Eyesight and LC

mstorvik

So the last few days my contacts have been blurry - as if they are too strong. Last night I took them off, put on my glasses, and I couldn't read anything in the book in front of me - it was as if I had a super strong prescription. I read without my glasses and it wasn't that bad. In the morning, my eyes were less sensitive, but it still feels like my eyes got better somehow.

EDIT: Without contacts or glasses, I there is no "strongness" anymore... albeit, I still have a hard time seeing without contacts/glasses.

No worries - I know I should go see my eye doc - which I may. Just didn't know if anyone else experienced changes in their eyesight on LC. I've been LCing for 4 months now, less than 50 g net a day - usually closer to 20.

aallegri

INTERESTING. I have not noticed my eyesight improving...but it does seem like I have fewer floaters. I've only been low carbing for about 6 weeks...would love to see an improvement in my vision. I'll let you know. Thanks for the post!

purple_tux1

I'm on 40-50 net grams of carbs and have been for about 3 months. I've noticed my eyes a bit drier. Not sure if it's the diet or how much time I'm spending on the computer, though.

mstorvik

Purple - Mine got drier, too. read about safe starches and mucus. I guess some of us will have a lower production of mucus because of our reduction of carbs. What freaked me out is that it can lead to gut cancers. So I added back a little sweet potato... Although they say to eat 50 g of it a day and I just can't seem to eat that much carb

I will say, when I eat some sweet potato daily, the symptoms start to go away. I also had slow-healing wounds, too. One in my nose from the drier weather took a MONTH to go away.

I guess with every diet, there are always some drawbacks. Grr!

purple_tux1

I guess with every diet, there are always some drawbacks. Grr!

It's kind of annoying, aint' it. You know, for about a month, I had trouble swallowing my food too. It felt like there was less saliva. I didn't really know what it was, so I'm glad to finally know what happened. Hasn't come back, though, touch wood.

I love low carb. Anytime I eat more carbs, my appetite returns with a vengeance. It's annoying to wake up hungry in the middle of the night!! One of the links on here said to get at least 150 grams of carbs/day to avoid the negative side effects. There's no way I want to do that.

purple_tux1

Here's that link.

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2010/11/dangers-of-zero-carb-diets-ii-mucus-deficiency-and-gastrointestinal-cancers/

purple_tux1

From another link:

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2010/11/dangers-of-zero-carb-diets-iv-kidney-stones/

"unless there is a therapeutic reason to restrict carbohydrates, it is best to obtain about 20% of calories from carbs in order to relieve the need to manufacture glucose and ketones from protein. This will substantially reduce uric acid excretion. If it also reduces vitamin C degradation rates, as we argued in our last post, then it will substantially reduce oxalate excretion as well."

So for a 2000 calorie diet, that would mean 400 calories from carbs, with 4 calories/gram carb, this gives 100 grams carbs.

Obviously alot of people will be eating less than this, so

2000 calorie diet -> 400 calories from carbs - > 100 grams carbs

1800 calorie diet -> 360 calories from carbs - > 90 grams carbs

1500 calorie diet -> 300 calories from carbs - > 75 grams carbs

1200 calorie diet -> 240 calories from carbs - > 60 grams carbs

Just rememberd, this is TOTAL carbs. For you on Atkins, you'll have been counting NET carbs (total carbs minus fiber)

Am personally getting only 40-50 total grams of carbs, so looks like it might be good to go up a bit. Don't want cancer!!!!!!

mstorvik

I have only had the eye trouble and not the saliva trouble... but I also chew sugarfree gum like it's going out of style!

So we count the total, not the net, huh? That makes me feel better. I had about 60ish yesterday total, but around 30 net.

I TOTALLY get the same way when I eat too many carbs: Binge central! What gives!! So annoying. This diet is an art and science (to quote that book's title) and I find that I eat in order to maintain better body chemistry. When I eat spinach, I pair it with peppers so I can absorb the iron. I eat an avocado everyday not only for the fiber, but the potassium. I eat my sweet potato for the eye troubles... I could go on and on.... the good news is all that stuff tastes SO GOOD!

praxisproject

The article also mentions other factors, Vitamin C and Iodine.

purple_tux1

The article also mentions other factors, Vitamin C and Iodine.

I was surprised about the vitamin C. Never considered this to be a problem personally, given how many fruits and veggies I eat.

aallegri

Very interesting...I've been eating between 30 and 60 carbs a day. I'm on 1200 to 1400 (depending on exercise) calories a day. I will watch more closely...

Haven't had dry eyes, but I have had dry mouth...even though my skin isn't dry. Interesting...will try to drink more water as well.

aallegri

So I added back a little sweet potato... Although they say to eat 50 g of it a day and I just can't seem to eat that much carb

Thanks for the idea about sweet potato! Will add that in....

