Your eyes rely on you to consume the nutrients they need to stay healthy, like vitamins A and C, bioflavonoids, carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, and antioxidants. Each of these key nutrients plays an important role in preventing eye problems. Eating the right food is the best way to get the nutrients your eyes need to healthily function. Here are the top 9 foods that you should be eating for healthy eyes.
Spinach contains vitamin A, lutein, and zeaxanthin and they are all relevant for improving your eyesight. For example, vitamin A protects your cornea while zeaxanthin helps with visual development. But so you know, there are other leafy greens that improve vision similar to the way that spinach does. Vegetables like kale, Swiss chard, turnips, mustard leaves, collard greens, and spinach must be included in daily diet.
Studies have shown omega-3 fatty acids prevent certain eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome, high eye pressure, glaucoma, and more. Salmon and other fatty fish like tuna, herring, and trout are the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is also great for your eyes because it contains plenty of vitamin D, which helps to ward off blindness caused by old age.
Beta-carotene is essential for activating vitamin A and carrots are bursting with beta-carotene. Without beta-carotene, vitamin A would not be able to protect your eye cells, prevent night blindness, or maintain a clear cornea. Besides beta-carotene, carrots also contain lutein and lutein lowers your risk for macular degeneration and protects the retina.
These berries have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, collagen-stabilizing, vasoprotective, and rhodopsin-regenerating properties that continually improve eyesight. Incorporating blueberries and similar berries into your diet will strengthen the blood vessels behind your eyes. They also prevent oxygen blockages to the retina.
Eat sweet potatoes on a regular basis to avoid bacterial and viral eye infections. Through the use of vitamin A, sweet potatoes can strengthen the surfaces of your eyes and their mucus membranes to keep out foreign invaders. Just like carrots, sweet potatoes are also rich with vitamin A and beta-carotene. Both of these nutrients are known to improve vision. They also help to prevent cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and dry eyes.
Peppers are great for the overall health of your eyes, especially since you can eat them raw. Peppers are loaded with eye friendly nutrients such as vitamin B6, lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and lycopene. You should routinely eat a variety of peppers because they are one of the richest sources of vitamins A and C. Peppers use vitamin A to preserve your vision and vitamin C to protect your eyes against cataracts. Try to include all the colored peppers in your diet because they all benefit your eyes differently: green, red, yellow, orange, and even purple, brown and black.
A handful of walnuts a day can keep the eye doctor away because they protect your eyes from a wide range of vision problems. Along with almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, peanuts, and many nuts in general, walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for healthy eyes. Additionally, walnuts use antioxidants, zinc, and vitamin E to combat eye related inflammation.
You can eat avocados in salads, dips, soups, or sandwiches if you want to take advantage of their eye related health benefits. They’re even great to eat on their own. Either way, the nutrients found in avocados can save your eyes from damaging, oxidative stress that leads to poor vision. In addition to beta-carotene and vitamins B6, C, and E, avocados also contain lutein. Lutein prevents macular degeneration, cataracts, and other age-related eye issues.
For the nutritional benefits of vitamin B2, eat a lot of broccoli. It’s one of the easiest ways to protect your eyes from cataracts. Vitamin B2 also protects your eyes from damaging light. If you are vitamin B2 deficit, your eyes will be highly sensitive to light. This increased sensitivity often leads to more eye problems like inflammation, blurred vision, and eye fatigue.
You only get one pair of eyes, so you should do everything in your power to help your eyes stay strong and healthy. Try to eat more of the above mentioned foods to give your eyes the nutritional support they need to function at their absolute best. Contact Marano Eye Care or call us at 973.322.0100 today for information on how our doctors can help your eyes.
