area of reduced senslLlvlLy anywhere else ln Lhe vlsual fleld.
8LINDNLSS: severely reduced vlsual aculLy or LoLal lnablllLy Lo see.
CA1AkAC1: an eye condlLlon characLerlzed by changes ln Lhe opaclLy of Lhe lens.
CLN1kAL VISICN IILLD LCSS: an eye dlsorder characLerlzed by poor or lack of cenLral
vlslon whlle slde vlslon ls reLalned.
235
CILIAk MUSCLLS: Lhe muscles ln Lhe clllary body conLrolllng Lhe shape of Lhe lens.
CCLCk 8LINDNLSS (CCLCk DLIICILNC): Lhe lnablllLy Lo dlfferenLlaLe beLween colors.
CCNIUNC1IVA: a membrane coverlng Lhe fronL secLlon of Lhe eyeball and Lhe eye llds.
CCNIUNC1IVI1IS: an lnflammaLlon of Lhe con[uncLlva.
CCNVLkGLNCL: Lhe ablllLy of Lhe eyes Lo Lurn Loward each oLher Lo focus near ob[ecLs.
DIA8L1IC kL1INCA1n: an eye dlsorder caused by long-sLandlng and/or poorly
conLrolled dlabeLes, lL ls characLerlzed by repeaLed hemorrhages of Lhe eye blood
vessels resulLlng ln severe vlslon lmpalrmenL or bllndness.
DIC1Lk: a unlL of measuremenL lndlcaLlng how much llghL rays are refracLed by Lhe
lens, used as a reference of Lhe degree of vlslon loss.
DILCIA: double vlslon.
IILLD CI VISICN: Lhe area over whlch vlslon ls posslble.
IIkA1ICN: Lhe ablllLy of Lhe eyes Lo focus on an ob[ecL and hold lL.
IUNDUS: Lhe back of Lhe eye, lncludlng Lhe reLlna and Lhe opLlc nerve.
GLAUCCMA: an eye dlsorder characLerlzed by lncreased lnLraocular pressure.
nLkCIA (IAkSIGn1LDNLSS): an eye condlLlon characLerlzed by Lhe lnablllLy Lo see
near ob[ecLs.
kLkA1CML1k: a measuremenL of Lhe curvaLure of Lhe cornea.
LLGALL 8LIND: vlslon aculLy 20/200 ln Lhe beLLer eye wlLh Lhe besL posslble correcLlon.
LIGn1 LkCL1ICN: Lhe ablllLy of Lhe eye Lo dlsLlngulsh Lhe presence or lack of llghL.
236
MACULAk DLGLNLkA1ICN: a vlslon dlsorder characLerlzed by loss of cenLral vlslon due
Lo degeneraLlon of Lhe cells ln Lhe cenLral area of Lhe macula.
MCIA (NLAkSIGn1LDNLSS): an eyeslghL dlsorder characLerlzed by Lhe lnablllLy of Lhe
eyes Lo focus clearly ob[ecLs ln Lhe dlsLance.
NIGn1 8LINDNLSS: an eye dlsorder characLerlzed by Lhe lnablllLy of Lhe person Lo see
well ln falnL llghL or durlng nlghL.
NCNkCGkLSSIVL LLSIGn1 CCNDI1ICN: an eyeslghL dlsorder LhaL remalns aL Lhe
same sLage of progresslon over a long perlod of Llme (doesn'L geL beLLer and doesn'L
worsen).
NS1AGMUS: lnvolunLary rapld movemenL of Lhe eyes.
CCCII1AL LC8L: Lhe maln vlsual cenLer of Lhe braln, where nerve lmpulses from Lhe
reLlna are senL and Lransformed lnLo lmages.
CCULAk: relaLlng Lo Lhe eye.
CCULCMC1Ck kC8LLMS: problems movlng Lhe eyes.
Cn1ALMCLCGIS1: a physlclan speclallzlng ln eye dlseases.
C1I1IAN: a professlonal who makes correcLlonal glasses accordlng Lo medlcal
prescrlpLlons.
LkCL1ICN: Lhe overall process of recepLlon of lmages and undersLandlng of whaL ls
seen.
CS1LkICk CnAM8Lk: Lhe area of Lhe eye behlnd Lhe lens.
kCGkLSSIVL VISICN CCNDI1ICN: an eyeslghL dlsorder LhaL becomes worse over Llme.
237
UIL: Lhe openlng ln Lhe mlddle of Lhe lrls.
kLIkAC1ICN: Lhe deLermlnaLlon of refracLlve errors ln Lhe eye and Lhelr correcLlon wlLh
lenses.
kLIkAC1IVL LkkCk: an eyeslghL condlLlon LhaL occurs when Lhe llghL rays enLerlng Lhe
eye are noL broughL Lo a sharp focus on Lhe reLlna.
SACCADIC MCVLMLN1S: movemenLs of boLh eyes ln Lhe same dlrecLlon for vlewlng
ob[ecLs and flxaLlon.
SNLLLLN CnAk1: a vlslon charL used Lo deLermlne one's vlsual aculLy.
1CNCML1k: a medlcal LesL performed Lo measure Lhe pressure lnslde Lhe eye.
VISICN: Lhe ablllLy of Lhe braln Lo process Lhe lnformaLlon recelved from Lhe eyes and
produce lmages.
VISICN AIDS: varlous opLlcal and non-opLlcal devlces helplng people wlLh eyeslghL
lmpalrmenL see (glasses, magnlflers, conLacL lens, plnhole glasses, eLc.)
VISUAL CCk1Lk: Lhe parL of Lhe bran responslble for vlslon.
VISICN S1IMULA1ICN: varlous acLlvlLles or eye exerclses deslgned Lo enhance Lhe vlsual
capablllLles of a person.
VISUAL 1kACkING: Lhe ablllLy of Lhe eyes Lo follow Lhe movemenL of an ob[ecL ln
moLlon.
238
Lye Charts
Ams|er Gr|d

