Recent studies of general eye health across the generations has revealed that our eyes are under attack from different causes. Depletion of the ozone layer is currently allowing additional UV radiation to strike our eyes compared with the typical amount of UV in the 20th Century. Television and computer screens are providing a second cause that negatively affects our eyes. The increased UV radiation has lessened our protection from the damage that that radiation inflicts on the eyes and skin as well. During the day and into the night the constant focusing on the computer and television screens takes its toll on the muscles of the eye. Eyestrain typically results from the extended hours spent viewing those screens for hours at the same distance day after day.
Fortunately some recent eye research has identified an antioxidant that can prevent eyestrain. The name of this carotenoid antioxidant is astaxanthin that was first identified in Asia and further verified last year in the US. The researchers verified that supplementing with astaxanthin decreased eye fatigue and shortened the recovery time of the eyes of folks who had spent time focusing on a monitor’s screen for extended periods of time. It turns out that astaxanthin is an oxygenated carotenoid, so it protects better against free radical damage than the beta-carotene in carrots. Finally astaxanthin is a member of the family of compounds that have been directly linked to
a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
This is very good new for seniors who are looking for preemptive aging means to improve the quality of their senior living.