A team of British scientists has proved that cataracts onset can be prevented by vitamin C.
A new study shows that cataracts, one of the leading causes of blindness, is more likely linked to modifiable life factors, such as meals and the number of physical exercises, than to genetics. The paper, which was published in a British Journal of Medicine, states that vitamin C plays a fundamental role in delaying the onset of cataracts.
According to this study, which appears to be the first of its kind, cataracts can be regarded as the leading causes of blindness. Most of the time associated with old age, cataracts, if not addressed and dealt with in time, can cause the patient to lose irreversibly the vision in the affected eye.
As the disease progresses, the crystalline, or the lens in our eyes, begins to get cloudier. Fortunately, these days, surgical interventions can correct this defect although prevention is the key to delaying the onset of cataracts.
A new British study, which was the first to explore the bridge the gap between vitamin C intake and the progression of macular conditions such as cataracts, points out that individuals consuming vitamin C on a daily basis are one-third less likely to suffer from cataract in the following decade.
The team also took other factors into account such as diet or if the patient was physically active or not. It is a known fact that healthy and balanced meals, along with plenty of physical exercises, help us to be fit as a fiddle and to keep various diseases at bay.
Certain nutrients found in food such as blueberries work wonders on our eyes. Beta carotene found mainly in carrots has proven to be beneficial towards the health of our eyes. And now, the study points out that vitamin C can help delay the onset of cataracts.
In order to see just how efficient vitamin C supplements can be, the team of scientists decided to keep close tabs on 1000 twins from the UK. The study, which extended over a period of 10 years, wanted to see whether an individual develops cataracts based on environmental factors or if genetics are involved.
Their findings are astonishing indeed. According to their results, over a decade, over 65 percent of cataracts cases were a direct consequence of environmental factors, which can be controlled, and 35 percent of cases had a genetical background.
Moreover, the team discovered that over 35 percent of all individual who have consumed vitamin C were less likely to develop cataract over the next decade.
Photo credits:wikipedia
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