$A, ?6)7,. ;.0H 3<&E, 0) 3@@.&-063(,7+ (A, )36, )0I, 3) (A&), 5),H >&. H03;4&)(0/
@5.@&),)" J&5 /34 5), 0( (& /A,/: +&5. ,+,)0;A( >&. )04;) &> 3;,K.,73(,H 63/573.
H,;,4,.3(0&4" =7,3), 4&(,L (A3( (A0) ),7>K(,)( /344&( <, 5),H 3) 34 37(,.43(0E, (& >577
6,H0/37 ,+, ,-36043(0&4"
239
I|gure L|ghts V|s|on Lxerc|se Chart

240
1wo Dots V|s|on Lxerc|se Chart
=.04( (A, /0./7, (%& (06,) 34H @04 (A, (%& /0./7,) (& (A, %377L 3@@.&-063(,7+ M >,,( 3@3.( >.&6 ,3/A &(A,."

241
1|betan Lye Chart

242
3 Cups V|s|on Lxerc|se Chart

243
Near-Iar Iocus V|s|on Lxerc|se Chart

1 2 3 4 S
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 1S
16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 2S
26 27 28 29 30

244
Near-Iar Iocus V|s|on Lxerc|se Chart (SxS |nches)

1 2 3 4 S
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 1S
16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 2S
26 27 28 29 30

245
D|agona|s V|s|on Lxerc|se Chart

246
keferences

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sLyle/healLh-and-famllles/healLh-news/Lhe-LruLh-abouL-plnhole-glasses-1233113.hLml

CaLaracLs, unlverslLy of Maryland Medlcal CenLer (uMMC),
hLLp://www.umm.edu/alLmed/arLlcles/caLaracLs-000032.hLm

3Lh edlLlon of Lhe SLaLlsLlcs on vlslon lmpalrmenL prepared by 8. Leonard aL Lhe Arlene
8. Cordon 8esearch lnsLlLuLe

Amsler Crld, naLlonal Lye lnsLlLuLe (nLl),
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new llndlngs of Llnk 8eLween uleL and vlslon Loss, 8osalle Marlon 8llss, unlLed SLaLes
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hLLp://www.ars.usda.gov/ls/pr/2006/060427.hLm

Clobal SLraLegy on uleL, hyslcal AcLlvlLy and healLh, World PealLh CrganlzaLlon (WPC),
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8lcher S, SLlles W, SLaLkuLe L, eL al. (Aprll 2004). "uouble-masked, placebo-conLrolled,
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Age-8elaLed Lye ulsease SLudy 8esearch Croup (CcLober 2001). "A randomlzed,
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Sommerburg C, keunen !L, 8lrd AC, van kul[k l!. lrulLs and vegeLables LhaL are sources
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LssenLlal laLLy Aclds, Amerlcan CpLomeLrlc AssoclaLlon (ACA),
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Can !unk lood Parm ?our vlslon?, Cood Mornlng Amerlca, A8C news,
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Plgh-Sugar loods May AffecL LyeslghL, Mlranda PlLLl, WebMu,
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Man's bllndness 'due Lo vegan dleL', 88C news,
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