VISION MYTHS: WEARING THE RIGHT SUNGLASSES CAN PREVENT CATARACTS

Many products—natural foods, herbal medicines, expensive lens coatings, special eye drops, high-tech sunglasses—have been marketed as means of preventing cataracts, and there's some science to back this up: ultraviolet toxicity can harm the eyes, but not nearly as commonly or easily as sunlight damages the skin and causes skin cancer. But we also have to note that most people have some cataract development as they get older. In some people, cataracts develop quickly and need treatment; in others, they don't. Thus—because the sheer numbers are so great—statistically, any product that claims to prevent, or at least slow, cataract development will appear to work fairly often. Do they really? Probably not.

It's entirely reasonable to ask what practical steps can be taken to prevent your vision from deteriorating, but the bottom line is that many eye problems are simply the luck of the genetic draw. For example, myopia, like heart disease, has a major genetic component. If your family reunion looks like a LensCrafters commercial, then you probably ought to resign yourself to the fact that myopia runs in your family. But there are some things you can do: Try to avoid injuries. Take care of your general health—especially if you have diabetes or high blood pressure. And get regular eye exams throughout your life. Many eye problems are highly treatable, but only if they are caught in time.

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