5 Ways to Prevent Cloudy Vision from Cataracts

Did you know that by the age of 80, half of Americans will have cataracts? That means that you, the reader, could get cataracts if you don’t already have them. The number of people with cataracts grows with every passing year. It is estimated that there are 25 million Americans who have cataracts. That’s a lot of people suffering from cloudy vision.

We’re always told that cataracts will cause cloudy vision and will inhibit our ability to see, but what if there were ways to prevent that from happening? Living with cataracts doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be, don’t get me wrong, but with a few lifestyle tweaks, you and your cataracts can live happily side by side.

Natural Treatments for Cloudy Vision

Let’s just be clear about one thing, when your eyes are affected by cataracts you won’t ever get full vision back. Even surgery can’t guarantee 20/20 vision. Sometimes, the protein buildup that causes cataracts is so aggressive in a person that they redevelop cataracts on the new artificial lens after cataract surgery.

For the time being, there is no non-invasive cure for cataracts. Your options are surgery (which costs thousands and doesn’t always guarantee results) or treating them naturally.

Before you get your hopes up, natural treatments for cataracts can’t cure the disease. What they can do is something almost better. Natural treatments will help you not only cope with the disease but also strengthen your vision and keep the lens clear.

Natural treatments may sound like a cure, but the disease will always be there. The condition is there even after surgery, as seen in patients who have relapsed. It’s important to know that natural treatments aren’t miracles. They are legitimate treatments that require time and dedication, otherwise, you won’t see results.

Enough preamble, what are the treatments, you ask? Let’s find out.

1. Cut Back on Carbs

This first tip sounds more like a weight loss tip, but we promise it may help to prevent your cataracts from clouding your vision. As we age, our eyes become natural targets for cataracts, so the least we can do is reduce our risk of getting them.

Carbohydrates are not responsible for cataract development. However, starchy foods aren’t great for your vision in general, so eating too many carbs can contribute to cataract development.

When we think carbs we think bread, rice, pasta, and various other grains. However, fruits and vegetables are also carbs, but the good kind. It’s important to have a balanced diet.

Even if the only carbs you eat come from unprocessed foods like fruit and veggies, you still need good fat and protein, otherwise, your body can’t properly function. Make sure to have one carbohydrate element, one healthy fat (oil, nuts), and one protein for every single meal.

2. Get Your Daily Vitamin C Intake

Vitamin C is an essential vitamin in the body. One of its main duties is to produce collagen. Collagen is used to quickly heal wounds. In our eyes, vitamin C is the vitamin that most combats age-related eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

There’s a reason why people who smoke or use steroids have a higher risk of developing cataracts. It’s because both of these habits deplete vitamin C in the lens of the eye, thus leaving the lens vulnerable. Research shows that taking vitamins regularly may reduce cataract risk in men.

Whether you have cataracts or are in the early stages of development, boosting your vitamin C intake is highly recommended. Vitamin C will help to protect the lens and keep it clear for sharper central vision.

Some foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruit (lemon, oranges, limes, etc.), dark leafy greens, apples, and strawberries.

3. Drink Tea

Herbal tea has long been used as a natural medicine for a variety of ailments, especially in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Tea is great for digestion, and treating inflammation and it will help you sleep better.

Did you know that tea will also help reduce your risk of diabetes-related cataracts? Drinking herbal tea throughout the day will help you relax and decompress and it will also counter the symptoms of cataracts, which include clouded vision, eye pain, and redness in the eye.

The top herbal teas to treat diabetes-related cataracts are green tea, ginkgo biloba tea, rosemary tea, and mint tea. For best results, you’ll want to consume three to four cups of herbal tea a day. It’s a simple and hydrating way to prevent cloudy vision.

4. Try Bilberry Extract

Bilberries are tiny blue fruit that comes from the same family as blueberries. This fruit, mainly found in Nordic European countries and Asia is packed with antioxidants and is said to improve night vision.

Bilberries in their berry form are rarely found in North America, but their benefits are just too good to pass up. If you can’t get your hands on the actual berries, bilberry extract will get the job done.

Cataracts make seeing at night very difficult. Light can’t enter your eyes the way it should be able to and can cause the appearance of halos around light sources at night. This can cause flash blindness, leaving you temporarily blinded. If that were to happen while driving, you’d be in trouble. It’s just one more reason to prevent cloudy vision at all costs.

Bilberry extract can help to reduce the halo effect and increase your ability to see at night. British pilots in World War II regularly ate bilberry jam to help them see while flying at night!

5. Wear Sunglasses

This last remedy can help to prevent developing cataracts and help to prevent the clouding from getting worse. Sunglasses are an absolute necessity. They aren’t just a fashion accessory. They protect our eyes from UV rays and other sun damage.

UV rays can cause early-onset cataracts if your eyes are repeatedly exposed to the sun without protection. UV rays affect the protein in the eye by changing its structure in the lens. When this happens, there’s a chance that cataracts may begin to form.

Wearing UV-blocking sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat offer the ultimate protection. Be sure to check the amount of UV blocking. 100 or 99 percent blockage is recommended.

Are cataracts scary? Since so many people suffer from cataracts, it would seem so. However, they don’t have to be. A big part of taking care of yourself is knowing what options are available. Natural remedies are highly effective when it comes to treating cataracts. Talk to your doctor for more information on understanding this disease and preventing cloudy vision.