Foods For Healthy Eyes

The eyes are one of the most delicate and complex organs in the body. They are also organs that work overtime, bear the brunt of external elements and mirror the general health of an individual. We often tend to take our eyes for granted and seldom think about eye-specific nutrition.

Some foods can boost eye-health, preserve vision and protect the eyes from age-related or environmental damage. Since everyone would like their eyes to last as long as they do, it might be worth taking a look at these vision-empowering foods that are not so difficult to integrate into daily dietary habits.

Vitamin A: Your mother would have often told you that carrots are good for the eyes. Research has proved that you have all the reason to believe her! Vitamin A deficiency is one of the major causes of childhood blindness in developing nations. Vitamin A plays a crucial role in night-vision as it helps the eyes to adapt to varying lighting conditions. Lack of this vitamin can result in night-blindness, dry eyes, superficial scars, corneal ulcers and spots on the white portion of the eye. Include lots of “orange foods” that contain beta-carotene like carrots, papaya, pumpkins etc. in your diet. Vitamin A supplements should be taken only under a physician’s supervision as an overdose of the same can do more harm than good.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C enhances immunity and speeds up the healing process. It also protects ocular tissues from oxidative damage. An adequate amount of this vitamin in your diet will protect your eyes from inflammatory disorders, infections, early formation of cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and corneal ulcers. Gorge on citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables and berries – you body can never have too much of these.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E is one of the most potent anti-oxidant for the eyes. It delays the formation of cataracts and also acts as an effective anti-carcinogen. Nuts, cod-liver oil and leafy greens are a good source of Vitamin E.

Minerals: Minerals like Zinc, selenium, magnesium and copper are also needed in trace quantities to maintain optimum eye-health and vision.

Lutein and Zeaxanthine: These belong to a class of beta-carotenoids and act as strong anti-oxidants for the eye. Age-related macular degeneration and other degenerative disorders of different parts of the eye can be delayed by consuming food rich in anti-oxidants. Colorful vegetables and fruits like eggplant, carrots, greens, cantaloupes, and tomatoes provide different types of micronutrients – all of which play an important role in maintaining ocular health.

A Checklist For Better Ocular Health

Along with a nutritional diet, it is also important to protect the eyes from other external and internal factors:

· Wear sunglasses to screen out UV rays and dust.

· Keep your blood sugar levels and blood pressure under control as these can cause permanent damage to the eyes.

· Talk to your eye-specialist about any hereditary disorders and family history of diseases.

· Undergo periodic eye check-ups at least once in a year.

· Avoid using old or contaminated eye-makeup and eye-drops.

Disclaimer

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