A healthy lifestyle is good for your eyes and overall health. Eye health and vision can be improved by avoiding smoking, wearing sunglasses in sunlight, being active and eating a healthy, balanced diet.
Vitamin- and mineral-rich diets can be beneficial for maintaining eye health, as well as reducing the chance of developing chronic or degenerative eye diseases such as AMD (age-related macular destruction) and cataracts.
Vitamin A, which is a precursor of beta-carotene, can help improve your retina’s metabolism. Although this can help with vision and eye health, eating large quantities of carrots won’t do much other than make your skin yellow.
Healthy nutrition will help support your immune system, brain, and body. This promotes vision and healthy eyes.
A healthy, balanced diet rich in whole foods, low in processed foods, refined sugars and junk food can be good for your eyes and your entire body.
Eating For Your Eyes
A healthy diet is important for promoting a healthy lifestyle as well as improving your vision , and overall eye health. This diet can include lots of fruits and vegetables, fish, lean meats and whole grains, as well as dairy products, eggs and nuts. It has low levels of added sugars, salt and trans fats as well as cholesterol.
Being fit can help lower your chances of developing diseases such as diabetes. This can have a negative impact on vision.
Many vitamins and minerals can be used to delay, prevent or minimize the development of chronic and degenerative diseases such as AMD and cataracts. The National Eye Institute (NEI), found that certain vitamins can reduce your risk of developing AMD by 25%.
There are many eye supplements available that can help you keep your eyes healthy, but there are also many foods that have these vitamins.
Vitamin A, Carrots & Eye Health
Long-held beliefs have held that carrots are good to your eyes. Beta-carotene is a precursor vitamin A and can improve night vision, reduce inflammation and protect the eye’s surface.
Vitamin A is an antioxidant that supports the immune system. This can help to fight infections and keep your eyes healthy. The following foods are high in vitamin A, along with carrots:
- Sweet potatoes
- Bell peppers
- Pumpkin
- Leafy green vegetables
Although most Americans have a healthy diet that avoids vitamin-A deficiencies, malnourishment or low levels of vitamin B can lead to dry eyes, eye damage, retina damage, poor night vision and even blindness.
However, it is not necessary to eat carrots at every meal. It won’t improve your vision. It will cause your skin to turn yellowish. If you smoke, too much betacarotene can increase your risk of developing lung cancer.
However, carrots can be a part of your daily diet and may improve your vision and eye health.
Additional Diet-Based Vision Benefits
A diet that is primarily whole foods and low in processed foods can make a big difference to your physical well-being. This can lead to a stronger immune system, better vision, better eye health, and less risk of vision-related diseases.
The following list of vitamins may be able to promote vision, reduce the risk for AMD and improve eye health.
- Vitamin A: cantaloupes, strawberries, cantaloupes, green and red bell peppers and potatoes.
- Vitamin Eswordfish and pumpkin, seeds, nuts peanut butter, vegetable oils, and asparagus
- Zinc: beans and whole grains, fortified cereals milk, nuts, crabs, lobsters, and oysters
- Lutein, zeaxanthin, corn, egg white, carrots and peas dark leafy leaves, greens, brown, winter squash, winter squash and broccoli
- Copper: shellfish, nuts, potatoes, yeast and dark leafy greens. organ meats, whole grain, and dried fruits.
Vitamins C, and E are powerful antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and improve your immune system. Zinc improves vitamin A absorption and night vision. It also builds up protective pigment melanin.
Lutein and zeaxanthin help your eyes filter out harmful high-energy light wavelengths. This can prevent the development of degenerative eye diseases.
Other vitamins and foods can also be beneficial for vision and eye health.
- B-complex vitamins may help reduce vascular problems that could affect the retina. They also lower the risk of developing cataracts. B vitamins can be found in meat, fish, dairy products, fortified cereals and eggs.
- Vitamin D may help reduce the risk of developing diabetes. This can cause vision problems. Vitamin D regulates healthy cell activity. It is found in cold water fish, and foods high in fatty acids.
- Omega-3 fatty acids are also good for vision and eye health. Essential omega-3 fatty acid EPA, and DHA are found in fatty fish, seafood, and fish oil. These fatty acids aid in visual and brain development and reduce the chances of dry eyes. They also improve retinal function.
- People who eat whole foods and are high in phytochemicals from plants-based foods have less age-related vision problems and degenerative eye disease. Vegetables and fruits contain phytochemicals which can improve vision and reduce the risk of developing eye conditions later in life.
You can prevent vision problems from developing as you age by being physically active, managing your blood pressure, quitting smoking, getting enough sleep and eating a healthy diet (highly nutritious in dark green and leafy vegetables). Although vitamins and supplements can be helpful in maintaining eye health, they should not be used alone.