JJ Van Zyl Optometrists

09/04/2026

Brand New! Now available at JJ Van Zyl Optometrists 👀🤩

08/04/2026

EN, DÍT is hoekom ek SWEMLESSE aanbeveel vir kinders, wat DALK, met ADHD of leer probleme presenteer!

KYK gerus óók my Video op my YouTube kanaal!

Summary: For children with ADHD, a simple run on the treadmill might not be enough. A multicenter randomized clinical trial (RCT) reveals that integrated cognitive-motor exercise—movement that requires thinking and rule-following—is significantly more effective than standard aerobic exercise.

Can exercise replace ADHD medication? A new study reveals that integrated cognitive-motor exercise significantly improves inhibitory control and working memory in children aged 6–10.

07/04/2026

I came across an article today - about Glutathione - whilst I was doing some research for my Video on Eye health - which I want to shoot this week.
HOWEVER, this article just again showed me the double edged sword of supplementation...
I ALWAYS say to my patients : " DO the BASIC health things right! Eat nutrient dense food, exercise every day, swim if you're can, or do yoga and weigh training & sleep enough! " Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself if you just do that!

I checked the facts on the Glutathione article and quickly had ChatGPT condense them into an article for our page .

🧬 Does glutathione “feed” cancer?

Short answer: not directly—but it can help cancer cells survive under certain conditions.

Glutathione is the body’s main intracellular antioxidant, crucial for:
• Neutralizing free radicals
• Supporting liver detoxification
• Maintaining cellular health

However, in cancer biology:
• Many tumor cells have elevated glutathione levels
• This helps them:
• Resist oxidative stress
• Survive chemotherapy and radiation
• Avoid cell death (apoptosis)

So the issue isn’t that glutathione feeds cancer like sugar might fuel metabolism—it’s that it can protect cancer cells from being destroyed.

This is particularly relevant in research areas like:
• breast cancer
• lung cancer
• ovarian cancer

⚖️ The balancing act

Here’s the key point:
• Too little glutathione → increased oxidative damage, aging, neurodegeneration
• Too much (in cancer cells) → increased resistance to treatment

Your body tightly regulates glutathione, and in healthy individuals, it’s rarely “too high” systemically.

⚠️ When is it a concern?

Potential concern arises if:
• Someone has active cancer
• Or is undergoing chemotherapy or radiation
• And is taking high-dose glutathione supplements or precursors (like NAC)

In those cases, extra antioxidant support might blunt treatment effectiveness (still debated, but taken seriously in oncology).

🛡️ How to minimize risk safely

If your goal is to avoid unintentionally supporting cancer cells while staying healthy:

1. Avoid excessive supplementation
• Don’t take high-dose:
• Glutathione (oral or IV)
• NAC (N-acetylcysteine)
• Unless medically indicated

Normal dietary support is safe and appropriate.

2. Support natural regulation (don’t suppress it)

Trying to lower glutathione directly is not advisable—that can harm healthy cells.

Instead, focus on:
• Letting your body regulate its own levels
• Avoiding extremes

3. Use “selective stress” strategies

Certain lifestyle factors may help your body maintain a healthy balance:
• Exercise
• Creates mild oxidative stress → improves cellular resilience
• Intermittent fasting
• May reduce cancer cell adaptability
• Avoid chronic over-antioxidant intake

4. Focus on upstream cancer prevention

Rather than targeting glutathione directly:
• Reduce chronic inflammation
• Maintain metabolic health
• Avoid smoking and toxins
• Manage insulin resistance

These factors influence cancer risk far more strongly.

🧠 A more advanced insight (important)

Cancer cells often rely on:
• redox balance
• oxidative stress

They walk a tightrope:
• Too much oxidative stress → they die
• Too little → they thrive

Glutathione helps maintain that balance—but it’s one piece of a much bigger system.

