Globally, people are living longer than ever. Many factors play a role in these statistics, including improvements in access to medicine and improvements in diet.
Diet also has a profound effect on your vision. To preserve eye health, many foods can help keep your vision strong for longer. Let’s look at the effects of diet on your vision and what foods improve it.
Drs. Hena Khaja, Soha Rafi, and their dedicated staff at Texas Eye Doctors help McKinney, Texas, residents keep their eyes sharp and clear for as long as possible.
Every organ needs the nutrients from vitamins, minerals, and other essentials we get from food to function properly and stay healthy over time. Our eyes are no different.
Due to their complex nature, constant exposure to light, and high metabolic activity, eyes are particularly prone to oxidative stress.
This means the eyes are at a high risk of imbalance of free radicals, which can lead to cell damage and impact your ability to see. The effects can cause many chronic and degenerative problems for your vision.
Antioxidants found in many foods are necessary to help lower oxidative stress in the body, including your eyes. Your diet should include:
Vitamin A (retinol) produces pigment for your retinas and has crucial nutrients for the photoreceptors essential for seeing, specifically in low-light vision.
Animal products are the best source of vitamin A, but your body can convert some plant nutrients into it. Vitamin A can be found in:
Vitamins C and E also help vision, with the first having antioxidants that help prevent cataracts, and the latter being useful in protecting fatty acids from oxidation.
Vitamin C can be derived from oranges, kale, peppers, and broccoli.
Vitamin E is obtained from avocados, almonds, and sunflower seeds.
This gives many fruits and vegetables their color. It is responsible for the health of the light-sensitive areas of your retinal tissue. Eat more spinach, chard, kale, raspberries, and peaches to receive their benefits.
Found in various types of plants, research shows a link between them and improvements in the function of neurons necessary for helping the brain process visual input from the retina. Food and drink like tea, dark chocolate, berries, and citrus help you get this nutrient.
This mineral reduces the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts, and can be found in:
Omega-3 is a well-known type of fatty acid that aids in maintaining the cell structure in the eye to help vision. It has anti-inflammatory properties useful in eye health.
Various seafoods have this fatty acid, including salmon, mackerel, and sardines, but it’s also found in walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseed.
Gamma-linolenic acid helps to produce anti-inflammatory compounds that prevent dry eye, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy.
It’s a form of omega-6 fatty acid that comes from:
An essential tip for ensuring food is safe for consumption is following the guidelines for food safety from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
Be sure to rinse fruits and vegetables under tap water, and clean firm produce with a produce brush. Clean food is just as important as the types of food you eat to keep eyes healthy.
Vision and nutritional health are linked, and these foods and supplements can help protect your vision. To find out more about foods and other products and treatments that can help your eyes, make an appointment with Drs. Khaja, Rafi, and the team at Texas Eye Doctors.
