Slave, many hours of watching television or computer screen causes fatigue, dry eyes, periodic tearing and inflammation. The direct cause of these ailments are free radicals - precursors of many diseases of the eyes.
The outflow of free radicals in the eye threatens us more and more ...
Typical stimuli that trigger outbreaks of free radicals are: ultraviolet radiation; allergens and local inflammatory reactions induced by them, infectious diseases, chronic systemic inflammatory diseases (rheumatic, asthma), toxic tobacco smoke, and finally "slave" long hours of watching the TV or computer screen.
Free radicals are toxic chemical molecules that, like "hot sparks", damage the delicate structure of eye cells.
Particularly exposed to damage caused by radicals are the delicate walls of capillaries nourishing the retina of the eye, as well as the cells of the macula of the eye, thanks to which we can see well. This threat is magnified when in what we eat is lacking antioxidants, ie substances that help neutralize ("extinguish") excess inflammatory and damaging cell structures of free radicals. The result may be premature deterioration of visual acuity.
Antioxidants are mainly natural plant substances
They occur most often in fruits and vegetables, whose presence is easily recognized thanks to the colors:
- purple - the most purple antioxidants are in blueberries, chokeberry, beetroots, etc.
- orange - there is a lot of them in carrots, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, etc.
With an excess of oxidants (oxidants) the body is sometimes unable to cope
Periodic overloading with an excess of free radicals may not harm young and healthy people for some time. However, they harm the elderly, chronically ill for systemic diseases - diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypertension, poor nutrition.
The question - how to strengthen antioxidant protection against free radicals?
Outstanding expert on medicinal plants Professor dr hab. Lutomski first of all points to the natural substances contained in bilberry blueberry (V. Myrtillus), commonly known as blueberry. From the fruits and leaves of this plant, the most healing compounds have been isolated to protect their eyes from free radicals. They are pectins, organic acids, iridoid and terpenes. Especially valuable for the eyes are "colored" polyphenols, called anthocyanins, giving the fruit a beautiful purple color and flavonol glycosides, also called flavonoids.
The most valuable drug for the eyes are anthocyanins, of which more than fifteen were found in bilberry.
Medicine has documented their effectiveness in protecting against the eye against free radicals caused by them damage to the cells of the macula and retinal vessels, as well as anticoagulant activity (facilitating the inflow of blood that nourishes the retina of the eye); as well as many others. Doctors investigating the healing properties of these substances believe that anthocyanins from black berries better than others regenerate enzymes damaged by free radicals, and which are necessary for the proper functioning of the eye. The deficiency of these enzymes causes impaired functioning of photosensitive retinal cells and symptoms of amblyopia. It has been documented that these "blueberry" anthocyanins regenerate these enzymes and restore their activity. This explains the effect of improving eyesight under the influence of drugs such as KLARIN (recently in pharmacies) containing a large amount of anthocyanins from blueberry, as well as standardized amounts of other antioxidants valuable for the retina - eg vitamin E and beta-carotene (provitamin A ).
Anthocyanins from bilberry
Anthocyanins improve the microcirculation in the eyeball - they increase the elasticity and seal the walls of the capillaries, inhibit clotting, and thus multiply the blood flow in the retina and improve vision. Anthocyanins neutralize free radicals and accelerate the regeneration of rhodopsin's eye pigment - that's why they improve dusk vision.
Other valuable curative substances for eyes are:
lutein
Lutein is one of the two basic dyes found in the macula - the central part of the retina responsible for visual acuity. It works like a filter, protecting the eye from harmful light. The human body is not able to produce lutein by itself, therefore it should be supplied in the right amount with food. Lutein is a strong scavenger of free radicals, thanks to which it protects the eyes, in particular, prevents damage to the retinal vessels.
Beta-carotene
Beta-carotene is converted into the body into vitamin A, which is necessary for the synthesis of rhodopsin - a photosensitive dye that makes it possible to see at dusk and in poor lighting conditions. Vitamin A also increases the production of protective eye mucus, and beta-carotene captures free radicals.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is the strongest antioxidant present in our body. Thanks to this, it effectively prevents the oxidation of vitamin A, neutralizes free radicals and inhibits the formation of toxic substances damaging blood vessels. In addition, it increases the absorption of beta-carotene in the small intestine. The effect of its action is to improve vision at dusk and quick adaptation of the eye to the dark.
Ed. Edward Ozga Michalski, MA