🚫 What NOT to do
• Don’t try to “deplete glutathione” aggressively
→ This can:
• Damage your liver
• Increase risk of neurodegenerative disease
• Accelerate aging
• Don’t follow extreme anti-antioxidant diets

✅ Practical takeaway
• Glutathione is essential for normal health
• It does not directly cause cancer growth
• But in cancer cells, it can aid survival under stress

👉 The safest approach:
• Avoid high-dose supplementation unless needed
• Maintain natural physiological balance
• Focus on overall metabolic and inflammatory health

07/04/2026

Interresante artikel!

Cancer cells may be tapping into an unexpected energy source: an antioxidant long associated with protecting healthy cells. Researchers have discovered that tumors appear to be “addicted” to glutathione, a molecule widely known for preventing cellular damage, which they use as a key fuel source. The discovery not only challenges conventional thinking about antioxidants but also highlights a possible new target for cancer treatment.

Cancer cells may be exploiting a common antioxidant as fuel, revealing a potential weakness that future therapies could target.

05/04/2026

Interresante artikel!

There were several findings from this review and meta-analysis:

Over 45% of the type 2 diabetes population had multiple micronutrient deficiencies
40% of the participants with diabetic complications had micronutrient deficiencies
Women were more likely to be affected by micronutrient deficiencies than men
Vitamin D deficiency was the most common deficiency, with a prevalence of over 60% among people with type 2 diabetes
Magnesium ranked second as the most common deficiency, with about 42% of people with type 2 diabetes deficient in magnesium

If you have type 2 diabetes, you might be deficient in several micronutrients. Find out which ones and what you can do to get sufficient amounts.

04/04/2026

Your child might have perfect vision on the eye chart… and still have a serious vision problem. If you or your child experiences frequent headaches, reading fatigue, dizziness, or concentration difficulties, it may be worth considering a comprehensive binocular vision evaluation. Watch this video to learn more:

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

03/04/2026

02/04/2026

Our team would like to wish you all a peaceful Easter weekend.

27/03/2026

Kan TE VEEL, KYK - NA skerms, jou DOMMER maak?
Daar is nou baie interessante navorsing wat aandui, dat te veel " screen time" jou brein letterlik - kan verklein in sekere areas..😳 😩

Wat d**k julle?

Approximately, 2 years ago, I started asking patients - specifically, HOW much hours they were spending on screens...( Not totally sure - WHY, I started asking this specific question...)
However - Might be, as I noticed, many patients with BVD / Binocular Vision problems, spend a good 5+ hours on screens daily...
I could not find, ANY research on the relationship between Screen time and BVD.
I DO, however SEE a relationship in many of my patients.
Today, I was watching 60 minutes - An Australian documentary channel. Apparently, excessive screen time causes Digital Dimentia - Even in children and young adults...😳 😩
I was just wondering, if it causes other issues - Visual issues...😳

Digital Dementia

Modern lifestyles involve extensive use of smartphones, tablets, and computers. Many adults now spend 6–10 hours per day looking at digital screens. Scientific research shows that excessive screen exposure can affect both the visual system and the brain’s cognitive processing, increasing the risk of eye strain, reduced visual efficiency, and possible neurological effects when exposure is prolonged and breaks are infrequent.

The term “digital dementia” was popularized by the German neuroscientist Manfred Spitzer to describe cognitive changes associated with excessive reliance on digital technology. The concept suggests that heavy digital media use may reduce the brain’s engagement in tasks such as memory formation, deep concentration, and problem-solving.

Studies in neuroscience indicate that constant digital stimulation—particularly rapid switching between apps, messages, and videos—may contribute to:
• Reduced attention span
• Impaired working memory
• Decreased ability to focus on complex tasks
• Greater mental fatigue

In children and adolescents, whose brains are still developing, excessive screen exposure may interfere with learning, memory consolidation, and emotional regulation.

Risks of Excessive Screen Exposure

When individuals stare at screens for long uninterrupted periods, several risks increase:

1. Visual fatigue and binocular stress
Continuous near focus overloads the accommodative and vergence systems.

2. Reduced blink rate and dry eye
Blinking can decrease by 40–60% during screen use, increasing tear evaporation.

3. Sleep disruption
Exposure to blue-enriched light from screens at night suppresses melatonin production and disrupts circadian rhythms.

