Foods that are good for eye health

You’ll have probably been told from a young age that carrots help you see better. It’s something that has stood the test of time, and it’s right there with ‘getting square eyes if you sit too close to the TV’ or ‘if you make that face too often then it’ll stay like that’.

Our eyes were never going to change shape, and our faces never froze into our favourite screwed-up faces. The carrots, though – they really do improve our eyesight! When it comes to good food for eyesight improvement, there are loads of foods other than the humble carrot. Without further ado, here they are – the best foods for eyesight.

Spinach, kale and other leafy greens

Spinach is full of vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta carotene, all of which help to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. Acting as a natural sunscreen for your eyes, these antioxidants (particularly beta carotene) are well-regarded as boosters of eye health.

Blueberries

According to Tufts University (Massachusetts), blueberries have vital ingredients that may help reduce your risk of glaucoma and cataracts (as well as a whole host of other illnesses like heart disease). They are also able to improve learning and memory capacity – a true superfood.

Nuts and legumes

Nuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids and are rich in vitamin E – both of which protect the eyes from damage and various types of eye disease. The following nuts/legumes are vital for maintaining eye health:

• Walnuts
• Cashews
• Brazil nuts
• Lentils
• Peanuts

Beef

Zinc has been linked by numerous health authorities to optimum eye health – if you’re a beef-lover then you’re in luck because it’s full of zinc.

Oranges

Oranges are particularly good for eye health because they’re packed full of vitamin C, which is proven to increase the health of your blood vessels. They’re so beneficial that they’re prescribed for those who have been diagnosed with cataracts!

Sweet potatoes

Like carrots, sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene and will provide your eyes with an invisible film of protection (they also help safeguard against eye diseases, too).

Eggs

The yolk of an egg contains ample doses of vitamin A, lutein, zeanthanin, and zinc, which as in leafy greens, will protect your eyes. Your corneas will thank you for the vitamin A, while lutein and zeaxanthin dramatically lower your chances of contracting eye diseases (as well as cataracts and other degenerative issues).

Top tips for eye health

Now that you have your meal preparation optimised for eye health, here are some general tips to take good care of your eyes. Take a look!

• Know your family’s health history

If eye degenerative conditions (namely cataracts) run in your family then you’ll want to take as best care of your eyes while you can – preventative care often makes a world of difference.

• Quit smoking if you haven’t already

It’s well known that smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your body, but many don’t actually know how bad it can be for your eyes. Smoking restricts the blood vessel flow – and of course, that includes the vessels in your eye. This is without mentioning the damage that smoke and ash can do when it gets into your eyes.

• Give your eyes a rest

If you spend large parts of your day in front of a computer screen (like many of us do) then that is putting your eyes under continued strain. For many of us, this behaviour leads to serious eye fatigue which can affect your sleep, moods, and even mental health.

• Practise eye safety

While we’re on the topic of workplaces, if yours requires you to wear protective eyewear then make sure you absolutely do! Failure to do so could either lead to a disastrous accident or damage that rears its painful head years down the line.

Take care of your eyes and they’ll take care of you

Looking after your eyes is so important – it’s not all about how good they look in a certain pair of glasses (that is important too, of course!). Keep up to date with our eye health sponsor Sight2Save – they’re doing some fantastic work across the world.

Now that you can take care of your eyes, it’s time to choose the best looking pair of glasses for them – we have both prescription glasses for men as well as glasses for women so be sure to take a look. You can even try before you buy…