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

