Vegans May See Reduced Cataract Risk

A number of studies in recent years have shown that vegetarians and vegans are less likely to suffer strokes or develop heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

But a new study conducted by the University of Oxford and published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that vegans and vegetarians also have a lower risk of developing cataracts. The study included more than 27,000 people 40 and older who completed dietary surveys between 1993 and 1999. The participants’ medical records were tracked through 2009, with researchers focusing on cataract development.

The study found that those who didn’t eat meat had a 30 to 40 percent lower cataract risk than those who did. Research showed the highest risk of cataracts was among the biggest meat eaters (those who consumed more than 100 grams—or 3 ½ ounces—of meat per day). The risk for cataracts dropped in moderate meat eaters.

Although the research did not confirm that meat intake promotes cataracts, it did indicate that those who eat a greater portion of fruits and vegetables have greater protection from cataracts and possibly other vision problems. The Oxford research in some ways echoed a University of Wisconsin study that found people who eat brightly hued fruits and vegetables tend to have fewer vision problems and develop cataracts later in life than those who eat foods high in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.

Cataracts are caused by the clumping of proteins on the lens of the eye; this obstructs sight, causing blurred vision and can eventually lead to blindness. According to the National Eye Institute, more than 50 percent of Americans develop cataracts by age 80.

Cataracts can be treated with an outpatient surgical procedure. Having cataracts does not necessarily disqualify you from having LASIK surgery to correct other vision problems.

To learn more about vision correction options and to find an ophthalmologist near you, please contact The LASIK Directory.

Eye on the Ball: Glasses Sparked Player to Late Career Surge

If LASIK had been around when Eddie Joost played baseball, the soft-hitting but defensively polished infielder—who died April 12 at the age of 94—might be enshrined in Cooperstown.

Joost began his professional baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1936. A slick fielder, Joost split time between second base, shortstop and third base while carrying a batting average that frequently dipped below the Mendoza line and never mustering more than six home runs and 41 RBI in a season.

Although he was the everyday shortstop for the World Series-winning Reds in 1940, his defensive prowess compensated less and less for his poor performance at the plate. By 1944, Joost was out of baseball and working in a meat-packing plant.

After a brief shot with the Boston Braves in 1945, Joost spent the 1946 season toiling in the minor leagues. Then, in 1947, approaching 31 years old, Joost got a second chance.

The Philadelphia Athletics—now the Oakland A’s—were in desperate need of a shortstop and picked up Joost. His woes at the plate continued, but Joost finally acknowledged their cause: astigmatism.

At the time, there was pervasive prejudice against players wearing glasses. In 1947, only one player—St. Louis Browns third baseman Bob Dillinger—wore glasses on the field.

Knowing his window of opportunity was closing fast and tired of seeing “two balls coming at me,” as he once described his vision problem, Joost got glasses. His turnaround was eye opening.

In 1948, Joost hit .250 with 16 home runs and 55 RBI. The following year, he hit .263 with 23 home runs and 81 RBI. In his early 30s, when most players begin to decline, Joost surged.

He decreased his strikeouts from a high of 110 in 1947 to 68 in 1950, more than doubled the average number of walks from his stint with the Reds, significantly raised his on-base percentage, and became a two-time American League All-Star. From 1948 until 1952—his final full season—Joost averaged 19 home runs and 120 walks per season; he still holds the record for most walks by a shortstop with 149, set in 1949.

One can only speculate about the arc Joost’s career might have taken had he chosen to treat his vision problem sooner. Regardless, Joost attributed his late success to his eyewear. Well, the glasses and a tip from Ted Williams, who seemingly never had a problem seeing the ball.

“He told me I got out in front too much,” Joost told Baseball Digest in 2002. “He was right.”

To learn more about astigmatism and LASIK treatment options, please contact a qualified ophthalmologist near you.

New Study Eyes Comparative Effectiveness of LASIK, Contacts

Vision results, patient satisfaction and quality of life are the focus of a recently launched study comparing LASIK surgery and contact lenses in treating myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism.

The study is being conducted by the Cornea Research Foundation of America (CRFA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of vision, in conjunction with a number of ophthalmologists across the country. The study is the first to simultaneously document patient experience with these two popular vision correction methods.

The study will survey 5,000 patients with myopia, hyperopia and/or astigmatism who have treated their vision problem with either LASIK or contact lenses. Candidates for the LASIK side of the study must be over 21 and have not had previous corrective eye surgery; participants in the contact portion of the research must be over 21 and have worn contact lenses for at least five years.

Participants will be surveyed annually for three years to assess their ongoing satisfaction (or lack thereof) with their treatment and to document any changes or problems. The goal is to gain information regarding the safety profiles of LASIK and contact lenses and to assess similarities and differences in terms of perceived visual effectiveness, satisfaction and progressive changes.

To learn more about your local LASIK treatment options for myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism, please contact the LASIK directory to find an ophthalmologist near you.

Another Reason to Play Outside: Vitamin D May Lessen Myopia Risk

It should come as no surprise that myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism (irregularly shaped cornea) can affect the learning abilities of children who have the conditions. Both can cause headaches, blurred vision and trouble reading at various distances.

Myopia and astigmatism are also the most common eye problems among children, according to the National Eye Institute. While both conditions are thought to be largely hereditary, there is growing documentation that factors including eye stress (such as that caused by spending long hours in front of a computer monitor) and health problems (such as diabetes) can contribute to myopia.

There is new evidence, however, that indicates spending more time outdoors may reduce the risk of developing myopia. The key is thought to be vitamin D, which numerous studies in recent years have shown most American children already aren’t getting enough of.

According to a study reported in the Feb. 25 issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, researchers at The Ohio State University College of Optometry found a connection between myopia and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the vitamin D receptor. SNPs are common genetic mutations that, in conjunction with one another, can increase the risk for a wide range of health conditions including cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis.

The Ohio State University study revealed an association between a specific SNP within the vitamin D receptor and low to moderate myopia. Although the study was conducted with Caucasian adults ages 21 to 69 with a median age of 47, the research suggests that people with myopia may not process vitamin D efficiently or may not receive enough vitamin D.

Sunlight accelerates your body’s ability to naturally produce vitamin D, and further studies are underway to hone in on the connection between vitamin D and better eyesight. One such recently launched research effort is in Singapore, where the National University Health System is conducting a one-year study to determine if spending more time outdoors—and increasing vitamin D—will prevent the onset of myopia in children between the ages of 6 and 10.

Although myopia is treatable with eyeglasses, contact lenses and LASIK surgery, a global increase in instances of myopia in children has spurred greater attention to the causes of and methods for combating nearsightedness. Untreated, myopia can contribute to glaucoma, cataracts, retinal tears and macular degeneration.

To learn more about treatment options for myopia, please contact the LASIK directory.