Are Carrots Really Good for Your Eyes? Learn about food that can help your eyes!

While eating a well balanced diet rich in antioxidants and minerals can improve a person’s overall health, ophthalmologist Dr. Niki Silverstein lists the best foods that specifically benefit eyes. “Eating certain foods may not only lower a person’s risk for optical diseases like cataracts and macular generation and keep eyesight from getting worse, they may also reverse the need for prescription lenses,” says Dr. Niki. “The following foods are versatile and taste much better than vitamin supplements. Dr. Niki of Chester, NJ recommends stocking up on any or all when at the supermarket next. 
• Oranges are rich in vitamin C and have many benefits for eye health. They support healthy ocular blood vessels and may reduce the risk of nuclear cataracts, a disorder characterized by a clouding in the center of the lens that causes people to see multiple images. Dr. Niki Silverstein suggests getting around 500 milligrams of vitamin C daily. Oranges may also slow the rate of visual acuity loss and macular degeneration as people age. “Though a whole fruit generally has less sugar than juice, about five cups of orange juice will deliver the daily recommend amount,” she shares. Other foods high in vitamin C include bell peppers and Brussels sprouts.

• Often written off as nothing more than an aphrodisiac, oysters are high in zinc, a mineral essential to healthy vision. “Zinc promotes melanin production, a pigment that protects the eye,” explains Niki Silverstein. “People with high amounts of melanin may also have improved night vision.” One must consume six oysters a day in order to obtain the recommended amount of zinc. However, because this can pose difficult for some, other foods rich in zinc include red meat, turkey, beans, and nuts.

• Lutein and zeaxanthin form an antioxidant tag team, and can be found in high amounts in kale. According to Dr. Niki, the two protect eyes from harmful free radicals and absorb high amounts of blue and ultraviolet light intensity. Not only can consuming leafy greens like kale decrease a person’s risk for age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, it can also protect the retina. It increases pigment density in the macula, the part of the retina that controls detailed viewing and aids with reading. Other options include spinach, zucchini, and collard greens.

• Peanuts are a great and tasty source of vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which are essential for eye health. People with a vitamin E deficiency have an increased risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids have a decreased risk of diabetic retinopathy, which causes damage to the blood vessels in the retina and can eventually lead to blindness. Other tasty options include wheat germ, almonds, and sunflower seeds.

• Aside from containing all essential amino acids and being an excellent source of protein for vegetarians and meat eaters alike, quinoa lowers the body’s glycemic index. Substituting this for refined carbohydrates like bread products made out of white flour has been found to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

• Broccoli and broccoli sprouts contain the compound sulphoraphane, which protects the retina by naturally boosting the body’s defense against damaging free radicals.

• Cysteine and sulphur are two components of glutathione, a protein that serves as an antioxidant for the lens of the eye. Eggs are rich in this protein, and when eaten regularly, they may prevent against cataract formation. “Additionally,” explains Dr. Niki Silverstein, “egg yolks also contain macular degeneration-fighting lutein.”

• Diets rich in garlic and onions explain why Italians have such good eyesight. Like eggs, they are also rich in the sulphur containing protein glutathione. Aside from macular degeneration and cataracts, it may also prevent glaucoma.

• Tomatoes contain the phytochemicals lycopene and lutein, both of which are eye-healthy carotenoids. Lycopene is well known as a powerful cancer-fighting antioxidant, but it is also helpful in protecting eyes from sun damage.

• “When your mother said to eat your carrots, because they are good for your eyes, she was not telling you a myth,” says Niki Silverstein. “Carrots are rich in vitamin A forming betacarotene, which is an essential nutrient for vision.” Carrots are also high in ultraviolet-protecting lycopene and the protective phytonutrient lutein. Another great alternative is a full serving of sweet potatoes.

• Consuming blueberries helps relieve tired eyes, “so they are great to eat after a long day of staring at a computer screen,” suggests Dr. Niki Silverstein. In addition to the carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein, blueberries are also very high in the eye-nourishing phytonutrient anthocyanin, which improves night vision. They also contain macular generation-fighting flavanoids like rutin, reservatol, and quercitin, as well as eye-healthy minerals zinc and selenium.

• Like carrots and tomatoes, apricots are rich in both lycopene and betacarotene. The vitamin A the body converts from betacarotene repels damage to the lens of the eye from oxidative stress, which reduces the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

• Lastly, fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, cod, haddock, and sardines are high in Omega-3 oils. “The only thing to keep in mind is how much mercury you are consuming,” Dr. Niki warns. “Tuna contains higher amounts than other fish and should be eaten sparingly.” The Omega-3 oils DHA and EPA also promote good cellular health.