5 Food To Help You Keep Eyes Healthy

Many people suffer from poor eyesight, distorted vision, or have difficulty seeing objects close up (farsightedness or hyperopia) or at a distance (nearsightedness or myopia). Taking proper care of your eyes, including providing the nutrients they need, plays a vital role in keeping them healthy.

The overall health of your eyes depends on certain nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, bioflavonoids, carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals and antioxidants.Eating certain foods can keep your eyes functioning at their best for a longer period of time, as well as help prevent various eye problems.

* Spinach

To improve your eyesight, you must regularly eat spinach along with other green vegetables, such as kale, Swiss chard, turnips, mustard leaves and collard greens.Spinach contains a lot of nutrients including vitamin A, lutein and zeaxanthin that are good for the eyes. Vitamin A helps protect the cornea, lutein protects the eyes from ultraviolet light and zeaxanthin contributes to visual development.For maximum benefits, drink a glass of fresh spinach juice on an empty stomach in the morning. You can also enjoy spinach as a side dish, in salads or sautéed.

* Salmon

Eating salmon regularly can help protect the retina from damage and prevent blindness. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which helps prevent dry eyes. The omega-3 fatty acids also help ward off age-related macular degeneration.Experts recommend having two servings of salmon a week. Salmon can be consumed in soup, salad or as the main dish. Other cold-water fish that help maintain eye health are sardines, herring, mackerel and tuna.

* Carrots

Carrots contain a lot of beta-carotene, which is a precursor for vitamin A. Vitamin A prevents night blindness, helps maintain a healthy and clear cornea, and protects the cells in your eyes and throughout your body.Carrots also contain lutein, which helps increase pigment density in the macula, the oval-shaped yellow spot near the center of the retina. This in turn protects the retina and lowers the risk of macular degeneration. Carrots are also rich in fiber and potassium.You can eat carrots as a snack or you can make soups, salads or side dishes.

* Blueberries

Blueberries support healthy eye functioning through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, collagen-stabilizing, vasoprotective and rhodopsin-regenerating properties.Eating blueberries regularly improves vision and strengthens blood vessels in the back of the eyes. Blueberries also contain anthocyanins, which help lower both high blood pressure and inflammation and also prevent blockages in the arteries that feed oxygen to the retina.

* Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes contain a good amount of vitamin A, an essential nutrient for the eyes. Vitamin A improves eyesight and also prevents cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Vitamin A is also required to solve the problem of dry eyes and protect the eyes from both bacterial and viral infections. Sweet potatoes are also rich in beta-carotene, potassium and fiber.Sweet potatoes come in about 400 different varieties throughout the year and can be cooked in wide variety of ways such as baked, grilled, fried or boiled.