Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope all of you, whether single or attached, take some time this weekend to appreciate your loved ones (and maybe to appreciate some chocolate, too…that’s what it’s all about, right? What? It’s not?)

Here’s the top eye news of the week…

Objects May Be Farther Than They Appear? Another wacky connection between the brain and eyes! A study at Cornell University found we perceive objects as physically closer to us if we really want them. For example, if the slice of cheesecake I’m going to eat for Valentine’s Day were already in front of me, I would “see” that delicious, creamy, heavenly dessert as closer than I would my electric bill, even if they were in reality the same distance away. Crazy!

 

Eye Makeup as Medicine? We’ve all seen pictures and statues of ancient Egyptian women wearing heavy eye makeup. Ahead of their time in terms of cosmetics? Maybe, but researchers now think the ancient equivalent of the smoky eye might actually have been designed to prevent and cure eye disease.

 

Olympic Heroes: Are you ready for the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony tonight? There’s more than one athlete who will be living out their dreams over the next two weeks, but one of the most inspirational might just be cross-country skier Brian McKeever. Though he has only 10% of his vision, McKeever made the Canadian Olympic Team last month and will be the first winter sports athlete to compete in both the Olympics and the Paralympics.

Eat Your Vegetables! You might have heard that eating carrots is good for your eyes, but carrots aren’t the only super-vision-vegetable: scientists are now making new discoveries about the vision benefits in green leafy vegetables and colored fruits. From helping your eyes see farther to reducing discomfort from glare, these healthy foods can have numerous benefits for your vision. Why can’t cheesecake do the same thing? Sigh.

That’s all for now, folks. Enjoy your weekend, and have a great Valentines. Mix in some eye-healthy fruits and vegetables with those chocolate hearts ;o)