Camden NSW

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 2 kale leaves, stems removed
• 1 cup blueberries
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

How to make it

Combine all the ingredients in a blender, and puree until smooth, about 45 to 60 seconds.

Chill briefly if desired. Serve immediately.

(Recipe taken from Eat Right For Your Sight - by Jennifer Trainer Thompson and Johanna M. Seddon)

What if we told you the commonly-held belief that 'carrots improve your vision', was in part the result of World War II propaganda?

According to fact-checking authority Snopes, in World War II, Britain's air ministry spread the word that a diet rich in carrots helped pilots see Nazi bombers attacking at night.

This was a red herring to detract from the fact that the Royal Air Forces had a secret weapon - an Airborne Interception Radar which could pinpoint enemy bombers before they reached the English Channel.

The disinformation was so persuasive that the English public took to eating carrots to help them find their way during the blackouts.

Some truth to carrot the carrot myth

Most eye problems stem from vision-impairment caused by genetics and ageing which cannot be aided by boosting your levels of beta-carotene from carrots, which the body converts to Vitamin A (retinol). However, there is certainly some truth to the war propaganda regarding night vision. Vitamin A is essential for the promotion of general growth, the maintenance of visual function, the regulation of tissues and embryonic development. Vitamin A deficiency can cause visual malfunctions such as night blindness as it helps the eye convert light into a signal that can be transmitted to the brain, allowing people to see under conditions of low light.

However, in Australia, most us get enough of the vitamin through preformed Vitamin A - high concentrations of which are found in liver and fish oils. Other sources of preformed vitamin A are milk and eggs, which also include some provitamin A.

Most dietary provitamin A comes from leafy green vegetables, orange and yellow vegetables, tomato products, fruits, and some vegetable oils.

So, while carrots have the reputation as an eye superfood, beta-carotene is found in much higher concentrations in leafy greens such as spinach.

Truth be told, if Bugs Bunny and Popeye had a fight to prove greater visual acuity, Popeye would trounce Bugs.

A small kale salad has 70,829 IU of retinol and 3.5 milligrams of beta-carotene, whereas a half-cup of raw carrots, has 10,692 (IU) of retinol and 0.534 milligrams of beta-carotene.

(Article taken from Good Vision For Life)

Signs that a child may need an eye test include:-

• Excessive eye rubbing (other than the usual "tired sign" eye rubbing)
• Unusual head postures (turning head)
• Saying they have blurry vision
• Excessive fatigue
• Avoiding close tasks such as reading/craft/painting
• An eye that is turning inwards or outwards
• A white rather than red reflex in the pupil centre in a photo
• Slower development in reading and writing skills

We have proudly created and successfully run a vision screening program in the Camden and Campbelltown area for over ten years. Each year we visit local primary schools and screen Year 1 students for vision related problems. We do this free of charge and encourage as many schools to participate as possible. Please ask your year 1 advisor to call us and organise a visit if your school is missing out.

Diabetic Retinopathy

When diabetes causes long-term damage to the retinal blood vessels, an inflammation of the retina occurs called Diabetic Retinopathy. This is a very serious sight-threatening condition resulting in swelling, haemorrhages and exudates (discharge) on the retina.

Changes in blood sugar levels can cause swelling in the eye which then leads to blurred and fluctuating vision. In addition, glaucoma and cataract are more common in diabetics and it may also lead to retinal detachment.

Risk Factors

The largest risk factor for diabetic retinopathy is the length of duration of the disease. The type of diabetes also has an effect with 90% of insulin-dependent (Type 1) diabetics having retinopathy after 20 years, compared to 70% of the non-insulin-dependent (Type 2) patients. Diabetic control is another major risk factor and there are also links to high blood pressure, kidney disease and smoking.

Symptoms

Without realising that the condition is present, 30% of all diabetics already have retinal damage. Retinopathy can also be quite advanced in one eye before the patient notices any symptoms.

Treatment

Possible treatment depends upon the severity of the retinopathy. Laser surgery to the retina is a possibility, if detected early enough. The best treatment is early detection.

More information

For more information on diabetic eye disease, please contact Eyecare Plus Camden on (02) 4655 2944 or click here to request an appointment online.

You can also download a useful FAQ Sheet here.