How to Keep Your Eyes Healthy
Article by: Consultant Dietitian from Beacon Premier Wellness
Common Eye Disorders and Diseases
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Eye disorders and diseases are becoming more common, especially due to aging. Some of the eye diseases include cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration, while common eye disorders are strabismus and amblyopia.
Refractive Errors
Refractive errors include eye disorders such as myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), presbyopia (loss of ability to focus up close) in people aged 40 to 50, and astigmatism (vision distorted at all distances). Fortunately, these disorders can be corrected with contact lenses, eyeglasses, or, in some cases, surgery [1]. Specifically, refractive errors might occur because the eyeball grows too short or too long, the cornea’s shape has problems, or the eye lens ages and loses its ability to focus on objects [2].
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
AMD is an eye disorder associated with aging that causes damage to sharp and central vision. Central vision is crucial for seeing objects clearly and performing tasks like reading and driving.
Cataract
Cataracts occur in the eye’s lens and are a major cause of blindness worldwide. They can present at any age, and treatment involves the removal of the cataracts.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes, causing damage to the blood vessels of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue essential for good vision. Typically, it affects both eyes. Therefore, maintaining good control of blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipid levels is crucial to reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy. Additionally, early diagnosis and treatment can significantly lower the risk of vision loss.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye’s optic nerve, leading to vision loss and blindness [1]. Specifically, it occurs when the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes gradually increases, thereby causing damage to the optic nerve [2].
Amblyopia
Amblyopia, also referred to as “lazy eye,” occurs when vision in one of the eyes is reduced because the brain and eye are not working together properly, favoring the use of one eye only.
Eye Protection Nutrition
Due to increasing eye disorders and diseases, many people are concerned about including eye-protection nutrients in their diet or through supplementation. For good eye health, focus on the following vitamins and nutrients:
Lutein & Zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoid pigments that give food an orange or yellow color. Specifically, lutein helps reduce the progression of age-related macular eye disease, chronic eye diseases, and cataracts [3,4]. Furthermore, these nutrients protect the macula from blue light damage and improve visual function by eliminating harmful reactive oxygen species [5]. For example, primary food sources include dark leafy vegetables, colorful vegetables, and fruits such as broccoli, peas, corn, persimmons, and tangerines [4]. Additionally, goji berries, rich in antioxidant zeaxanthin, are commonly used to protect eyesight [6].
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a group of fat-soluble retinoids, including retinol and retinyl esters [9,10]. Importantly, it supports the functioning and normal differentiation of the conjunctival membranes and cornea [10,11]. Notably, there are two sources of vitamin A: preformed vitamin A (retinol and retinyl esters) from animal food sources like dairy products, fish, eggs, and organ meats, and provitamin A carotenoids from plant pigments that the body converts into vitamin A, including beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin [9]. Specifically, food sources include leafy green vegetables, orange and yellow vegetables, fruits, tomatoes, and some vegetable oils [9,12,13]. Additionally, cooking and heating can increase the bioavailability of beta-carotene for absorption [14].
Vitamin C
Vitamin C reduces the risk of cataracts and, in addition to other essential nutrients, helps slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration and low vision. Therefore, include vitamin C-rich foods such as grapefruits, oranges, papaya, strawberries, tomatoes, and green peppers in your daily diet [4].
Vitamin E
Vitamin E has antioxidant properties that protect eye cells from free radicals, which can break down healthy tissue. Foods rich in vitamin E include nuts, wheat germ, vegetable oils (safflower and corn oil), and sweet potatoes [4].
Zinc
Zinc plays an important role in transporting vitamin A from the liver to the retina to produce melanin, a protective pigment in the eyes. Additionally, zinc deficiency is linked to impaired vision, including cloudy cataracts and poor night vision. Consequently, natural food sources of zinc include red meat, nuts, seeds, oysters, and other shellfish [4].
Essential Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for retinal function and visual development. Moreover, studies in pre-term and full-term infants show that sufficient omega-3 fatty acids are necessary to optimize visual development. Consequently, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, tuna, and other cold-water fish. Additionally, omega-3s have anti-inflammatory properties, promote tear production, and support the eye’s oily outer layer [4].
Anthocyanins
Anthocyanins are antioxidants found in red, purple, and blue fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and other berries [7]. People use anthocyanins to treat myopia and glaucoma due to their relaxing effect on the ciliary muscle (muscle in the eyes) and their ability to improve retinal blood circulation in patients with normal tension glaucoma [8].
References:
- Common eye disorders and diseases [Internet]. Cdc.gov. 2020 [cited 2022 Apr 15]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basics/ced/index.html
- Refractive errors [Internet]. Nih.gov. [cited 2022 Apr 15]. Available from: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/refractive-errors
- Eggersdorfer M, Wyss A. Carotenoids in human nutrition and health. Arch Biochem Biophys [Internet]. 2018;652:18–26. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2018.06.001
- Diet and nutrition [Internet]. Aoa.org. [cited 2022 Apr 18]. Available from: https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-your-eyes/diet-and-nutrition?sso=y
- Abdel-Aal E-SM, Akhtar H, Zaheer K, Ali R. Dietary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids and their role in eye health. Nutrients [Internet]. 2013;5(4):1169–85. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu5041169
- Shah T, Bule M, Niaz K. Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum)—A Superfood. InNonvitamin and Nonmineral Nutritional Supplements 2019 Jan 1 (pp. 257-264). Academic Press.
- Khoo HE, Azlan A, Tang ST, Lim SM. Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits. Food Nutr Res [Internet]. 2017;61(1):1361779. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16546628.2017.1361779
- Nomi Y, Iwasaki-Kurashige K, Matsumoto H. Therapeutic effects of anthocyanins for vision and eye health. Molecules [Internet]. 2019;24(18):3311. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules24183311
- Blaner WS, Vitamin A And Provitamin A. Present Knowledge in Nutrition. Vol. 2020. Birt DF, Stallings VA, Yates AA; Cambridge, Massachusetts: Wiley-Blackwell;
- Ross A, Vitamin A;., Ross AC, Caballero B, Cousins RJ, Tucker KL, et al. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. Vol. 2014. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;
- Carazo A, Macáková K, Matoušová K, Krčmová LK, Protti M, Mladěnka P. Vitamin A update: Forms, sources, kinetics, detection, function, deficiency, therapeutic use and toxicity. Nutrients [Internet]. 2021;13(5):1703. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu13051703
- Trumbo P, Yates AA, Schlicker S, Poos M. Dietary reference intakes: vitamin A, vitamin K, arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, vanadium, and zinc. J Am Diet Assoc [Internet]. 2001;101(3):294–301. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0002-8223(01)00078-5
- Solomons NW. Vitamin A. In: Bowman B, Russell R, eds. Present Knowledge in Nutrition. 9th ed. Washington, DC: International Life Sciences Institute; 2006:157-83.
- Tanumihardjo SA, Russell RM, Stephensen CB, Gannon BM, Craft NE, Haskell MJ, et al. Biomarkers of nutrition for Development (BOND)-vitamin A review. J Nutr [Internet]. 2016;146(9):1816S-48S. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3945/jn.115.229708
