Our eyesight changes as we age and it is natural for us to lose the ability to see things up close, or to distinguish between similar colours such as dark blue and black, or to need more time to adjust to different levels of light.

Macular degeneration, however, is a much more serious age-related eye condition which affects an ever increasing number of people over the age of 50.

It is caused by damage to the macula in the centre of the eye.

The macula is a small area in the retina of the eye which we use for close-up vision, such as reading and driving.

Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a progressive degeneration of the macula tissue and results in a slow, progressive loss of sight in the centre of the visual field, i.e. straight ahead.

This can make it very difficult for the sufferer to see faces, read, drive and generally participate in their normal daily lives.

If it goes untreated, it can result in complete blindness.

Our eyes are continuously exposed to both oxygen and light. Unfortunately, the combination of these two promote the formation of unstable and harmful free radicals within our eye tissue.

It is the tissue damage caused by these free radicals that causes macular degeneration.

We know that smoking and a poor diet are two of the contributing factors in causing AMD, and we know that a healthy diet can protect against it.

The reason for this is that a healthy diet is naturally rich in powerful antioxidants that will help protect the all-important macula tissue from free radical damage.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are two specific antioxidants that are known to play an important role in protecting our eyesight.

These two antioxidants are found in abundance in the macula tissue where they work together to cancel out any free radicals present so that they can no longer cause damage.

Furthermore, these antioxidants have both been demonstrated to filter the high-energy harmful blue light that can damage the macula.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin effectively act as a sunblock for our eyes, protecting them from the harmful rays of the sun.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin have also been demonstrated to protect our eyes from other ageing conditions by reducing free radical damage.

They protect us from developing cataracts, detached retinas and in the case of diabetics, they protect against diabetic retinopathy.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are nutrients which cannot be made within our body. The only way we obtain them is by eating foods that are naturally rich in them.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin belong to a group of antioxidants that provide a lot of fruit and vegetables with their colour.

Lutein is to be found in most fruit and vegetables, but green and yellow foods have the highest amounts.

So kale, spinach, green bell peppers, romaine lettuce, and parsley are all lutein rich. Pistachio nuts and egg yolks are two further good sources.

Zeaxanthin is particularly rich in bright orange-coloured fruit and vegetables such as corn, red and orange peppers, oranges and clementines and carrots. Egg yolks are also Zeaxanthin-rich.

Even though we actually only need to consume small amounts of Lutein and Zeaxanthin, it can be difficult to achieve the amounts required for good eye health, even if you consume a wide variety of coloured fruit and vegetables.

If you have a concern about your eye health, or feel you need to protect your vision, you might wish to consider supplementing with these two antioxidants.

Eyewise is a supplement which incorporates Lutein and Zeaxanthin in the right amounts for supporting good eye health.

It also includes the antioxidants, bilberry, blackberry and grapeseed, all of which promote good eye health. The normal recommended dose is two daily.

I don’t have a particular eye problem, but was experiencing muscle fatigue in my eyes, especially on days when I had used my computer a lot.

I would occasionally experience a sudden flash of light whenever I moved into bright sunlight.

I started to take just one Eyewise each morning several months ago, and I find my eyes are much healthier for it.

There is no doubt that our constant use of phones and computers is taking its toll on our eyes.

An increasing number of people are experiencing problems with their eyes.

There is also an increased awareness of the importance of eye health with an increasing number of people wanting to protect and support their eyesight.

Our eyesight is definitely an aspect of our health too precious to be ignored.