A healthy pair of eyes, is no less than a blessing, as can be confirmed by those who are suffering from some kind of vision related issues. Most of the time we don’t give much importance to our vision until something goes seriously wrong. Sometimes we’re not aware any problem until the warning signals start to beep and go off. People believe that failing eyesight is an unpreventable result of aging or eye strain. But the truth is that, a healthy lifestyle can remarkably reduce the risk of eye health problems. One powerful and easy step you can take in protecting your precious sense of vision is by taking care of your diet. A balanced diet includes a variety of proteins, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. You should lessen the consumption of unhealthy foods that are processed, contain saturated fats, or are high in sugar. A study related to eye health, published in 2001, established that certain nutrients like zinc, copper, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene have tendency to reduce the risk of decline of age related problems in eye health upto 25%. Further studies admit that omega-3 fatty acids (including DHA), copper, lutein, and zeaxanthin are important for eye health. By maintaining a well-balanced and healthy diet is key to keeping your eyes healthy, and may help reduce your risk for developing eye diseases. Serious eye conditions can be avoided if people include foods that contain a wide range of vitamins and nutrients.
Best Foods For Healthy Eyes:
Here we discuss 7 nutrients rich foods to improve your eye health. Most of them are generally available whole year and for a reasonable price.
Carrots:
Carrots are well-known to be beneficial for good eyesight. Carrots contain vitamin A and also rich in beta carotene. Beta carotene gives carrots their orange color. Vitamin A and beta carotene help the surface of the eye and can also help prevent eye diseases and other serious eye conditions. Vitamin-A plays very important role in eye health. It is a component of a protein known as rhodopsin, which helps the retina to absorb light. Beta carotene’s role in vision is that the body needs this to make vitamin A, which is crucial for vision.
Almonds:
Almonds are generally very good eye health. Almonds are packed with omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin E that boost and improve your eye health. Almonds are also rich in vitamin E, which helps in protecting your eyes from age-related damage. Vitamin E guards against unstable molecules that target healthy tissue of your eyes. By consuming regular amounts of vitamin E you can prevent age-related macular degeneration and also cataracts. You should add almonds in your diet. You can eat almonds as a snack at any time like in your breakfast cereal, yogurt, or in salads.
Eggs:
The egg is full of eye friendly antioxidants. Egg yolks are packed with lutein whih is a type of carotenoid that helps in fighting macular degeneration that is the leading cause of legal blindness. The vitamins and nutrients in eggs, including lutein and vitamin A, promote your eye health and it’s proper function. Eggs are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which helps in reducing the risk of age-related sight loss. Eggs are also good sources of vitamins C and E, and zinc which are all ver important for eye health. Vitamin A guards the cornea which is the surface of the eye. Zinc helps in contributing to the health of the retina which is the back of the eye. Zinc also helps eyes see at night. You should definitely add eggs in your diet.
Fish:
Many fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, trout, herring and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which helps in protecting against dry eyes, macular degeneration and cataracts. You can also get a good supply of omega-3s by using fish oil supplements. The fish has oil in gut & body tissue, therefore these can reverse dry-eye, including dry-eye due to too much time spending on computer. Omega-3 fatty acids can help contribute to visual development and the health of the retina in the back of the eye. You should consider fish in your diet for your eye health.
Leafy Green Vegetables:
Leafy vegetables are rich in lutein, zeaxanthin and also a good source of eye-friendly vitamin C. Well-known leafy greens are spinach, kale and collards. These are packed with so many essential vitamins, nutrients and minerals. These are extremely good for eye health. These nutrients help to prevent serious eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration and even cataracts. Our body does not make Lutein and zeaxanthin, so we have to incorporate them into our diet. Lutein and zeaxanthin are those antioxidants that are found in the pigments of leafy green vegetables and other brightly colored foods. They are very essential in protecting the macula which is the area of the eye that gives us our central, most detailed vision. You should add these vegetables in your diet for healthy eyes.
Beef:
Beef is packed with zinc. Zinc plays a role in reducing risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration. Zinc also link to better long-term eye health. Our eye itself contains high levels of zinc, particularly in the retina, and also in the vascular tissue surrounding the retina. Zinc is also an important mineral which set up naturally in beef, well known to help body with better absorption of vitamin A, which plays a vital role in minimizing the risks of advanced AMD. So you should consider beef in your diet.
Citrus Fruits:
Citrus fruits are packed with vitamin C, which is key for eye health. Just like vitamin E, vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps in fighting age-related eye damage. Vitamin C-rich citrus fruits include lemons, oranges and grapefruits. The vitamin C, found mainly in fresh fruits and vegetables, contributes to healthy blood vessels in your eyes. It helps counter the risks of cataracts and macular degeneration. Building of collagen is also a way, it is essential for eyes, helping to give structure for cornea. You must add citrus fruits in your diet.