Tips for Healthy Eyes

Eat Well, See Well

An essential part of eye care is eating the right foods that contain the right vitamins. There are a lot of eye diseases and eating the proper foods can lower the risk. 

 

Antioxidants

Antioxidants help prevent many diseases affecting not only the heart, immune system and cancer but also the eyes. Antioxidants include Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin A. The can help prevent age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and other eye diseases. Good sources of antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables, with the highly pigmented ones having a higher concentration. When picking fruits and vegetables; chose the ones with more color. Concentrations of antioxidants are more abundant in raw form but are lost through cooking, canning, drying and freezing. Of course, too many antioxidants can have a negative effect, so be careful how much you consume. 

 

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is an antioxidant found in foods made from animals (e.g. liver, eggs and milk) and in fruits and vegetables (e.g. carrots and spinach). Vitamin A is essential for the proper functioning of the retina. It prevents night blindness by helping the eye to adapt between bright light and darkness. Vitamin A also helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. As both are now the leading causes of visual impairment, getting enough Vitamin A is essential for healthy eyes. 

 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C does it all. It strengthens our bones and muscles, keeps the immune system in good shape, maintains our teeth and gums and reduces the risk of several diseases. Similar to antioxidants, it also helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Vitamin C can be found not only in citrus fruits (e.g. oranges and lemons) but also vegetables such as green peppers, sweet potatoes and broccoli. 

 

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another antioxidant that does it all. Consuming a rich amount of Vitamin E helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, heart complaints and various cancers. For eye care, Vitamin E has been associated with the prevention and delay of cataract growth. The best sources include nuts, green leafy vegetables and fortified products such as cereal. 

 

Minerals (Selenium & Zinc)

Selenium and zinc are two key minerals that help the body absorb antioxidants. Zinc can be found in cheese, yogurt, red meat, pork and certain fortified cereals. Selenium can be found in walnuts, enriched breads and rice as well as macaroni and cheese. As with antioxidants, eating too much of these minerals can cause its own problems.