By Dr. Laurie S. McConnell of Private Eyes Optical

Hello and Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed the Christmas holiday! We were blessed with a new addition to the family....Grant William Butler is my sister's new little boy. He is absolutely precious. There is something wonderful about a new little angel at Christmas time.

Anyway, last month we were discussing the fat soluble vitamins (Vitamins A,D, E, and K). We discussed how vitamin A plays a vital role in vision. Vitamin D, known as the "sunshine vitamin," does not have any direct effects on the eye. However, Vitamin D is important in combination with Vitamin A to reduce the risk of hip fractures in the elderly I thought that was quite interesting. Vitamin D also plays a role in the maintenance of organ systems and bone, and the immune system. Another interesting point is that there is ongoing research that points to Vitamin D deficiency being linked to degenerative disease such as rheumatoid arthritis. Next month, we will talk more about Vitamin E.

I wish you and your family a healthy, happy, prosperous and peaceful new year. We look forward to seeing you soon.

For more information, call Dr. Laurie S. McConnell
at Private Eyes Optical at 561-746-5088.