Vision loss can cause a marked decline in quality of life. Today, approximately one million Americans are classified as legally blind, with millions more living with a vision impairment.
You can take several actions to improve your eyesight and mitigate vision loss. Good food for eyesight improvement does exist. Adopting the correct diet can eliminate many risk factors for vision loss.
Let’s look at which food is good for the eyes and why certain foods effectively support your vision.
Can Food Improve Your Eye Health?
The eye is not a tissue but an organ. You’ve likely heard about how a healthy diet can support your heart, liver, and kidneys. The same principle applies to food for good eyesight. Since the eye is an organ, it requires certain nutrients to continue to operate throughout your lifespan.
Good eyesight starts with the food you consume every day. The right combination of vitamins and minerals can help stave off problems like cataracts and macular degeneration.
Plus, you can avoid many of the common conditions associated with blindness. Food is good for eyesight, but you need to know which foods have the highest chance of defending your eyes from degeneration over time.
7 Best Foods For Eyesight Improvement
The best food for eyesight improvement must contain nutrients the eye benefits from. Thankfully, scientists have proven that certain foods work better than others for improving eyesight.
The right food for eyesight is not only beneficial for your ability to see. Most of the following foods also support your other organs, bones, and tissues.
1. Fish
Fish is a food good for the eyes because of its fatty acid content. In particular, omega-3s are excellent for ocular health. Omega-3 supports the health of every human cell in the body, not just in the eye.
There is a strong correlation between eating regular helpings of fish and eliminating dry eye, which can be especially prominent among people who spend significant amounts of time on the computer.
2. Nuts
The effectiveness of nuts largely depends on the type of nut, but they are generally considered powerhouses due to their high protein content. A couple of handfuls of nuts per day will provide you with all the protein, fiber, and fatty acids your eyes need.
Nuts, like hazelnuts and almonds, also contain large numbers of antioxidants, which can protect your eyes against future diseases.
3. Seeds
Like fish, seeds are another essential source of fatty acids. If you prefer not to eat fish, seeds are a good food for eye health because they come packed with omega-3s as well.
Experts recommend sunflower seeds due to their high Vitamin E content. Vitamin E is an essential antioxidant the body requires to stay healthy.
4. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are another good food for eyesight improvement because of their antioxidants. All citrus fruit, such as lemons, oranges, limes, and grapefruit, is packed with Vitamin C.
Regular consumption of citrus fruits actively fights against age-related ocular diseases. Their high water content can also help to keep the eyes hydrated. Sufferers of dry eyes will find this to be of particular benefit.
5. Leafy Greens
When your mother told you to eat your greens, she wasn’t lying. Dark, leafy greens always receive a high score from health experts. Leafy greens contain several vital vitamins, including Vitamin C and E.
This is the best food for eyesight in terms of ocular health because leafy greens contain lutein. Lutein is a carotenoid explicitly designed to strengthen your vision. Dark, leafy greens like broccoli, kale, and spinach are all examples of food options you should add to every meal. To a lesser extent, lighter leafy greens, like lettuce, also possess many of the same benefits.
6. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes contain many vital nutrients for the eyes. Along with Vitamin A and C, sweet potatoes come packed with lutein to support ocular health directly.
Not all potatoes have the same nutritional content. Most ocular experts agree that substituting ordinary white potatoes for sweet potatoes is one of the most straightforward dietary changes people can make to support their vision.
7. Eggs
Including one or two eggs as part of your daily diet is simple and may be highly advantageous for helping to fight off macular degeneration.
Vitamin C, E, and lutein can all be found within eggs. You can also find another carotenoid called zeaxanthin. Eggs consistently score well when examining the best food for the eyes.
Nutrients to Consider in Your Foods for Eye Health
Now that you know which food is good for the eyes, you may be wondering why all the above score so highly. Like any other organ, your eyes require certain nutrients to stay healthy.
Let’s examine the primary nutrients your eyes require to help fight off the leading causes of vision loss.
- Vitamin A – Also known as retinoids, Vitamin A is a broad term for compounds like retinol and rhodopsin. Vitamin A supports night vision and reduces dry eye. Deficiencies in this vitamin cause a constellation of symptoms.
- Vitamin C – Vitamin C fights off dangerous free radicals. Antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, tend to help fend off free radicals and may help delay the onset of cataracts and macular degeneration.
- Vitamin E – Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant in the same vein as Vitamin C. Vitamin E fights free radicals and may help mitigate the potential for common age-related vision problems.
- Vitamin B – B vitamins include folate, B6, and B12. These vitamins may help with preventing macular degeneration and cataracts.
- Lutein – Lutein is related to Vitamin A and is beneficial for dry eyes because it can filter out blue light. It also may reduce the chances of experiencing macular degeneration.
Remember, these nutrients are beneficial not only for your eyes but also for the whole body.
The Bottom Line
Consuming good food for eyesight improvement will not give you 20/20 vision, but it may help preserve your 20/20 vision if you already have it.
Ocular health is a severe problem for millions of Americans. Schedule regular eye tests with a local optician. You may well need a prescription for glasses.
If you need glasses, make sure you shop with Felix Gray for the most stylish, elegant frames in the business. We have a large selection of Blue Light glasses as well as reading glasses and other styles to you’re sure to find just what you need.
