Many people don’t make a connection between what you eat and eye health, but the two things are not independent of each other. Healthy nutritional choices can prevent or lessen many eye issues.
Wholesome eating habits are a common factor for many of our patients with healthy eyesight, proving that a diet with good nutritional value does promote better vision.
What Should I Eat for Healthy Eyes?
When you start thinking about healthy eating options, your mind might lean toward dieting, but that’s not what we are talking about here. You can find many nutrients we need to have adequate eyesight in the foods we already eat. Zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, and the essential fatty acids that help with healthy eyes exist in everyday eats.
So what’s the problem? Why are we not getting the nutrients we need? Because we aren’t eating these common foods in their unprocessed form. Box dinners, take-out, and fast food may contain some of the ingredients that have the nutritional elements our eyes crave, but they’ve been over-processed, deep-fried, or saturated in grease and oil, leaving our bodies with nothing to absorb. And while this isn’t an article to dissect your eating habits, we think it’s important to note before going forward that eating these foods as close to fresh as possible will give you the best chance at increasing the overall health of your eyes.
Zinc
Zinc has many beneficial effects on your body, but the most important for your eyes is its ability to help bring Vitamin A from your liver to your retina. Vitamin A produces melanin, which helps prevent cataracts from forming, and cloudiness from occurring. It also improves your ability to see at night. Without Zinc, your eyes won’t receive this necessary vitamin, and your eyes can become susceptible to severe problems.
- Shellfish
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Lamb
- Beef
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is prescribed for many things, including building your immunity. It becomes trendy during cold and flu season, but you shouldn’t wait until then to start incorporating foods with it into your diet. Vitamin C is a crucial component of collagen production. Recent eye studies suggest that collagen production in the eyes can reduce the chances of developing glaucoma. It helps to keep cataracts from developing in the eye.
- Citric Fruits
- tomatoes
- Bell Peppers
- Broccoli
- Kale
Vitamin E
Vitamin E plays an essential role in your body’s fight against disease. It eliminates harmful molecules in your body called free radicals. Although these molecules are generally created within the body, they must be disposed of before they can build up inside living tissue. Vitamin E does this and does it well. As free radicals build up, they infect living tissue and can create severe problems, including problems within your eye. Ensure you include foods high in Vitamin E to prevent free radicals from spreading.
- Sunflower Seeds
- Avocados
- Almonds
- Fish
- Oils
- Peanuts
Fatty Acids
Essential fatty acids are not only good for you, but they are also the easiest to eat because they taste good. Omega-3s and Omega-6s support many body parts, including your heart and brain, but they also help with vision development and retina health. Eating fatty acids is essential to the overall vision and eye care.
Foods with fatty acids include:
- Fish
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Oils
- Eggs
- Milk
A well-balanced diet can ensure that many of these vitamins are easily accessible to your eyes. It’s easy to craft meals around many of these foods, and doing so will ensure that your eyes stay healthy for years to come.
Schedule an Eye Exam
Eating a healthy diet can help alleviate and reduce the risk of some eye issues; however, some eye problems are unavoidable. Whether these issues are caused by genetics or other health factors, they require more than a balanced diet to address. In these cases, checking in with your eye physician for an annual screening is always a good idea. Consistent check-ups can ensure that potentially severe eye problems are caught before they get a chance to become a significant issue. Call Eyes of Lubbock today, to schedule an eye exam and keep your eyes healthy and strong.
