Ocular Nutrition: Eye Care & Clear Vision Begin on the Inside

Eyesight is one of our treasured five senses. Without it, we can't see our loved ones, we can't drive a car, and we would have a hard time appreciating the world around us. Non-sighted people keenly develop their other senses to compensate for their condition, while some of us with good eye health find even the temporary irritation of "something in our eye" to be a total nuisance and distraction.

Anatomy of the Eye

The eyes are delicate organs tasked with absorbing and reflecting light within the eyeball and communicating images to the brain. Light bounces off an object and enters the eyes through the cornea. The cornea is the clear outer covering of the eye and refracts light that passes through the pupil. The iris is the colored part of the eye, but it also opens and closes around the pupil to regulate the amount of light that can pass through the eye. Once light has entered the pupil, it passes through the lens, which bends the rays of light and directs them toward the retina.

Located at the back of the eye, the retina contains millions of special nerve cells called rods and cones. Cones are situated in the macula, or the center of the retina, and are responsible for providing sharp, detailed images and colors. Rods, which lie beyond the macula on the edges of the retina, provide peripheral and low-light vision, as well as motion detection. Rods and cones then supply the optic nerve with electrical impulses to be communicated to the brain, which produces an image. Maintaining eye health is important to avoid damaging the rods or cones, which can lead to color blindness and overall blindness.

As we age or sometimes sooner, many other ailments can disturb our eye health as well: glaucoma, detached retinas, macular degeneration, and a host of other deterrents to good sight.