Nutrition and Eye Health - How Do Antioxidants Benefit Your Eye Health?

Your eyes are marvelous organs. Knowing how to6. Macula
care for your eyes can help to prevent cataracts,The macula is an oval yellow area in the retina.
a clouding of the lens in your eyes that comesMacula contains the highest concentration of the
with aging. The best care you can give to yourspecial light sensitive cells called cones. The macula
eyes is by helping your body to produce more ofenables us to see small, fine details clearly.
its master antioxidant Glutathione.Antioxidant Glutathione for Eye Health:
One study from the Journal of OcularAn article "Glutathione: A Vital Lens Antioxidant"
Pharmacology and Therapeutics showed that thefrom the Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and
cornea, lens, and retina area of the eye areTherapeutics show that Glutathione (GSH) exists
especially sensitive to loss of antioxidantin an unusually high concentration in the lenses of
Glutathione, GSH.our eyes.
Glutathione is your body's master antioxidant. AllGSH plays a vital role in maintaining the lens
cells in our bodies use Glutathione.tissues' transparency. Glutathione detoxifies the
Your eyes get exposed to a lot of oxidativepotentially damaging oxidants with which our eyes
stress and damage from UV radiation of sunlight.come into contact.
Glutathione is used directly by the lens of yourThe study also shows that the level of GSH in
eyes to deal with this daily stress.the nucleus of the lens is particularly low for older
Let's look at some major parts and functions ofpeople. If preventive eye care is not taken,
our eyes. Then let us see how the Antioxidantprolonged oxidizing damage can lead to cataracts.
Glutathione can be the best nutrition for your eyeIf you are older than 20 years old, your body
health care.starts to produce less Antioxidant Glutathione
Major parts and functions of the eye:each year as you age.
Your eye is like a very advanced camera. TheIt's very important to consider an effective
function of eyes is to enable us to see thingssupplement to improve your Glutathione level for
clearly at various distances and under various lightyour eye health. [Unfortunately, the majority of
conditions.the Glutathione supplements on the market are
Different parts of your eyes work together in anot effective.]
complex way to achieve this important function.I encourage you to learn more about Glutathione
The following components of your eyes areand the many benefits and roles this
especially susceptible to oxidative damage frommultiple-purpose antioxidant plays for your eye
sunlight.health and other health areas.
1. CorneaYou will come to appreciate how important
The cornea is the transparent front part of eyeGluathione is for your eye health care.
that covers the iris and pupil. The cornea passesAntioxidant Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Alpha lipoic
light into the eye and helps your eye to focus.acid for Eye Health:
2. IrisIn the November 2006 issue of Breakthroughs in
The iris is the colored part of your eye. ByHealth magazine, an article "Antioxidants May
making pupil larger or smaller, the iris helps toPrevent Vision Loss" mentions an eye health
control the amount of light that enters the eye.study done by scientists at the Johns Hopkins
3. PupilSchool of Medicine.
The pupil is the dark opening in the middle of theThey found that antioxidant vitamin E, vitamin C,
iris. By changing size in response to the amount ofand alpha lipoic acid are effective in fighting against
light present, the pupil controls the amount of lightage-related retinal and macular degeneration.
that enters your eye.In that eye health study, Dr. Campochiaro says,
4. Lens"What's clear is the link between oxygen and
The lens is the transparent part behind the iris. Itphotoreceptor damage, as well as the potential of
helps focus light rays onto the retina.antioxidant treatment."
5. RetinaLook for supplements that contain Antioxidant
The retina is the light sensitive, inner nerve layervitamin C and Antioxidant alpha lipoic acid. Along
of your eye. The retina is made up ofwith other essential nutrients, vitamin C and alpha
light-sensitive cells known as cones and rods.lipoic acid can work synergistically to help your
These cells convert light into nerve signals, whichbody improve your Glutathione level for eye
are passed to your brain.health.