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5 Foods That Improve Your Eyesight and Vision?

Maintaining a well-balanced, healthy diet is one of the key factors to lead a happy successful life. But keeping your eyes healthy and taking necessary precautions to reduce the risk of developing eye conditions have become even more relevant in today’s world of digitalization.

People suffering from eye conditions can effectively reduce the effects of the damage through intake of foods that contain a range of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals, known as antioxidants.

Which is why it important to know which foods improve vision and eyesight.

Eyesight can be described as one of the most important senses: 80% of what we visualize or see is the result of our sense of sight. Most animals receive information about their surrounding through the sense of smell, much like that of a dog.

Whereas the human eye is much more capable as it has more components that collect and deliver the information using appropriate levels of light, to the brain, which will then determine what the captured visual actually is.

How Can A Healthy Diet Prevent Eye Conditions?

Several eye conditions are preventable if the required amounts of effort are invested such as maintaining a healthy diet. Eye diseases like cataracts (cloudy vision), macular degeneration, glaucoma, etc. can be easily avoided if a healthy diet plan is followed. Foods to eat for the visually impaired can help reduce the negative effects of the damage caused.

Food is the fuel that runs our bodies and the primary way of doing that by providing sufficient energy that a human body requires. The very same reason why humans or living beings feel the need to eat, which is to regain the energy that has been utilized Every component of the human body, such as muscles, organs, and bones, requires energy (nutrients) contained in foods for good vision.

Nutrients such as zinc, vitamin C, copper, omega-3, and others may reduce the risk of age-related decline in eye health by 25 percent.

Source: The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) – 2013

Consuming foods that improve your vision will provide the above-listed eye-enhancing nutrients helping individuals to maintain proper vision however consumption of highly processed and high-fat foods may have adverse effects on your eyesight.

The Affects Eye Conditions Can Have On Your Eyesight?

Age: Older Adults are more vulnerable to the risk of vision-impairing conditions e.g. cataracts, macular degeneration, etc.
Injury: Severe injuries to the eye may result in a detached retina, causing a blockage that prevents light from passing through your eye and cause vision loss.
Diseases & Infections: Eye diseases like glaucoma can damage the optic nerve responsible for turning electrical signals into images.

Checklist of Top 5 Foods That Improve Your Vision:

Fish contains healthy fats that are also known as omega-3 fatty acids making it of the best foods for low vision and good eye health. Most fish (containing oil in their gut and body tissue) are the prime sources of omega-3 acids. Cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, and other forms of fish contribute to visual development and the overall health of the retina in the back of the eye, also helping in preventing dry eyes, macular degeneration, etc.

Salmon, and most fish, are an ideal choice that makes up for a delicious meal when grilled or broiled, especially during the winter season.

If seafood is not a food preference for you, the same intake of omega-3 can be benefitted by using fish oil supplements or taking vegetarian supplements that contain black currant seed oil or flaxseed oil.
Eggs – With omega-3s, lutein, and vitamin E, protein-rich eggs are the ultimate form of eye health boosters. The vitamins and nutrients contained in eggs include lutein and vitamin. The egg yolks are enriched with: vitamin A (safeguards the surface of the eye referred to as cornea), lutein, zeaxanthin (lower the risk of getting serious eye conditions like age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, etc), and zinc (helps eyes see at night), all contributing to the overall health of the eyes.

Free-range and organic eggs have double the omega-3s in comparison to other eggs and substantially more vitamin E and lutein as well. Eggs are undoubtedly a delicious choice for a breakfast meal, popularly used in salads and sandwiches as well.
Leafy Greens are categorized as the best foods for low vision, evident from its significance as the first stage of the food-chain cycle. Leafy greens like spinach, kale are packed full of lutein and zeaxanthin. Kale is regarded as a super-food because it contains large amounts of important vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. These nutrients are beneficial to prevent eye conditions with healthy food such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Lutein and zeaxanthin aren’t present in the body, so it is a must for you to incorporate them into your diet.

Other vegetables high in lutein are red peppers and spinach. Broccoli, peas, and avocados are also good sources of this powerful antioxidant duo which offers vitamin C as well as lutein and zeaxanthin.
Citrus Fruits like oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and berries are high in vitamin C, beneficial in reducing the risks of eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration. Vitamins play an important part in maintaining the good health of blood vessels in your eyes.

Oranges can be enjoyed in various ways such as orange juice, or use them in a fruit salad.
Dry Fruits like pistachios, walnuts, almonds contain omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E that prevent eye condition and improve overall eye health. The antioxidants present in pistachios helps protect individuals from macular degeneration while also reversing any damages caused by extreme sunlight. Pistachios as well as almonds enriched with vitamin E, preventing type-2 diabetes, qualifying as the best food for low vision.

Ways to Improve & Tackle Low Vision

Apart from the intake of foods that improve your vision, here are a few key tips to tackle the effects of low vision:

Regular eye examination
Wear UV protected sunglasses (to protect the eyes from damaging rays of the sunlight)
Exercising regularly: (idea for diabetic and high blood pressure patients)
Avoid smoking
Use Low Vision aids

Full-Field Microscope Glasses an ideal device for reading due to its portable feature.
Stand Magnifiers – a less portable but has more stability in comparison to microscope glasses.
Handheld Magnifier – a low vision aids used for short-term reading e.g. price tags and menus.
Electronic Magnifying Systems features a camera system that magnifies and displays an image on a monitor
IrisVision – a wearable headset that provides a 70 degree field of view, magnification properties, internet connectivity, enhancing the overall visual experience for the vision impaired all the while helping low vision individuals to regain their independence through its portability feature.

5 Foods That Improve Your Eyesight and Vision?