How Good Ocular Nutrition Helps to Protect and Preserve Vision

Ocular Nutrition is one way of describing eating the right foods to maintain healthy eyes.

The gift of sight is one of the most valued of our five senses, and although we are capable of functioning without it, most of us would prefer not to do so.

Why Good Ocular Nutrition is Important

When we are young we tend to think of problems with our vision as being associated with corrective lenses such as glasses or contact lenses. However, as we age there are other more serious conditions that threaten our sight, such as ocular or eye diseases.

Most of these diseases have the same causes as the diseases that we see in aging adults; poor blood circulation, poor nutritional support of the tissues and exposure to toxic substances in our food, water and air.

Feeding our bodies properly can help tremendously to keep our eyes healthy. After all, the eyes aren't two disconnected balls hanging in the space in front of your face. They are part of your body and as such get the same nutrition as the rest of you.

Good nutrition plays a key role in how our bodies grow, work, handle injuries and protect themselves against infection and disease.

Sources of Essential Nutrients

We've all heard the old wives' tale about eating carrots to improve your vision. It turns out that dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, Swiss Chard and beet greens are even better for you. Notice I didn't say lettuce, which has little or no nutritional value. Your salads will be far more nutritious if you make them from spinach.

If your doctor has placed you on blood thinners like aspirin or coumadin you may have been told you can't eat these types of food. However, many of our macular degeneration patients need to eat these foods and have learned how to do it. They simply eat a spinach salad at the same time each week, on a regular schedule, and let the coumadin clinic adjust the levels accordingly.

The Benefits of Antioxidants

So where can you get the essential nutrition your eyes need?

The antioxidants and necessary nutrition occur naturally not in vitamin tablets but in spinach, kale and other green leafy vegetables, green beans, green peas, Brussels sprouts, kiwis, tomatoes, dried apricots, grapefruit and oranges.

It seems that eating your fruit and vegetables is a good tip when it comes to the health of your eyes.

Ocular Nutrition Studies

Studies into ocular nutrition are ongoing and recent research has examined how nutrition affects age related macular degeneration (AMD) and the development of cataracts, which is one of the most common eye diseases.

Research suggests that certain antioxidants known as carotenoids, in particular Lutein and Zeaxanthin, can lessen the risk of contracting AMD. The carotenoids, which are related to vitamin A, are extremely important to your eyes. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors is the best way to get them. If you wish to supplement, use a whole food supplement. For information on them see Whole Food Supplement.

Make Healthy Choices

The good news is that if you are eating a balanced diet with plenty of leafy green vegetables, you may already be looking after your eyes.

In addition to the foods listed above, you can find carotenoids in foods including mango, orange sweet peppers, yellow peppers, eggs, broccoli, lettuce, chard, corn and tangerines.

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