You’ve probably heard that eating more carrots helps you see better at night. Although this advice is somewhat inexact, it’s true that the quality of your diet can influence both your visual acuity and the health of your eyes. If you’ve ever wanted to know how the food you eat can support long-term eye health, Clear Vision Optometry can help. At their state-of-the-art office in Austin, Texas, Clear Vision Optometry offers detailed eye nutrition consultations to patients who’d like to know more about diet and eye health. To schedule your personalized consultation, call the office or book online today.
The quality of your diet impacts every cell in your body, including the cells in your eyes. So, if you want to support ocular health and good vision, you should give your eyes the specific nutrients they require to maintain optimal function.
While you may not know exactly what an eye-friendly diet looks like, you’ve probably heard of a heart-healthy diet or one that:
As it turns out, the same diet that’s good for your heart is also beneficial for your eyes. When you think about it, it’s not hard to make the connection: Just like your heart, your eyes rely on arteries for oxygen and nutrients. Your diet plays an important part in keeping those vessels healthy.
While eating a basic, eye-friendly diet can go far in supporting eye health, there are a few specific nutrients that give your eyes extra support. They include:
Lutein and zeaxanthin: These two carotenoids, which are plant pigments, act as antioxidants in the retina, by helping protect it from ultraviolet light. Having higher concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin in your retinas is associated with significantly better distance vision. It also reduces your risk of developing many chronic eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Essential fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids play a fundamental role in visual development and retinal function.
Vitamin C: Research shows that eating a diet rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, can help reduce your risk of developing cataracts. When combined with other nutrients, it may also help slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration and keep your vision sharper.
Vitamin E: Another powerful antioxidant, vitamin E protects the cells of your eyes from damaging compounds called free radicals.
Zinc: This trace mineral helps carry vitamin A from your liver to your retinas so it can produce melanin, a pigment that helps protect your eyes from ultraviolet light.
A sampling of stand-out foods in a diet designed to support long-term eye health includes:
To learn all the ins and outs of how you can optimize your diet to support your eyes, make an appointment with Dr. Trinh for a comprehensive eye nutrition consultation today.
