Can You Eat Your Way to Better Eye Health?

Everybody has to eat to live, and the benefits of a good diet on the body are profound for your long-term health. The vitamins and nutrients we get from food provide fuel and other essentials to systems throughout our bodies, and eating foods bad for you can lead to a range of diseases and conditions that can complicate your health. 

Diet is a major health factor for your eyes as well, and what you eat can make things better or worse for your vision. Food choices can lead to illnesses that don’t just damage your ability to see, but possibly even lead to blindness. There are a range of eye conditions affected by diet. Let’s look closer and which ones they are and how they’re impacted by your diet.

If you live in the Muncie, Indiana, area and you’re trying to find the best diet for your vision, Dr. Jeffrey Rapkin and his experienced staff at the Retina Consultants of Muncie can help.

What are some common eye problems?

Here are some common diseases that affect your vision:

Cataracts

The lens is the part of the eye that allows you to focus on objects. Cataracts is a condition that clouds the lens, making things harder to see. It’s the leading cause of reversible vision loss and is more common in adults over age 50.

Diabetes-related retinopathy

This is a complication of diabetes, which can damage tissue and nerves throughout your body. With this illness, you develop abnormal blood vessels that bleed into the vitreous of your eye, which causes loss of vision and blindness.

Glaucoma

A group of eye disorders that impair your optic nerves and increase fluid pressure in your eyes. If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to blindness.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Your macula is in the center of your retina and it controls your central vision. The aging process can due damage to your macula and make it harder to see when you’re driving, reading, or working on your computer.

How does diet affect eye conditions?

Unhealthy diets, such as those high in carbohydrates, cholesterol, salt, sugar, and processed foods affect your whole body by causing conditions like hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. The health of your eyes is also greatly impacted by your whole-body health, specifically the state of your heart and blood vessels. A diet that compromises your heart or vessel health can also impair your vision. 

For optimum overall wellness, including your eye health, make an effort to reduce or eliminate refined breads and pastas, processed meats, fried foods, seed oils, margarine, canned foods, alcohol, and sugary drinks.

What can you eat to improve your eye health?

Here are some foods to help reduce your chances of eye problems like diabetic retinopathy and other illnesses:

• Salmon: contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat that protects retina health and prevents dry eye

• Eggs yolks: contains vitamin A, zeaxanthin, and zinc, essential nutrients that nourish the cornea and the retina

• Almonds: rich in vitamin E and antioxidants, almonds are particularly useful in helping prevent macular degeneration and cataracts

• Carrots: contains beta carotene and vitamin A, which helps prevent infections and protect the cornea

• Dairy: milk and yogurt contain vitamin A and zinc, which helps minimize the occurrence of cataracts and improve night vision

• Kale: this superfood contains lutein and zeaxanthin, both antioxidants that help with preventing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration
• Oranges: citrus fruits contain vitamin C,  an antioxidant that helps fight age-related macular degeneration

Your vision and diet are a lot more connected than you think, so eat better foods to preserve your vision. If you need help finding ways to get healthier eyes, make an appointment with Dr. Rapkin and his team at the Retina Consultants of Muncie today