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Improve Your Vision

Although I do not normally write about health issues, I have  a keen interest in my readers being able to see what I write.

Ocular nutrition and eye health is an important part of helping maintain our vision and eye health as we age. One can safely say that every part of the human eye needs ocular nutrition support and nutrition to improve eye health.

Healthy vision and the human eye is related to the health of the individual parts of the eye — the cornea, iris, macula, lens, optic nerve, pupil, retina and the vitreous humor. And ocular nutrition is one of the ways good vision can be supported.

As we age, many things can go wrong with our vision. Ultraviolet light from the sun can damage the lens and the cornea. Wind, dust, chlorine fumes, automobile fumes, freezing temperatures and physical injury are examples of threats to good vision.

Vibration from driving and hitting potholes has a cumulative negative impact on eye health as well as long hours spent in front of a computer screen. And certainly we need foods that help to promote healthy eyes.

Here is ocular nutrition information for nourishing the eyes:

Based on information provided by the U.S. National Eye Institute, results of nutrition and eye health food studies have shown that consuming certain foods provides ocular nutrition. In other words, using food to improve eyesight and nutrition to improve eye health has been proven by studies. Here is a list of food to improve eyesight:

  • Ocular nutrition with collard greens, kale and spinach.

  • Studies show that eating foods rich in

carotenoids

is associated with reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Foods rich in carotenoids are leafy green vegetables such as spinach, collard greens and kale. Macular eye nutrition becomes increasingly important as we age.

  • Ocular nutrition with green vegetables and corn.

  • Another study on ocular nutrition has shown a reduced likehood of developing cataracts for persons with diets higher in

lutein

and

zeaxanthin.

Foods high in these two carotenoids are broccoli, collard greens, corn, green peas, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip greens and zucchini. Lutein is also found in egg yolks.
Persons with diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin were also less likely to need cataract surgery. In another study, persons ages 40-59 with macular eye nutrition diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin may experience reduced risk of developing adult macular degeneration.

  • Ocular nutrition with blueberries, apricots and bilberries.

  • Besides the studies reported by the National Eye Institute above, other studies exist on ocular nutrition and foods that improve eye sight.
Eating blueberries has been associated with the reduction of eye fatigue. Blueberries are related to cranberries, and both also help the body resist urinary tract infections.
Apricots are rich in nutrients such as

beta carotene

and

lycopene

that help promote good vision. Beta carotene is converted as needed by the body to vitamin A, an important antioxidant that resists oxidative stress damage to cells and tissues, including the eye lenses. Continued oxidative stress may result in the development of cataracts or damage the blood supply to the eyes and lead to macular degeneration.
Bilberries grow on small bushes and were used by British pilots to improve their night vision and eye health night vision. Fresh bilberries and bilberry jams would be sources of this ocular nutrition food. Bilberry seems to improve eye health by increasing the blood supply to the eyes (smoking, for example, decreases the blood supply to the eyes). The substance in bilberry that nourishes eye tissue is called

anthocyanosides.

  • Ocular nutrition with cold water fish and Omega 3 fish oil.

  • Cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, cod, haddock as well as sardines are rich in the healthy

Omega 3

oils. For example, Eskimos have almost no incidence of open-angle glaucoma with their diet rich in Omega 3 cold-water fish which maybe is the best foods for optic nerve. Omega 3 is also associated with numerous other health benefits relating to improving heart health, arthritis symptoms relief and lowering chosterol. It is certainly one of the best foods for clear eyesight and eye health.

Here’s additional important ocular nutrition and vision information:

Besides the nutrients and ocular nutrition foods described above, the following nutrients are associated with vision and eye health.

  • Alpha Lipoic Acid – ALA improves the performance of other antioxidants in the body
  • L-Taurine – helps protect the eyes from UV light and helps strengthen the retinal cells
  • Lycopene – a strong antioxidant found in tomatoes
  • N-Acetyl Cysteine – helps protect the eyes from damage by UV light and strengthens the immune system
  • Quercetin – a strong antioxidant that helps maintain lens transparency; exists in small amounts in red wine
  • Vitamin C – helps the body resist damage by oxidation (damage from long-term exposure to oxygen and light)
  • Zinc – helps support macula and retina health; levels of zinc and eye health are definitely related

How can you obtain these ocular nutrition nutrients every day?

Great question! You have several options:1 – Try to include the ocular nutrition foods in the daily meal planning. Consuming more whole foods and healing and eye health should be a goal of everyone. While using nutrition to improve eye health is a good idea, very large quantities of the eye-healthy foods are needed to provide meaningful nutrient levels.2 – Take the various nutrients individually in supplement form.

3 – Take a vision and eye health specific nutritional supplement. There are ocular health vitamins and ocular health nonprescription supplements that help maintain or even improve eyesight. This can be a practical and cost-effective solution.

4 – Take a daily multiple vitamin/mineral supplement that includes the vitamins for ocular health providing the eye-healthy nutrients in meaningful quantities. This option can be the best way, assuming one can locate such a product. Most daily supplements either do not include all of the eye-healthy nutrients, or the quantities are so low as to be of little benefit.

We should never take eye health and good vision for granted. The fact that you were searching for the term “ocular nutrition” means you are already aware that nutrition and supplementation can help maintain or even improve your eye health.

Failing vision does not have to be a part of getting older – give your eyes the critical ocular nutrition and nutrients in meaningful quanties every day. This likely means including ocular health vitamins in your daily supplementation. Your future eye health may depend on it!

Gene
*Courtesy Diet Digest