This page was first published on the 25th of February, 2017 and last updated on the 25th of February, 2017 by Patrick Carpen.
When I came to Lethem, Rupununi, Guyana, in October, 2013, I met a man at the Takutu Hotel. To this day, I don’t even know his correct name, because everyone calls him “Fisherman”. That was because he was a fisherman by profession, trade or business.
Fisherman was slim and strong looking. He looked much younger than his age. When I learned that he was 70 years old, I was a bit shocked. He appeared to be in his fifties or early sixties. He had no health complaints; neither diabetes nor high blood pressure, but one thing struck me about Fisherman.
I would notice him reading the daily newspaper with his bare eyes, without the aid of reading glasses. And no, he didn’t have contact lenses nor did eye surgery. He was using his natural eyes.
I had observed that most men over the age of 40 needed glasses to read the papers. And it is documented that most people over the age of 40 start suffering from “presbyobia”. Presbyopia is an age-related condition which makes it difficult to see close up objects.
When you find yourself needing to hold the papers a wee bit farther away from you…it’s starting there.
Presbyobia, doctors say, are a natural part of the aging process, and, like rain, death and taxes, cannot be avoided; at least not by ordinary, mortal men and women.
But Fisherman seemed to have escaped it!
One day, when I engaged him on the subject, he told me his secret: blend carrots and pumpkins into a juice and drink it for strong eyes.
Of course you may want to add some sugar and ice!
Fisherman turned 72 recently and still reads the newspaper with the unaided eyes.