Did you know that lack of good nutrients can cause dry eyes, night blindness, cataracts, and various eye diseases more quickly? Read on to know more!

A diet that is too one-sided can lead to deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This deficiency can cause eye problems and even eye diseases. An example is a macular degeneration, an eye disease in which the central part of the retina wears away.

Reducing the Risk of Eye Disease

High levels of saturated fatty acids and too much cholesterol can also cause eye problems because they harm blood vessels. A proper diet can reduce the risk of eye disease. It can even reduce the risk of severe macular degeneration by up to 30%.

Age

The eye’s lens is connected to the accommodating muscle, a sphincter muscle. This muscle is at rest when looking at a distance, but it inflates the lens when you want to see something close up. This allows us to see objects at shorter distances better. As we age, the lens becomes less flexible.

Did you know that women suffer from retinal aging twice as much as men? This is why knowing which things are good and damaging to your eyes is crucial, especially for later life.

Nutrition

Eating lots of carrots doesn’t always immediately improve your vision or make it sharper, as shown in comics.

What Is Essential for the Eyes?

• Antioxidants can strengthen the body’s immune system and resilience and reduce the risk of cataracts.
• Carotenoids (especially: beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein) help the body absorb vitamin A, promote light perception, and reduce the risk of cataracts and night blindness.
• Omega-3s may reduce the risk of dry eyes and promote vision.
• Minerals aid in the absorption of vitamins.
• Vitamin B2 provides oxygen to the eyes. It also prevents eye disease and helps maintain sharp vision. This vitamin plays a vital role in the activity of certain enzymes that protect the eye. These enzymes also protect the eye against the formation of cataracts.

For Your Grocery List

All these nutrients help maintain healthy eye cells and tissues and reduce the risk of eye disease. But what exactly do you need to eat to get enough of them?

Leafy greens: Leafy greens are rich in antioxidants and lutein. Lutein takes care of macular pigment and protects the retina. Think spinach, broccoli, endive, cabbage, etc.

The color of brightly colored fruits and vegetables is due to carotenoids. They are found in carrots, peppers, corn, kiwi, zucchini, red grapes, and squash.

Fish and nuts: Fish and nuts like walnuts are rich in omega-3. Fatty fish, especially salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel, contain the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

Eggs: Eggs are rich in carotenoids and are very good for maintaining good eye health.

Shellfish: Shellfish, such as oysters, contain the highest amount of antioxidant zinc, which protects against ultraviolet radiation and prevents vision loss at night. Zinc is also found in meats, milk, cheese, and grains.

Soups and Smoothies

For a meal that’s good for your eyes, you can have courgette and leek soup with salmon. But a spinach, banana, and mango smoothie will also do the trick. And what should you leave out? Alcohol! It eliminates antioxidants from the body and worsens the immune system.

Display Tips

• Don’t work in front of a screen for more than two hours at a time.
• Use good contrast between text and background (black text on a white background is preferable).
• Screens should be placed perpendicular to the window to prevent light reflection from falling off.
• Sit upright (also for posture:) and keep the distance between the eyes and the screen at 50-70 cm.
• Take regular breaks.
• Do not make the screen brightness too high or so low that you have to squint to see. The screen brightness should be approximately the same as the ambient brightness.

Let us know if these few tips have helped you in the comments below!