Even though I wasn’t the one suffering the ordeal, it made me concerned about my own sight. Will I develop cataract too? Just imagining a knife cutting through my eyes is enough for me to do my research!

And here are my findings: Preventing cataracts from developing is really quite simple. There are mainly two parts.

1. Nutrition.

2. Sunglasses.

The second part is easy. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun, which extensive study have shown prolonged exposure of which is harmful for the eye. With one caveat.

The first part – nutrition – is the more interesting subject that I want to explore.

When I mention eye vitamins, people tend to immediately think of vitamin A. Other more sophisticated, savvy consumers may think of some other vitamins that, theoretically, is beneficial to the eyes.

I, on the other hand, always refrain from recommending one specific vitamin. The reason is simple. It’s because all vitamins have a part to play even if they don’t directly benefit your eyes!

So, for example, we all know vitamin A is good for your eyes. But did you know that carrots don’t contain vitamin A? It contains beta-carotene, which is a raw material your body uses to convert to vitamin A. For your body to convert beta-carotene to vitamin A, it needs a whole slew of other raw materials.

And guess what? For your body to use that vitamin A, it again requires a whole slew of other raw materials.

So do yourself a favor and consume whole foods only! Whole food contain all raw materials your body require, some of which are not even identified yet. If you want to consume supplements, make you buy those that based on whole foods.

You can easily find that information from reading the ingredients list, of course. Easy.

For those who closely follow my blog, you’ll know that “sunning” is one of the best vision therapy. Sunning is the controversial practice of exposing your eyes to the sun. (Before sunning your eyes, please follow the link the read the post first. This is crucial.) It’s controversial because today, it’s commonly believed the sun is anything but beneficial for your eyes.

Such belief is so common, in fact, that I see a lot of people whip out their sunglasses when they don’t need them.

But as with anything, you need to find a balance in sun exposure.

While I believe sunning is beneficial for your eyes, it doesn’t mean I don’t advocate the use of sunglasses. It’s a fact that too much UV rays can cause cataracts and a whole slew of problems.

So when the sun is glaring, or when the snow is too bright, protect your eyes! Wear your sunglasses. But when it’s early in the morning and sun is nice, practice sunning.

The darker the better?

When you choose your sunglasses, don’t just look for the “tint” – that is the color of the lens. Look for the protection. Darker does not mean it offers better protection against UV rays.

And if you have to wear glasses in general, look for the same quality.