Eye conditions associated with eye health include age-related macular degeneration, dryness of the eyes and glaucoma. Age-related macula degeneration affects the middle part of your vision and can make your vision worse. Dry eyes can cause irritation and burry vision, and glaucoma is where the optic nerve becomes damaged, leading to the loss of vision. Registered nutritionist Rob Hobson told Express.co.uk diet can play a big part in maintaining eye health, and listed six foods you should be eating on a regular basis.
He said: “The first thing is to make healthier lifestyle choices. In the case of conditions like age-related macular degeneration we know that lifestyle factors can play a role.
“Smoking is a risk factor, as is high blood pressure and high cholesterol, so make sure you change the way you live, make healthy choices, and also eat a healthy diet.”
Green vegetables
Green vegetables are high in antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin, according to Rob, and these are found in high concentration within the macular within the eye.
He said: “Eating plenty of these foods is really beneficial especially as they’ve been shown to help protect the eye from blue light which is harmful.”
Eggs
Eggs are good for eye health because they contain a wide variety of nutrients, many of which are good for the eyes.
Rob said: “This includes zinc, vitamin A and again the antioxidant compounds lutein and zeaxanthin.”
Oily fish
Another food that’s great for eye health is oily fish, such as salmon, trout and mackerel.
Rob explained: “They contain a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. One of those, DHA, is found in high concentrations within the retina of your eye.
“So make sure you eat one or two servings of oily fish a week to get the most of that omega-3 content.”
Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits are high in vitamin c which helps maintain healthy blood vessels.
Rob advised: “Having plenty of vitamin C in your diet has been shown to help with AMD (age-related macular degeneration) and also with cataracts.
“It’s really easy to get plenty of vitamin C into your diet. Include foods like citrus fruits, but also berries, cauliflower, red peppers are other good rich sources.”
Orange foods
These include carrots, sweet potatoes and butternut squash.
Rob said: “These foods are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is a really important vitamin for the health of your eyes, and worldwide, vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of blindness.
“Vitamin A is also really important for the light sensing cells in your eyes known as photoreceptors.
“To get more vitamin A into your diet you can eat plenty of orange foods, but you can also find it in green vegetables and you also get it in meats and liver.”
Nuts and seeds
These contain a high amount of vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant and that is particular important for the eyes.
The eyes contain fatty acids, and ob said we don’t want these to oxidise as it can cause damage.
He said: “You can really easily include lots of nuts and seeds in your diet by using them as a topping, blending them into smoothies or just chucking them into salads.”
The eyes can indicate a number of different health conditions, including vitamin B12 deficiency.
