Chiropractic News - September 2008
Chiropractic Care - Preventing Vision Loss Naturally
As we get older, vision problems are quite common. Presbyopia, the Greek word for "old person," is the condition where the eye exhibits a progressively diminished ability to focus on near objects with age. Other problems occur regardless of age, and the statistics are sobering: 45 million people worldwide are blind, with 180 million having some sort of visual handicap. Nine out of 10 blind people live in developing countries, and 80% of blindness considered preventable.
Chiropractic May Improve Eyesight
Research indicates that chiropractic care may improve eyesight, and in some cases, reverse vision loss. Specific spinal abnormalities can affect eyesight, and correcting dysfunctional areas in the spine, or vertebral subluxations, may promote optimal vision. Chiropractors like Dr. Wolff restore function and movement to the spine with specialized maneuvers called chiropractic adjustments.
A comprehensive survey of Swedish chiropractic patients found that over 14% reported improved vision following chiropractic adjustments (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1999;22:559-64). Another study documented the case of a female patient who had severe visual dysfunction caused by a brain aberration. After chiropractic care, her capacity to see, read and perform smooth tracking eye movements vastly improved (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2005;28). Even a degenerative ocular condition called glaucoma - a disorder marked by high pressure within the eyeball- may improve with chiropractic care.
Healthy Lifestyles Ward Off Vision Loss
Vision loss related to type-2 diabetes is a major problem in diabetics. Fortunately, diabetes may often be prevented by making healthy lifestyle choices, like proper nutrition, exercise, and stress management. Research also indicates that other leading forms of vision loss may also be prevented by taking steps to live a healthy lifestyle.
Nutrition does play a major role in preventing vision problems. Eating poor-quality carbohydrates, such as junk food, appears to be related to the development of cataracts (Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86:1502-8). The top nutrients supporting vision health include vitamins A, C and E, B vitamins, lutein, zeaxanthin, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, selenium, iodine, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Newsletter Archives
Headaches & Chiropractic Care - September 2009 Importance of Water for Your Health - August 2009 Are Chiropractic Adjustments the Solution to Bed-Wetting? - June 2009 Can Chiropractors Help Children with Infantile Colic? - May 2009 Frozen Shoulder Syndrome - Can Chiropractic Help? - April 2009 Can Chiropractic Adjustments Improve Well-Being? - March 2009 Highlights of Chiropractic Research of 2008 & How Chronic Pain Affects the Brain - January 2009 Probiotics - Bacteria for Good Health - November 2008 Chiropractic Care - Preventing Vision Loss, Naturally - September 2008 Do you suffer from chronic low-back pain? - August 2008 Is There a Natural Solution to Headaches? - May 2008 |