BLINDED BY BAD CARBS Preventing poor eyesight as you get older may be as simple as cutting more refined carbohydrates out of your diet. Among 3,977 women and men age 55 and older, those who ate above average amounts of white bread, white rice, and other food with a high glycemic index were 17% more likely to develp age related macular degeneration, reports the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. To protect your eyes, cut back on soda and sugary sweets, advise the study authors, and stick to whole wheat versions of pasta, bread, and rice. - Julian Kesner, Prevention Magazine February 2008.