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By Jacqueline Griffiths, MD

Answers

1. B. How close you sit to the television, low light reading, and not wearing your glasses won't weaken your vision, reports Prevent Blindness America, a nonprofit eye health group in Schaumburg, IL. But studies show that breathing cigarette smoke can indirectly damage your eyes.

2. D. B vitamins reduce your light sensitivity. Take 25 to 50 mg of B1, 25 to 100 mg of B2 and 1000 to 2000 mcg of B12 daily.

3. D. The healthy bacteria L. acidophilus in yogurt combats the bacteria that causes conjunctivitis. Eat 1 1/2 cups of yogurt with active cultures daily.

4. A. Women's tears contain high levels of the hormone prolactin, which decline after menopause, resulting in dry eyes. To help reverse this problem, be sure to get enough potassium (500 mg daily), a mineral that metabolizes fluid. Also, take vitamin B complex (50 mg daily). B vitamins, especially folic acid and B6, are crucial for tear production.

5. D. Spinach contains lutein, a plant pigment that prevents macular degeneration. Each day, eat four to eight ounces of cooked Spinach, or take two to six mg of lutein in capsule form.

6. C. Muscle spasms trigger twitches in your eyelids. For relief, take up to 400 mg of magnesium (a known muscle relaxant) twice daily. If a twitch persists, also take 50 mg of vitamin B6 daily.

7. C. It's crucial to wear sunglasses between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., even on cloudy or winter days. Look for ones that block 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays.

8. D. Antibiotics, aspirin, and oral contraceptives make your eyes sensitive to light. Wear sunglasses if your medication's label includes a photosensitization warning.

9. B. Taking the mineral zinc doesn't cause macular degeneration. In fact, a recent study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology reported that high doses of zinc (80 mg daily), taken in addition to vitamin C (500 mg), vitamin E (400 IU), and beta carotene (15 mg), slow its progression.

10. A. A qi, or life energy, deficiency in the liver can cause glaucoma, according to traditional Chinese medicine. The Chinese herbal formula hsaio yao wan improves liver energy.