Four Nutritional Tips for Optimum Eye Health: Eating Your Way to Healthy Eyes

You have probably heard the old adage that ‘you are what you eat.’ What you consume plays an essential role in the cellular maintenance, growth, and functioning of your body. Maintaining a healthy diet, in addition to healthy lifestyle choices, optimizes your vision. This is especially true as we age we need various vitamins and minerals to keep our eyes working properly.

The following are four crucial tips to help you eat your way to healthy eyes and a healthy life:

1.      Beta-carotene: Eat those carrots

What’s up doc? It seems that Bugs Bunny knew a thing or two about healthy eyes. Carrots are high in beta-carotene, an anti-oxidant that decreases your risk for developing cataracts and macular degeneration. Eat them raw, put them in salads, cook them in a stew, just be sure to eat your carrots!

2.      Vitamin C

Vitamin C can be found in a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and is another key anti-oxidant proven to protect your eyes. If you love fruit, then kiwis, oranges, and strawberries are excellent choices as they rank among the highest in Vitamin C. Also try guavas and papayas.

Several vegetables are incredibly high in Vitamin C: bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and peas. These are great in salads, as snacks, in soups, roasted, or steamed. Eat them greens!

3.      Zinc

It’s time to think Zinc! Zinc is found in your retina where it helps the functioning of enzymes for optimum eye function. Studies have shown that people with macular degeneration often had low zinc levels.

Foods high in Zinc include: sea food, spinach (Go Popeye!), nuts such as cashews, cocoa and chocolate (an excuse to eat chocolate!), pork and chicken, and mushrooms.

Think Zinc for optimal eye health and maintenance. 

4.      Omega-3 Fats

Studies have shown that Omega-3 fats are excellent for cardiovascular health. Well, good news, they also help protect the tiny blood vessels buried in your eyes. If you love sea food such as wild salmon, oysters, sardines, herring, halibut, and fresh tuna then eat your heart out...or, umm, rather healthy!

A healthy diet accompanied with regular eye exams can help you optimize your eye sight for a healthy, full life.

For more information or to schedule an eye exam call Vision Pro to set up an appointment or stop into one of our 10 locations today!