Look out for eye friendly foods

Post on 13th October 2020

Autumn’s harvest of seasonal produce is not only nutritious, it is a feast for the eyes and good for maintaining healthy eyes too.

While a balanced diet benefits our general health and wellbeing, there are certain foods we should look out for when it comes to our sight. Indeed eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration are all affected by our diet.

Autumn foods such as green leafy vegetables, which are rich in carotenoids, are particularly beneficial for our vision.

Foods such as spinach, swiss chard and broccoli, contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, and are known to help reduce the risk of cataracts. Lutein helps to protect the eyes by forming pigments in the macula, which in turn filter out harmful wavelengths that can damage the eye. Likewise, vitamins C, E and zinc have been known to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Broccoli is rich in vitamin B2 and a deficiency of vitamin B2 can also make the eyes highly sensitive to light, which can cause inflammation, blurred vision and ocular fatigue.

Kale is another vegetable that contains many important vitamins, nutrients and minerals and is very good for eye health.

The notion of carrots helping you to see in the dark is not some old wives tale. Carrots contain beta-carotene which helps prevent night blindness and keeps your cornea in good health and protects the delicate cells in your eyes.

Maintaining a well-balanced, healthy diet is key to keeping your eyes healthy and a balanced diet is best created with a variety of proteins, dairy, fruits, and vegetables.

So take your pick of autumn’s bounty and try to limit consumption of unhealthy foods that are processed, contain saturated fats, or are high in sugar.

If you need advice about your eyesight or have any concerns about your eyes please call in and see us at your local branch.