Home
Rodale Bookshelf
New Choices in Natural Healing: Cataracts

Chapter List

Special Limited Time Offer!
Order today and
Save an Extra 15%!
Use coupon code: LSAVE15

Cataracts

You stop driving at night because the glare of the headlights makes it hard to see. You need a stronger light for reading or sewing, but no matter how bright the light, your vision seems dim, like a television screen that needs adjusting.

There’s no magic knob you can turn to brighten things up if you have cataracts, a vision problem that affects half of all Americans between ages 65 and 74. With cataracts, the lens of the eye gradually yellows and loses its transparency, causing dim or blurry vision.

While cataracts coincide with aging, the more likely cause, researchers believe, is accumulated exposure to ultraviolet light.

Some cataracts are severe enough to cause blindness and must be surgically removed. Others are so mild that stronger glasses are enough. If you suspect you have a cataract, see your doctor for a diagnosis. But the natural remedies in this chapter—used in conjunction with medical care and with your doctor’s approval—may help prevent or slow the development of cataracts, according to some health professionals.

See Your Medical Doctor When...

Your vision becomes cloudy or blurred.
You have problems driving at night because headlights seem too bright.
You find that glare from the sun bothers you.
You notice changes in the way you see colors.

Ayurveda

To prevent cataracts from worsening, wash your eyes in triphala tea, says Vasant Lad, B.A.M.S., M.A.Sc., director of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Triphala is a powder made from the fruits of three Indian trees and is available in Indian pharmacies and some health food stores. To order by mail, please refer to the resource list on page 634.)

Here’s how Dr. Lad says to use the tea: Boil one teaspoon of triphala in a cup of water for three minutes. Allow the tea to cool, then gently—without disturbing the sediment—strain it through a double layer of cheesecloth. Make sure no particles of powder remain in the strained tea. Then put the tea in an eye cup (available in most pharmacies) and use it as an eyewash, exposing the open eye once or twice to the tea.

Wash your eyes with triphala tea every day, up to three times a day, suggests Dr. Lad. He says your eyes will be soothed, strengthened and cleansed. But, he cautions, this treatment is not a substitute for medical care; you should be sure to consult with your doctor before trying it.

Food Therapy

Vegetables rich in the antioxidant nutrients beta-carotene and vitamins C and E—any yellow, orange or dark green leafy vegetable—help prevent the oxidation process that can contribute to and worsen cataracts, says Jay Cohen, O.D., associate professor in the State University College of Optometry in New York City. (For more food sources of vitamin C and vitamin E, see “Getting What You Need” on page 142.)

Imagery

Picture yourself standing under a large waterfall. Imagine that you can remove the lens from your eye and see it in your hand, suggests Gerald Epstein, M.D., a New York City psychiatrist and author of Healing Visualizations. Notice that the lens appears cloudy, so wash it thoroughly in the clean, clear water.

See and sense that the cataract is dissolving. Breathe out once. Before replacing the lens, let a holy person (if you are religious) or someone you love put some saliva onto the lens and into the empty space where the lens was, so it will stay clear and clean. Now replace the lens, knowing that it has cleared up. Open your eyes.

Dr. Epstein recommends practicing this imagery every two hours while awake, three minutes a session, for 21 days. Take 7 days off, then repeat for another 21 days, followed by another 7-day rest period and one more 21-day cycle.

Juice Therapy

Juices rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C can help slow the development of cataracts, according to Cherie Calbom, M.S., a certified nutritionist in Kirkland, Washington, and co-author of Juicing for Life. “These nutrients protect the eye from free radical damage caused by exposure to the sun,” says Calbom. To prepare her Eye Therapy Express juice, Calbom says to bunch two endive leaves and a handful of parsley, then juice them along with two celery stalks and four or five carrots. Drinking this juice every day won’t cure cataracts, but it will help protect your eyes from further damage, according to Calbom.

For information on juicing techniques, see page 93.

Reflexology

Focus on these reflexes on your feet, recommends New York City reflexologist Laura Norman, author of Feet First: A Guide to Foot Reflexology: eye, ear, neck, cervical spine, kidney and all of the points on the tops and bottoms of the toes, with emphasis on the pituitary and thyroid gland. (To work the toes, use whichever technique you find most comfortable.)

To help you locate these points, consult the foot reflex chart on page 592. For instructions on how to work the points, see “Your Reflexology Session” on page 110.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapy

Antioxidants are recommended by Jay Cohen, O.D., associate professor in the State University of New York College of Optometry in New York City, as a way to minimize the oxidation damage that experts say is responsible for cataracts. He says to make sure you’re getting 500 milligrams of vitamin C, up to 400 international units of vitamin E and up to 15 milligrams (25,000 international units) of beta-carotene daily, whether through a multivitamin/mineral supplement or additional pills.

See also Vision Problems

Shop with Us: Brands A-Z; Products A-Z; Autoship; Ways to Shop; Member Discounts

Customer Service: Contact Us; Help Desk; Shipping Policy; Return Policy; Ask a question; Track Your Order

My Account: My Account; My Order History; My Shopping Cart

Health Library: Vitamin Guide; Guide to Herbs; Health Concerns; Home Remedies; Seniors Health; Women's Health

About Us: Our Blog; Our Philosophy; Corporate Discounts; Affliliate Program; Terms of Use

Featured Partners

Email Sign up: Weekly health news, sale announcements and coupons!

Call us M-F 9am-5pm: 1-800-439-5506

Information on this site is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. Information about each product is taken from the labels of the products or from the manufacturer's advertising material. MotherNature is not responsible for any statements or claims that various manufacturers make about their products. We cannot be held responsible for typographical errors or product formulation changes. You should read carefully all product packaging. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.All discounts are taken from suggested retail prices. Prices are subject to change.