Macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy are just some of the eye diseases we can all face as we age. A recent study from Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute shows that the numbers of vision-threatening disease is on the rise. More than 3 million Americans over age 40 suffer from visual impairment. More than half of those are women; some vision-threatening conditions strike women nearly twice as much as men.

Another eye condition that strikes more women than men is dry eye syndrome. Postmenopausal and pregnant women are at an increased risk due to hormonal changes.

See your eye doctor at least once a year -- even if you don't need vision correction -- to care for your eyes and detect any issues sooner rather than later.

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There are a number of reasons to keep your weight in check that you're probably already aware of -- like heart disease, joint problems, and even cancer; all of which are often linked to diet and exercise. However you might not know that many eye diseases are also influenced by physical fitness.

Obesity is thought to be associated with cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma -- all of which can be caused by weight-related issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and lack of exercise.

To combat these problems, it's important to be physically fit, and to make sure you're getting enough lutein (which protects the eye against macular degeneration) and zeaxanthin (which protects your retina from light damage) -- both of which are easily found in everyday foods, like egg yolks.

So take this as yet another reason that you should be eating right and staying active.

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Cataracts are fairly common, with some experts saying pretty much everybody will get them eventually -- it's just a matter of living long enough. Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, and then obviously it's harder to see clearly. Seeing at night is more difficult, colors may seem faded, there may be "halos" around lights, and vision in general may appear cloudy or blurred.

Thankfully, cataract treatment is easy and fast with today's technology. A simple surgery to replace the lens in the eye can be done, usually within an hour and without any hospitalization. But the single best thing you can do to help prevent (or at least "put off") the development of cataracts is super simple: wear sunglasses.

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By reducing damage to the eye caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays, two antioxidants -- lutein and zaxanthin -- stop proteins in the eye's lens from clumping together. If these proteins don't clump together, they can't form the vision-obscuring, milky cloud of cataracts.

While you can take supplements to increase your daily intake of these substances, you can find them naturally in green vegetables like spinach, kale and collard greens.

The most recent studies involving these substances and their effectiveness against cataracts were conducted in a lab, not on the population at large, so it's not entirely clear how much these antioxidants travel from the bloodstream to the eye. Thus, doctors aren't yet sure how much eating foods containing lutein and zaxanthin will affect your likelihood of developing cataracts.

However, given the overwhelming health benefits of a diet full of fruits and vegetables, I'd take this as yet another reason to have a second helping of spinach with dinner tonight.

Looking for a tasty spinach recipe? Try this!

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