StarLeopard

I'm just throwing this out there in case someone doesn't know about it. It's well known in the diabetic community that extreme changes in blood sugar levels affect the lens shape in the eyes. This could make your vision worse or, if your vision was already bad, could improve it temporarily. Anyway, we diabetics don't go get new glasses unless our numbers have been stable for a few weeks. I hope this is not the problem but just in case...

" If your blood sugar levels change quickly, it can affect the shape of your eye’s lens, causing blurry vision, which goes back to normal after your blood sugar stabilizes. Maintaining good control of your blood sugar helps reduce episodes of blurry vision." http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/living/diabetes.cfm

mstorvik

Interesting. I was never diabetic, but I think I always came in at normal-high when they tested my fasting glucose. But I am sure with low carb there's no way it's at that number now. It would be nice to see straight though... that thing where I couldn't read the book only lasted for one night - thank goodness!

Marll

I'm just throwing this out there in case someone doesn't know about it. It's well known in the diabetic community that extreme changes in blood sugar levels affect the lens shape in the eyes. This could make your vision worse or, if your vision was already bad, could improve it temporarily. Anyway, we diabetics don't go get new glasses unless our numbers have been stable for a few weeks. I hope this is not the problem but just in case...

" If your blood sugar levels change quickly, it can affect the shape of your eye’s lens, causing blurry vision, which goes back to normal after your blood sugar stabilizes. Maintaining good control of your blood sugar helps reduce episodes of blurry vision." http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/living/diabetes.cfm

I've heard of cases too where diabetics can most certainly go blind if blood sugar is not kept in check. It's amazing to me all the detrimental effects that the condition can have, and I personally know several diabetics that refuse to go low carb and continue to eat high sugar, high carb diets...."That's what the insulin injections are for" is something I hear often....*sigh*

LowcarbNY

I believe that a lot of this Eyesight concern can be attributed to a single factor. Being over 40.
40 is that magical age when presbyopia presents in a large segment of the populations.

So you're around 40, you start a diet and you find that you now need reading glasses. You blame the diet. (just look at the forums, people blame EVERYTHING that happens to them on the new diet they have been on for 2 months, never on the lifestyle they lived for 2 decades) . Chances are you'd need the reading glasses even without a change in diet. JMHO.

TheVimFuego

Eyesight aside (I have not noticed any issues), I find it interesting that some people need some carbs to avoid the dry eyes/mouth issue. Not much, just some addition of sweet potato, say. Maybe their dietary history means they have adapted to needing it in some form?

It's quite common in the Paleo world and I'd rather add in some slow-acting starch than suffer in a 'all carbs bad' kind of mindset.

I would venture that a small serving of sweet potato will not derail anybody's health goals.

GiGiBeans

I believe that a lot of this Eyesight concern can be attributed to a single factor. Being over 40.
40 is that magical age when presbyopia presents in a large segment of the populations.

So you're around 40, you start a diet and you find that you now need reading glasses. You blame the diet. (just look at the forums, people blame EVERYTHING that happens to them on the new diet they have been on for 2 months, never on the lifestyle they lived for 2 decades) . Chances are you'd need the reading glasses even without a change in diet. JMHO.

Yep around 40 my eyes starting "improving" and at 46 I started to need readers. I wear multi-focal contacts now and have no problem with dryness.

mstorvik

I believe that a lot of this Eyesight concern can be attributed to a single factor. Being over 40.
40 is that magical age when presbyopia presents in a large segment of the populations.

So you're around 40, you start a diet and you find that you now need reading glasses. You blame the diet. (just look at the forums, people blame EVERYTHING that happens to them on the new diet they have been on for 2 months, never on the lifestyle they lived for 2 decades) . Chances are you'd need the reading glasses even without a change in diet. JMHO.

You're not complimenting me here NY. I'm 33. BUT! I can see this being something that is possible!

mstorvik

I believe that a lot of this Eyesight concern can be attributed to a single factor. Being over 40.
40 is that magical age when presbyopia presents in a large segment of the populations.

So you're around 40, you start a diet and you find that you now need reading glasses. You blame the diet. (just look at the forums, people blame EVERYTHING that happens to them on the new diet they have been on for 2 months, never on the lifestyle they lived for 2 decades) . Chances are you'd need the reading glasses even without a change in diet. JMHO.

Yep around 40 my eyes starting "improving" and at 46 I started to need readers. I wear multi-focal contacts now and have no problem with dryness.

Honestly, they gave me new contacts in June... Maybe these just suck? i also formed one of those little bumps in my eye - forget what they're called - they're from sun damage? So maybe it's nudging my contact. But that night bot being able to read a book was NUTS! But it's only happened a few times. What's weird is it's not consistent. Hmmm.

StarLeopard

I've heard of cases too where diabetics can most certainly go blind if blood sugar is not kept in check.

True but, just to be clear, this is a separate issue from the blurry vision caused by lens swelling. Retinopathy is damage to the blood vessels on the back of the eyeball, the retina. Much more serious than a temporary change in vision from a rapid change in blood glucose.