An Eye-Healthy Diet that Supports Your Overall Health
Getting your annual eye exam is important for your eye health. But having a healthy diet that supports the long-term health of your eyes is also crucial. The great news is that if you are looking for foods that are healthy for your eyes, these foods will support your heart and the rest of your body too. Plus, there are many delicious choices!
Why Nutrition is Important for Good Vision
Ensuring you are getting the right nutrients keeps your eyes healthy overall, but even better is that some nutrients have been found to reduce the risk of eye diseases. So eating a diet low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help you keep your heart, eyes, and body healthy. Keeping the tiny arteries that supply your eyes with nutrients and oxygen healthy is what helps provide you with better overall long-term eye health.
What You Should Eat for Healthy Eyes
Now that we’ve looked at how good nutrition supports your eye health, let’s take a look at what you should eat to help support your eyes.
Orange-Colored Fruits and Veggies with Vitamin A
The nutrient best known for eye health is vitamin A. Your retina needs plenty of this nutrient to help turn light rays into the images we see. Without enough of it, your eyes also can’t stay moist enough to prevent dry eye.
Some great food sources of vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and apricots.
Fruits and Veggies Rich in Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a critical antioxidant that helps protect the body from damage caused by the things we eat, unhealthy habits, and environmental factors (free radicals). Vitamin C helps to repair and grow new tissue cells, including in your eyes. This powerful antioxidant has been shown to help prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts, according to the Age-Related Eye Diseases Study (AREDS).
Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits (oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, and lemons), peaches, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries.
Veggies and Nuts with Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another important antioxidant that helps to keep your cells healthy. Some good sources of vitamin E in food include avocados, almonds, and sunflower seeds.
Leafy Greens Rich in Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants found in leafy green veggies and other brightly colored foods. They are key to protecting the macula, the area of the eye that gives us our central vision.
Some great sources for these antioxidants include kale, spinach, romain lettuce, collards, turnip greens, broccoli, and peas. And while not a leafy green, eggs are also a good source for these nutrients.
Beans and Zinc
The mineral zinc helps keep the retina healthy and may protect your eyes from damaging UV rays. However, zinc can lower the amount of copper in your body, which we need to help form red blood cells. Fortunately, you can increase both at once with all kinds of beans (legumes), including black-eyed peas, kidney beans, and lima beans. Other foods high in zinc include oysters, lean red meat, poultry, and fortified cereals.
Should I take Vitamin Supplements for Eye Health?
Eating the right foods is the best way to get the eye-healthy nutrients you need. In general, most Americans do get enough of these through their diet without needing to take supplements. But it is always worth talking to your eye doctor about!
There is one big exception to this–people who have macular degeneration. In this case, taking supplements is recommended by the AREDS 2 Study. If you or a family member has AMD, talk with your eye doctor to see if they recommend taking a supplement to help support your eyes.
Key Takeaways
No matter your age, it’s never too late to start eating healthy to support your body and your eyes. Many people wait until after they are diagnosed with a serious health problem to start eating healthy. Instead, you should start eating well now to benefit your vision and overall health for the rest of your life.
Need to schedule an appointment with an eye doctor to discuss your eye health, vision, and diet that supports eye health? Our team is here to help you with all your eye health and vision needs. We provide comprehensive eye care for your whole family in a comfortable setting. Schedule an eye exam at one of our two locations today.