4. Cognitive overload
Constant digital input may increase mental fatigue and reduce sustained attention.

5. Reduced physical movement
Long screen sessions encourage sedentary behavior, which is associated with broader health risks.

Practical Prevention Strategies

Experts recommend several strategies to reduce risk:
• Follow the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds).
• Maintain a viewing distance of 50–70 cm from computer screens.
• Blink consciously and manage dry eye.
• Limit continuous screen exposure and take regular breaks.
• Ensure proper lighting and ergonomic posture.

Effects on Vision

Prolonged screen use places constant demand on the eyes’ accommodation (focusing) and vergence (eye alignment) systems. When these systems are overworked, people commonly experience:
• Eye strain and fatigue
• Blurred or fluctuating vision
• Headaches
• Dry eyes due to reduced blinking
• Difficulty concentrating on near tasks

These symptoms are collectively known as digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome. Because screens are pixel-based and often viewed at close distances, the visual system must continuously adjust focus and alignment, which can overload binocular coordination.

Possible Relationship to Binocular Vision Disorders (BVD)

Excessive near screen viewing can place sustained stress on the binocular vision system. Research suggests that prolonged digital device use may contribute to symptoms associated with:
• Convergence insufficiency
• Accommodative dysfunction
• Intermittent binocular instability

While screen time does not necessarily cause binocular vision disorders directly, it can worsen pre-existing binocular vision weaknesses or make previously compensated conditions symptomatic

Conclusion

Excessive screen time places substantial stress on both the visual system and cognitive processing networks of the brain. While most effects are reversible, chronic overuse may contribute to digital eye strain, exacerbate binocular vision problems, and potentially affect attention and memory processes described under the concept of digital dementia. Balanced digital habits and regular visual breaks are therefore essential for maintaining healthy vision and brain function.

New medical evidence reveals how too much screen time is shrinking the brains of young Australians.*Brain Drain (2026)*► Subscribe: http://9Soci.al/chmP50wA9...

26/03/2026

Vir die MANNE, wat lief is om elke dag te BRAAI...
DALK help dit om Alzheimers te voorkom! 🤩💪
Maar,
Ek is nie SEKER, hoe góéd dit is vir jou hart nie....😂
EN
Natuurlik - Vir jou sak nie...😂

In a new observational study from Sweden, people with a genetic risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease had a lower risk of developing this form of dementia if they consumed large amounts of meat.

“Those who ate more meat overall had significantly slower cognitive decline and a lower risk of dementia, but only if they had the APOE 3/4 or 4/4 gene variants,” said study author Jakob Norgren, PhD, in a press release.

Carriers of the gene variant associated with a heightened risk of Alzheimer's have a lower risk of cognitive decline if they consume relatively high amounts of meat, a new study suggests.

24/03/2026

Emerging evidence suggests that vision therapy (VT) and targeted eye exercises may enhance postural control, particularly in individuals with binocular vision disorders (BVD), convergence insufficiency, or vestibular dysfunctions.

Advancements in wearable technology and smartphone applications have revolutionized personal health monitoring. Apple’s Health app, particularly when paired with an Apple Watch, provides valuable insights into posture, stability, and balance. Key metrics such as Walking Steadiness, Double Support Time, and Walking Asymmetry offer users real-time feedback on gait and postural control. These features have significant implications for fall prevention, rehabilitation, and overall mobility assessment.

We have recently started using your phones ability to monitor these metrics as an indication of how successful our visual therapy is.
Simply put , the better you binocular vision, the better your balance and walking steadiness!

https://youtu.be/nU63ucZgRQM?si=mNdEGqZpeX-sxsn3

https://youtu.be/zCQ5VGWJ2M4?si=Lwc4sYAuk6kREvEG

00:00 - Introduction 00:12 - Can Visual Therapy Improve Your Balance? 00:37 - The Research: Eye Exercises and Postural Stability 00:54 - Step 1: Wh...