Food for thought: 5 foods that are great for your eyes!

When we think about what foods help with eye development, I’m sure most of us think carrots. But actually, there are many other foods that we can add to our diet that contain a variety of vitamins and nutrients that can help reduce the risk of developing eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, etc. Our eyes need many different types of antioxidants to help keep them healthy and by adding these vitamins and nutrients into our daily diet you can help  prevent developing eye conditions.  I’ve rounded up a few food items that are good for eye development:

1. Fish

Fish is a great food for eye development as it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. More specific, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid is found in fish and is a major component of the retina. These healthy fats, can help protect against dry eye, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and even cataracts.

2. Leafy Greens

Leafy Greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens are full of lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants are two of the best for your eyes (as they are found in the visual system) and help protect against eye damage from things like sunlight, cigarette smoke, and pollution. Additionally, leafy greens can also help decrease the development of macular degeneration and cataracts.

3.  Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, berries and grapefruits are very high in Vitamin C. This vitamin helps our nerve cell to function properly and maintains better eyesight. Vitamin C can even help to improve your night vision!

4. Nuts

Nuts like pistachios, almonds, and walnuts are very rich in omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E. Vitamin E is actually found to protect your eye cells from free radicals that target (and can potentially break down) the eye’s healthy tissue. Additionally, research shows that nuts can slow macular degeneration as well as cataracts.

5. Orange colored Fruits and Veggies

Not only do carrots help with eye health, but sweet potatoes and other orange fruits/veggies do too! Orange veggies give us a great source of beta-carotene, a type of Vitamin A. This helps promote eye-health and protect vision. In the retina, beta-carotene actually converts to a protein essential for light perception.