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By: Suzie McDonnough

(Not scientifically reviewed by Dr. Eeks)

There are many unique and innovative ways to aid healthy eyes. One way of doing this is through the food that you eat. While the most important thing is to eat a healthy and balanced diet, below are some specific suggestions that you might find helpful. 

Green vegetables (kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, collards…)

Green vegetables are great for the eyes because they are filled to the brim with lutein and zeaxanthin. These are both yellow pigments that naturally occur in a lot of plants and vegetables. They are both very effective antioxidants. They promote healthy vision via several different methods, but in general eating green vegetables helps to counteract any macular degeneration which is related to age. Moreover, it helps to protect individuals against retinal damage as well.

Water

Of course, you expected water to be on this list! Water is important for health in general, but especially for your eyes, as it stops them from being dehydrated. 

Omega-3 (salmon, tuna, mackerel, nuts, canola vegetable oil…)

Omega-3 is the fatty acid that is generally found in oily fish. Nevertheless, if you are not a lover of seafood then you can get your Omega-3 fix via certain vegetable oils and nuts. It is no mistake that you are constantly encouraged to eat fish – Omega-3 possesses a wealth of benefits. Relating to healthy eyes, it protects individuals from a dry-eye condition, which can be determined via an eye exam, and like green vegetables, it also aids with macular degeneration which is related to age.

Zinc (chickpeas, oysters, beef, kidney beans, pumpkin seeds…)

Zinc is found in an array of different foods and thus you should not find it too difficult to incorporate this into your diet. You need to get your zinc fix because if you fail to do so you can actually damage your eyesight, so this point is essential. This is because zinc helps transport Vitamin A around the body and therefore to your eyes for optimal eyesight.

Vitamin C (grapefruit, papaya, oranges, strawberries, peaches…)

There is nothing better than eating scrumptious fruit during the summer months, and orange, strawberries, grapefruit and the other fruits mentioned have the makings of a fantastic fruit salad. As well as tasting fantastic, these fruits have a healthy dosage of vitamin C which is great for the eye because it gives support to the blood vessels.

Eggs

Eggs get a section dedicated to themselves because they contain a wealth of different components which are beneficial to the eye and protect against cataracts. These include amino acids, lutein (which is found in green vegetables), sulfur, cysteine, and lecithin.

Vitamin E (peanuts, sunflower seeds, pecans, wheat germ, hazelnuts…)

Vitamin E possesses a wealth of benefits that are related to healthy vision. In general, they help protect the eyes from deterioration and disease. Moreover, Vitamin E can help to counteract the progression of cataracts. And, like many others mentioned in this article, it can also help to prevent any macular degeneration which is age-related.

So there you have it- the top foods to eat to help your eyesight. There’s really no better diet than a colorful one, that is one where the colors come from a variety of fruits and vegetables. Eat a “healthy” rainbow and your eyes will benefit like everything else. 

Other blogs to read that are written by Dr. Eeks:

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