Eye Nutrition

Good Nutrition Keeps Your Eyes Healthy

Just like the rest of your body, your eyes need fuel. You’ve probably heard that carrots help you see better in the dark. But do you know what specific nutrients your eyes need to stay healthy and work their best for you?

Proactive Eye Care Starts With a Healthy Diet

Did you know a balanced diet can help prevent eye diseases? By eating well, you can keep your eyes healthy and preserve your vision. Here are a few common diseases, and the nutrients that could help keep them at bay.

Cataracts

As you grow older, the natural lens of the eye restructures; becoming more opaque, and making it difficult for light to effectively pass through. This is called a cataract and it’s very common. In fact, most people over 40 have some degree of cataract development.

You can help prevent or delay cataracts by consuming plenty of bioflavonoids (which can be found in blueberries, citrus fruit, and soy products), lutein and zeaxanthin (found in kale, spinach, and squash), and vitamin C (which is plentiful in oranges, strawberries, and broccoli).

Dry Eye

When your eyes don’t produce enough tears or produce tears of poor quality, the eye becomes dry and irritated. You can combat dry eye by eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, herring, and walnuts!

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in Canada. Luckily, there are lots of nutrients proven to help delay or prevent AMD. We’ve already talked about omega-3 fatty acids, bioflavonoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, and zeaxanthin. But nutrients like vitamin D (found in salmon, sardines, and milk), beta-carotene (found in carrots, sweet potatoes, and kale), and zinc (found in oysters, beef, and dark turkey meat) may also go a long way to preventing AMD.

A Healthy Lifestyle Supports Good Eye Health

In addition to eating a balanced and healthy lifestyle, there are a number of positive lifestyle choices you can make you can make to benefit your vision. Obesity is linked to a number of eye diseases, so exercising regularly can be a big help. Smoking also increases your risk of conditions like age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, so quitting smoking could have a huge impact on the long term health of your eyes.

Shaughnessy Optometry Offer Eye Health Advice and Education

We won’t just care for your eyes; we’ll teach you how to care for your eyes too! Book an appointment and ask our optometrists what vitamins or supplements they recommend to optimise your eye health!