32 | JANUARY 26 • 2023
T
here’s a long-standing
connection between
vision and cognition.
Studies show that loss of
vision may be associated with
cognitive function impairment
in older adults, while other
research shows that treating
the eyes can also help treat the
brain — supporting a strong link
between eye health and brain
health.
It was one topic, among
others, presented by Dr. Anna
Santillan and Dr. Darlene Kim
from Henry Ford OptimEyes
optical care center as part of
Jewish Family Service’s ongoing
Gray Matters free brain health
workshops.
Attendees learned how proper
diet, exercise and lifestyle habits
can all influence eye health and,
therefore, potentially influence
cognition as well.
BRAIN-HEALTHY DIETS
One of the main focuses of the
presentation was on the MIND
diet, which is a brain-healthy
diet created to help prevent
dementia and slow decline in
brain function that can occur at
any age.
“It’s a cross between the
Mediterranean diet and the
DASH diet,
” Dr. Santillan
explains.
The MIND diet is full of foods
rich in vitamins, carotenoids
and flavonoids that are believed
to protect the brain (these tend
to be plant-based foods such as
whole grains, green leafy vegeta-
bles, fruits and nuts). However,
it’s not just a gimmick.
Research shows that following
the MIND diet leads to better
cognitive performance in older
adults, while consuming carot-
enoids and flavonoids that the
diet is high in can actually help
prevent macular degeneration
and eye-related diseases.
“That’s a correlation with
the eye,
” Santillan confirms,
“because a lot of these fruits and
vegetables are healthy for the eye
and they’re also healthy for the
brain.
”
Foods high in carotenoids, for
example, include spinach, kale,
broccoli and carrots (so, if you’ve
been told to eat carrots for better
vision, there’s truth to the folk
saying). Flavonoids, on the other
hand, can be found in tea, citrus
fruit and juices, berries,
red wine and legumes.
Also beneficial for
eye health are Omega-
3 fatty acids, which
are healthy fats found
in foods like salmon,
mackerel, oysters and
trout. This nutrient can
be especially helpful for
those who work at computers all
day and experience eyestrain.
“We’re seeing dry eyes in a
lot of young individuals,
” says
Santillan, who also notes that
dry eye complaints (especially
among young people) have sky-
rocketed in recent years, likely
due to overuse of phones and
computers. Previously, these
complaints were only prevalent
in individuals over age 40.
“I would also tell someone
to take a vision break from the
computer and look far away
every 20 minutes,
” she advises.
“Look out a window to give the
eyes a rest from being at the
computer.
”
EXERCISE AND SLEEP
Still, brain-healthy nutrition isn’t
the only key to preserving eye
health. Exercise is a major com-
ponent of eye and brain function
that Santillan recommends mak-
ing a regular lifestyle habit. The
key, however, is knowing which
exercise may be beneficial.
“Twenty minutes of cardiovas-
cular exercise a day is optimum
for brain health,
” Santillan says.
“
A study showed that this was
the minimum amount needed to
decrease total inflammation for
the body.
”
Ironically, Santillan also says
that weightlifting or strength
training is best for eye health in
particular — and studies show
that resistance training can
actually decrease intraocular
pressure, which high levels
of can lead to glaucoma or
blindness.
Lastly, Santillan
recommends getting
quality shuteye to
optimize eye and brain
health.
“Certain things that
can cause declining
cognition are lack of
sleep,
” she says. “Not
sleeping well can cause brain
shrinkage.
”
In particular, lack of sleep
causes shrinkage in parts of the
brain involved in reasoning,
planning, memory and problem-
solving. It also decreases tear
production and makes your
eyes more sensitive. Therefore,
getting quality sleep is essential
for your eyes and brain.
Keeping Your
Eyes Healthy
HEALTH
JFS workshop explores connection
between eye and brain health
ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Dr. Anna Santillan