The Aging Eye

Rating:
Summary: The Aging Eye
Review: In The Aging Eye, Sandra Gordon had done an excellent job. In less that ten chapters she is able to tell you what you wanted to know in an extremely easy to understand, professional way. Especially about the three most common and major diseases like glaucoma, cataract and macular degeneration. Of course, when the book is from Harvard Medical School, it has to be like that way. People interested in learning more about their eyes and how to improve your vision should read this book.

I read recently, in an interview, that the author attributes inspiration for the book to being in excellent health. Said having quit all forms of caffeine freed the mind for more creativity. I say amen to that as I too am free with a little help from my friends at www.s oycoffee.com. They have an excellent coffee sub called s o y f e e that I simply adore. Made from soy that you brew like coffee, it's simply a godsend. I want to thank the author for writing a really great book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent reference book on the subject
Review: This is the third book I read published by the Harvard Medical School. They all have invariably been excellent. They rely on science, medical studies, and in depth analysis. They all do an excellent job of educating the public on the medical topics they cover. They differentiate between the marketing hype and established science.

The Aging Eye is an excellent reference book that outlines what happens to our eyes as they age since our mid thirties. This is a very short 200 page book with extremely large font. It definitely is made not to strain your eyesight. And, it reads easily in three leisurely hours.

In nine short chapters, it covers everything you need to know. The book explains in detail the three major diseases affecting us with the passage of time [glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataract]. It covers also many other common and less common eye ailments. It gives much information on prevention, treatment, surgery, post-surgery.

My favorite chapter was the last one on how to safeguard your eyesight. There it stresses the benefit of good living, including plenty of aerobic exercises to keep your cardiovascular system in top shape, and good nutrition based on an abundance of fresh produce (fruits and vegetables). It also stresses the necessity to protect one's eyes from sunlight including the dreaded UVAs and UVBs sunrays. Sunglasses need not cost a fortune, but they need to be excellent (very high % protection against UVs) and be worn virtually all the time when outdoors the minute the Sun is out.

My favorite pages are near the end where the book dispels many myths about eyesight. Many I must admit, I believed so far. But, it now makes sense to me that they were actual myths. One of them being that you can actually correct your eyesight with eye exercises. According to the book, you really can't. And, having tried the exercise routines to some degree, I really believe it now.

In any case, I strongly recommend this book. If you are interested in your general health and nutrition (extremely highly correlated to your eye health) I equally strongly recommend "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy" by Walter Willett, and "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Men's Health" by Harvey Simon.