MAINTAINING HEALTHY EYES
BENEFICIAL HERBS
- Bilberry extract helps preserve eyesight and prevent eye damage and is particularly useful for people who suffer from eye-strain or poor night vision.
- Eyebright maintains good vision and eye health. It can be taken orally in capsule or tea form. Eyebright tea can also be used as an eyewash to sooth irritated and inflamed eyes. Caution: Eyebright is considered an unsafe herb.
- Carrots contain carotene, which permits the visual purple in the eyes, which helps counteract night blindness and weak vision.
- Cayenne is good for eye infections and other eye-related problems. Cayenne insures the rapid delivery of nutrients to infected areas.
- Barberry is beneficial for the eyes.
- Goldenseal root has potent antibiotic and antiseptic properties. Caution: Do not take goldenseal on a daily basis for more than a week at a time, and do not use during pregnancy. Do not give goldenseal to children under two. Do not use goldenseal without consulting a physician if you have had heart disease, diabetes, glaucoma, a stroke, or high blood pressure.
- Fennel and chamomile can be made into a tea and used as a compress on the eyes
- Other herbs used for general eyewash include hollyhock, agrimony, chamomile, red raspberry leaves, hawkweeds, yarrow, ragweed, comfrey, waterlilly root, melilot, pot marigold, witch hazel, elder flowers, and chickweed.
DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS
- The foods that are best for eye health are those that contain two carotenoid antioxidants – lutein and zeaxanthin – because these make up a large part of the chemical components of the macula in the retina, particularly zeaxanthin. Foods high in these nutrients include red grapes, orange pepper, pumpkin and courgettes (zucchini), maize, eggs, spinach, collards, celery, broccoli, leaf lettuce, kale, parsley, peas, Brussels sprouts, raw summer squash, mustard greens and turnip greens.<
- Other foods to include in your diet are raw cabbage, papaya,mango, sweet potato, red peppers, swiss chard, collard greens, tomato, cantaloupe, romaine lettuce, carrots, cauliflower, sunflower seeds, and watercress.
- Drink fresh carrot juice. This can help to prevent or alleviate some eye problems. Taking two tablespoons of cod liver oil daily can also be helpful.
In some cases, herbal products can interact negatively with other medications. Such interactions can be dangerous. Herbal remedies are not regulated and their quality is not controlled. Moreover, while there is an abundant supply of information circulating about herbs, not much of it has been scientifically proven. Consult your physician. Informing your doctor and pharmacist of what herbal products you are using is just as important as letting them know what drugs you are taking. Your physician and the pharmacist on duty at your pharmacy can assist you in deciding which herbs
are safe.