[thedoc (OP)]

Dinah asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Good to see my question on your forum, re foods which may stop eye cataracts forming, but so far no satisfactory answer.  Cynic that I am, a lot of folk would be out of a job if there is a way to avoid cataracts, so why bother trying?    But I am a healthy, happy 76 year old and  still hoping .  Best wishes,  Dinah.
What do you think?

[Bored chemist]

Why do you think food has anything to do with cataracts?

[Ethos_]

I've read that cranberries help but that information came off the internet and we all know the lack of accuracy that portends.

I've got some snake oil for sale, any buyers?

[alancalverd]

Don't be so naive, BC!

There is a natural conspiracy between Big Pharma and the Bilderberg Group, who take their texts from the Protocols of the Elders of Zion as reinterpreted by Joseph Smith. The sole purpose of this murky conspiracy is to keep ophthalmic surgeons in business by not telling you that the secret of eternal optical health is to eat goji berries, or possibly cactus flowers, or whetever else is in surplus this week.

How do I know? The Voices from Venus, of course.

[cheryl j]

Theres some evidence that UV light  contributes to cataracts. You might be better off getting a good pair of sunglasses than looking for a food cure.

[evan_au]

I have heard from people who have had cataract surgery that their eyesight was better after the surgery than it was in the years before they developed cataracts. Apparently, the surgeon is able to select a replacement lens which corrects for your current prescription glasses.

I don't wish surgery on anyone (if there is an alternative), and it may take a month for your vision to recover after the surgery. But cataract surgery seems like a pretty good second choice after:

• using UV-proof sunglasses
  
• Keeping diabetes under control (risk increases after 5 years)
  
• Keeping gout under control (risk increases after 10 years)
  
• giving up smoking (risk increases after 30 years) 

Depending on what country you are in, this surgery may be more or less affordable.

Unfortunately, several other risk factors are impractical to change: Risk is higher as you age; risk is higher for women, and lower for those with brown eyes. Genetics and family history are also good indicators of risk.

A more technical link here.

[Andrew K Fletcher]

Met a guy in a pub in Torquay who had two parrots one red and one blue and yellow Macaws, both of which suffered with cataracts. I suggested regularly bathing the eyes with distilled water, which is a very aggressive solvent, having met an elderly lady who completely cured her own cataracts by regularly bathing her eyes with an eye bath and plenty of tap water, can't remember whether she said it had been previously boiled or not.

A month or so ago, I met this guy while out walking around a car boot sale and noticed him with his Harris hawk and we both recognised each other. I asked if he tried the distilled water and he admitted that he hadn't but told me about an enzyme he purchased that he had added to their food and the cataracts had cleared completely. He also said that he had obtained more of the enzyme and had a few people using it who also reported improvements.
Sorry I have no idea which enzyme he used but will make notes next time I see him and report back here.