Keep your eyes young and healthy; find out what it takes to preserve your vision and prevent common eye problems - Health Quiz

1. Which of the following habits
can weaken your eyes?

A. watching television sitting too
close to the screen

B. smoking

C. reading in dim light

D. not wearing prescription lenses
if you need them

2. Which vitamin(s) should you
take to protect your eyes if they're
sensitive to light?

A. [B.sub.1]

B. [B.sub.2]

C. [B.sub.12]

D. all of the above

3. Eating which of the following
foods helps prevent and alleviate
conjunctivitis?

A. apples

B. broccoli

C. eggs

D. yogurt

4. Menopause can cause dry eyes.

A. true

B. false

5. Eating which food prevents
macular degeneration?

a. eggs

B. bran

C. mushrooms

D. spinach

6. Which of the following minerals
should you take to relieve an eyelid
twitch?

A. copper

B. iron

C. magnesium

D. zinc

7. When is it most important to
wear sunglasses?

a. during the summer

B. from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

C. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

D. during the winter

8. Which of the following drugs
makes your eyes more sensitive to
sunlight?

A. antibiotics

B. aspirin

C. oral contraceptives

D. all of the above

9. Taking high doses of zinc can
cause macular degeneration.

A. true

B. false

10. A poorly functioning liver can
cause glaucoma.

A. true

B. false

Answers

1. B. How close you sit to the television, low reading light, and not wearing your glasses won't weaken your vision, reports Prevent Blindness America, a nonprofit eye health group in Schaumburg, Ill. But studies show that breathing cigarette smoke can indirectly damage your eyes. 2. D. B vitamins reduce your light sensitivity. Take 25 to 50 mg of [B.sub.1], 15 to 100 mg of [B.sub.2], and 1,000 to 2,000 mcg of [B.sub.12] daily. 3. D. The healthy bacteria L. acidophilus in yogurt combats the bacteria that causes conjunctivitis. Eat 1 1/2 cups of yogurt with active cultures daily. 4. A. Women's tears contain high levels of the hormone prolactin, which decline after menopause, resulting in dry eyes. To help reverse this problem, be sure to get enough potassium (500 mg daily), a mineral that metabolizes fluid. Also, take vitamin B complex (50 mg daily). B vitamins, especially folic acid and [B.sub.6], are crucial for tear production. 5. D. Spinach contains lutein, a plant pigment that prevents macular degeneration. Each day, eat 4 to 8 ounces of cooked spinach, or take 2 to 6 mg of lutein in capsule form. 6. C. Muscle spasms trigger twitches in your eyelids. For relief, take up to 400 mg of magnesium (a known muscle relaxant) twice daily. If a twitch persists, also take 50 mg of vitamin [B.sub.6] daily. 7. C. It's crucial to wear sunglasses between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., even on cloudy or winter days. Look for ones that block 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. 8. D. Antibiotics, aspirin, and oral contraceptives make your eyes sensitive to light. Wear sunglasses if your medication's label includes a photosensitization warning. 9. B. Taking the mineral zinc doesn't cause macular degeneration. In fact, a recent study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology reported that high doses of zinc (80 mg daily), taken in addition to vitamin C (500 mg), vitamin E (400 IU), and beta carotene (15 mg), slow its progression. 10. A. A qi, or life energy, deficiency in the liver can cause glaucoma, according to traditional Chinese medicine. The Chinese herbal formula hsaio yao wan improves liver energy.

Fast Facts

Rest Your Eyes. Computer vision syndrome symptoms include sore eyes, blurred vision, and headaches. To avoid this syndrome, reduce screen glare and take a five-minute computer break every 20 minutes.

Make Healthy Choices. More than 13 million Americans have age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. In addition to age, smoking, high blood pressure, and exposure to sunlight increase your risk of developing this disease.

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