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A Guide to the Best Food to Improve Eye Health

Have you started experiencing eye strain lately? Maybe you squint every time you open a book or read a letter. You’re not alone.

In fact, about 12 million Americans over the age of 40 have vision impairment.

Your diet could have a major impact on your eye health. Otherwise, your eyes will only continue to degrade as time goes on.

Don’t let that happen. Instead, keep reading to discover the nine foods you need to improve your eye health. These healthy foods could keep your eyes strong, reducing your age-related eye health decline.

Make a major adjustment to your diet. Get started with this eye-healthy diet plan today.

1. Nuts and Legumes

As you develop your eye health diet plan, consider the vitamins and minerals your eyes need to remain strong. These vitamins include:

  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E
  • Copper
  • Zinc
  • Beta carotene

These five nutrients could reduce age-related eye health decline by as much as 25%.

You can add vitamin E to your diet by eating more nuts and legumes. Both could improve your vision as a result. In fact, nuts might protect your eyes from age-related deterioration.

Meanwhile, nuts, legumes, and oily fish all contain omega-3 fatty acids, too. Omega-3s might help treat dry eye disease (DED) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

As you develop your eye health diet plan, consider buying:

  • Almonds
  • Cashews
  • Lentils
  • Pistachios
  • Almonds
  • Black-eyed peas
  • Brazil nuts
  • Kidney beans
  • Peanuts

If you want to protect your retinas, consider lentils. Lentils are rich in zinc and bioflavonoids. They could protect you from cataracts and macular degeneration.

2. Seeds

You can also add omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E to your diet by consuming more seeds. In fact, you might want to consider mixing these seeds and the nuts above to create trail mix. The right blend could protect your eyes from macular degeneration.

For example, you can try eating more hemp, flax, and chia seeds.

If you’re not a fan of trail mix, that’s okay. Instead, sprinkle your favorite seeds on top of a bowl of yogurt. You can mix these seeds with your favorite cereals as well.

You might want to consider adding sunflower seeds to your diet plan, too. Sunflowers could prevent eye disease. They’ll keep your eyes healthy by providing zinc and vitamin E to your diet. 

3. Fish

As you review this list of eye-healthy foods, consider adding more fish to your diet as well. Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids. Other important nutrients that can benefit your eyes include:

  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E
  • β-carotene
  • Zinc
  • Lutein
  • Zeaxanthin
  • Omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid)

Oily fish naturally contain oils within their body tissue and gut. Consuming these fish might help if you’re suffering from dry eyes.

If you’re not struggling with dry eyes yet, consider your lifestyle choices. For example, do you spend a lot of time in front of the computer? Oily fish can help keep your eyes hydrated, reducing irritation and eye strain.

Try different oily fish, including:

  • Herring
  • Anchovies
  • Trout
  • Salmon
  • Tuna
  • Mackerel
  • Sardines

If you’re not a fan of fish, don’t worry! You can still add fish to your list of eye-healthy foods by taking omega-3 supplements.

You might want to consider flaxseed, fish, or back currant seed oil, too. These alternatives could help reduce your risk of macular degeneration.

4. Leafy Greens

Adding dark, leafy greens to your diet can benefit your overall health. Consider consuming more:

  • Collard greens
  • Broccoli
  • Spinach
  • Peas
  • Avocadoes
  • Kale

These foods are rich in zeaxanthin and lutein. These nutrients might slow the progression of macular degeneration and cataracts. These foods are also a great source of vitamin C.

Remember, vitamin C could benefit your eye health.

5. Citrus

Are you a fan of oranges and grapefruit? Consider eating these citrus fruits more often. Citrus is rich in vitamin C, which is great for your vision.

You can eat these fruits as a snack or soak them in water. Eating more citrus fruit might help fight age-related eye damage. They could reduce your risk of macular degeneration and cataracts, too.

Otherwise, try adding more berries to your diet. Berries are rich in antioxidants, which can help your body fight oxidative damage. 

6. Sweet Potato

Push aside that plate of French fries. Instead, consider eating more sweet potatoes. You can even cut them into fries as a great side dish.

Sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene and vitamin E. Both could improve your vision.

7. Carrot

Everyone always says carrots are great for the eyes. They contain beta carotene and vitamin A. In fact, beta carotene is what gives oranges their color.

Vitamin A is necessary to create rhodopsin. This protein helps the retinas absorb light.

If you’re still concerned about your eyes, talk to your local eye doctor. They could give you lifestyle and nutrition advice for improving your eye health.

8. Eggs

Don’t forget to add protein to your diet plan. Consider consuming more eggs. Eggs contain both lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients could reduce your risk of age-related eyesight loss.

Here’s a complete list of the best nutrients for your eyes.

They’re also rich in zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin E, which can all play a part in your eye health.

Consider mixing two eggs with a little spinach or sweet potato. Have half an orange on the side as well for an eye-healthy breakfast.

9. Beef

Beef is another great source of eye-healthy protein, too. Eating more beef will provide your body with the zinc it needs. Zinc can benefit your long-term eye health.

It might help reduce your age-related sight loss. It could reduce macular degeneration, too.

Eye Spy Delicious Dishes: 9 Foods for Improved Eye Health

Don’t let eyestrain impact your quality of life. Instead, consider adding these nine foods to your diet plan. These foods could benefit your eye health, reducing your risk of degeneration and cataracts.

Otherwise, make sure to schedule an appointment with your local eye doctor. They can help you make informed decisions regarding your eyesight.

Ready to schedule your next appointment? We can’t wait to see you.

Contact us today to get started.

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