Nutrition and Healthy Eyes

Nutrition and Healthy Eyes Related Information:

Vitamins and minerals abundant in a healthy diet may reduce the risk of eye disorders like age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. AMD occurs when, for unknown reasons, the macula in the retina deteriorates, particularly in people over 60, causing central vision loss and partial blindness.

Vitamins C and E may help you prevent cataracts; vitamin A, which your body can manufacture from beta carotene, is needed for night vision. Also important to a healthy eye are the carotenoids, a family of nutrients similar to vitamins. Carotenoids are detected in high concentration in eye tissue and function as antioxidants, neutralizing the damage to cells caused by free radicals created by unavoidable factors like sunlight. Carotenoids may act as filters, protecting the eye from blue light, a band of radiation found in ordinary sunlight. Smokers have a high risk of AMD, possibly because smoking has a negative impact on carotenoids in the body, as well as on vitamin C.

Carotenoids are found in leafy greens, corn, kiwi and many other green, red or yellow fruits and vegetables. Beta carotene is an important carotenoid and is found in carrots, cantaloupe, dried apricots and sweet potatoes. Other carotenoids include alpha carotene, the lycopenes, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Recent studies suggest that two specific carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, may be of particular value in preventing AMD. Fruits and vegetables containing these carontenoids include the following, in descending order:

Lutein: corn, kiwi, pumpkin, zucchini squash, spinach, yellow squash, red grapes, green peas, cucumber, butternut squash, green bell pepper, and celery.

Zeaxanthin: orange bell pepper, corn, orange juice, honeydew melon, mango and orange.

Lutein serves as internal sunglasses by reducing sunlight-induced oxidation in your eyes. Lutein (and its companion carotenoid, zeaxanthin), is concentrated within the macular region of the retina and preserves eye health by filtering out the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the elderly, results from long-term deterioration of the macula lutea (the yellow spot in the macular, the center of the retina), which is damaged by oxidation, caused by years of exposure to sunlight. Studies show that lutein-rich foods may play a significant role in reducing the risk of macular degeneration.

Lutein is also helpful in reducing the formation of cataracts, which is believed to result from oxidation of the eye's lens. When cataracts form, a cloudy area over the lens causes vision to become blurred and distorted; studies show that people who eat spinach, broccoli, and kale (all of which are rich in lutein) have a reduced risk of cataracts.

Most Americans do not consume adequate amounts of lutein-rich foods, and diseases such as atherosclerosis, certain types of cancer, as well as serious eye conditions, take years to develop, health professionals advocate getting an early start by eating lutein-rich foods. Foods you should consume to get more lutein are kale, spinach, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, corn, broccoli, zucchini, squash, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, oranges, celery, and egg yolks.

Spinach and lettuce were the only dark greens in this study, but collards, Swiss chard, beet greens and other dark greens may also help prevent AMD. Broccoli, apples, peaches, and others also offer some lutein and/or zeaxanthin. Although the food richest in lutein and zeaxanthin is egg yolk, they contain a whole day’s allowance of cholesterol. Fruits and vegetables contain no cholesterol and also provide you with fiber.

Research indicates that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is the way to maintain a healthy body, as well as healthy eyes. For example, tomatoes and tomato products, which have only a little lutein/zeaxanthin, are high in lycopene, a cartenoid that may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Pick the most colorful vegetables and fruits you can find - red, dark green, orange or yellow. Evidence is strong that these foods play a key role in keeping your eyes healthy.