Beyond your annual eye exam, there’s one big thing you can do for yourself to prevent eye disease and keep your vision clear and your eyes healthy. Eat right!
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5 Popular Foods For Great Vision and Healthy Eyes
At Dr. Patricia Fink Optometry, our eye doctors care about your overall vision and eye health. During an eye exam, we’ll check for the presence of eye conditions and diseases such as macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. We’ll also check if you need glasses or contacts for refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism.
But what foods help the most for keeping your eyes healthy? Here’s a list of 5 popular foods for optimum vision and eye health:
Spinach
Spinach is a great example of a dark leafy green that is high in folic acid. This helps preserve the health of the optic nerve (the part at the back of the eye that sends visual information to the brain) and prevent degeneration. It is also high in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that can’t be naturally produced by the body, and which act as a sort of “sunglasses” for the macula, helping protect it from the harmful effects of blue light and UV radiation. High concentrations of these antioxidants reduce your risk of macular degeneration.
Sweet Potato
For a great source of vitamin A and beta-carotene, sweet potatoes are a great choice. Eating a baked sweet potato or a slice or two of sweet potato pie can help maintain eye health by reducing your risk of developing eye infections. Eye care professionals also suggest that vitamin A may also help reduce or prevent dry eye symptoms and improve night vision.
Carrots
If there is one superfood that our eye doctors would recommend for a huge boost to your eye health, it would be carrots. A single carrot provides a whopping 200% of the recommended minimum daily amount of vitamin A. Throw in critical minerals such as vitamins B, K, and C, as well as fiber and magnesium, and carrots simply can’t be beat as a must-have in your eye health diet.
Orange
Sweet potatoes, carrots… If we’re talking about orange foods, you can’t forget the delicious tang of oranges! These tasty citrus fruits are heavyweights when it comes to vitamin C, promoting overall body health and reducing inflammation in the eyes that can lead to dry eyes and infection.
Vitamin C also helps promote blood vessel health. This prevents weak blood vessels from leaking into the retina, causing diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachment.
Amla
Not everyone has heard of this native Indian fruit, which is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as carotene. These are all essential for preserving the healthy structure and function of the eye and preventing various eye disorders and diseases. Eating only one of these delicious fruits each day can reduce cataract problems and intraocular tension, as well as combat itchy, red, watery eyes.
Eating right is a great way to minimize your risk of developing potentially sight-threatening eye diseases and conditions. To find out more about what foods can help keep your vision clear and your eyes healthy, speak to our optometrists at Dr. Patricia Fink Optometry in Burlington today.
