How to Protect Your Eyes Inside & Out

Cataracts and macular degeneration can be prevented for many people. Watch our video and find out what to do to lower your risk.

Our eyes are among our most valuable assets, and definitely worth safeguarding.

To protect yourself from getting foreign material into the eyes when you are using power tools or even cleaning solutions, be sure to wear protective glasses.

But there's even more you can do at the cellular level to protect these important tissues. The two main areas to look after are your lenses, which can be damaged or get cataracts, and the macula, the critical nerve area at the back of your eyes.

UV, or ultraviolet radiation, is one of the most damaging things to both the front and the back of the eye. Wearing high-quality sunglasses that have UV protection when you are outside during the day is one of the best ways to protect against cataracts in the front of the eye and against macular degeneration in the rear.

Regular, non-tinted glasses can also be treated to provide UV protection without noticeably changing the lens. While it may cost a little more, it's a great long-term investment in your vision.

Research has shown that certain minerals and plant-based antioxidant compounds like lutein and xezanthin naturally protect against macular degeneration in the back of the eye. Additional compounds such as zinc and other nutrients serve as part of a natural defense system against UV damage to the macula.

Green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach along with egg yolks are good sources of these protective compounds. It is also possible to take supplements that have these protective compounds.