Eat for Eye Health

Our eyes contain the most dense and intricate network of vessels and receptors that allow us to see. They are the most precious part of our bodies. I’ve been absent for the past year due to unexpected problems with my eyes. After two eye surgeries, I am now paying attention to preserving my eye health. I’d like to share with you some lifestyle and diet interventions that you can consider to help preserve your eyesight. Firstly though, I’d strongly advise that you have regular check ups at your optician as some conditions can go unnoticed.

The retina is a thin layer of cells at the back of the eye that receives light, converts this light into neural signals and then these signals are sent to the brain for visual recognition. The retina is constantly renewing cells and requires a large amount of oxygen to do so. Since it is so busy with such high cellular activity and oxygen demand it is particularly susceptible to damage from normal metabolism which creates free radicals, also known as oxidants. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to cells resulting in illness and ageing. Our bodies can stabilise these free radicals by producing internal antioxidants, however foods from plants that are rich in antioxidants can also help protect against the free radicals.

The foods that I can recommend to improve eye health are colourful and dense in antioxidants.

Red and orange vegetables:

These vegetables are rich in Beta-carotene which is an antioxidant that is concentrated in the eye and is essential for a healthy retina (1).

Examples: any peppers, carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes.

Citrus fruits and berries:

These fruits contain flavonoids that can balance out oxidative stress in the retina due to their antioxidant abilities (2). There have been some studies that have indicated that plant chemicals found in berries called anthocyanin can interact with visual pigments in the eyes to improve vision (3). More research is needed though.

Examples: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapefruits, lemons and oranges.

Green fruit and vegetables:

These foods contain plant chemicals lutein and zeaxanthin which are carotenoids found in the retina forming a protective layer. Studies have shown that these can slow the progression of blindness (4). These foods also have an added bonus of containing vitamin C which acts as an antioxidant fighting the free radicals.

Examples: spinach, spring greens, kale and cabbage

Brassicas, garlic and onions:

These foods contain sulphur compounds that are required for the production of glutathione in our cells. Glutathione is an important antioxidant in our cells and is vital in protecting our retinal cells from damage.

High quality fats:

All of these plant chemicals that I’ve mentioned are fat soluble which means that they require a source of fat to help them travel through the body. Thankfully high quality fats also have other benefits for the health of the eye. For instance egg yolk and flaxseeds contain both lutein and zeaxanthin as well as omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin E, all contributing to the health of the eye. Omega 3 is a major structural part of the retina.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this and please remember as well as eating healthy it's also important to look after your eye health by taking regular screen breaks, getting lots of natural light and attending those optician appointments regularly!

References:

1. Rasmussen, H.M. and Johnson, E.J., 2013. Nutrients for the aging eye. Clinical interventions in aging, pp.741-748.

2. Kalt, W., Hanneken, A., Milbury, P. and Tremblay, F., 2010. Recent research on polyphenolics in vision and eye health. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58(7), pp.4001-4007.

3. Thiagarajan, R. and Manikandan, R., 2013. Antioxidants and cataract. Free radical research, 47(5), pp.337-345.

4. Eisenhauer, B., Natoli, S., Liew, G. and Flood, V.M., 2017. Lutein and zeaxanthin—Food sources, bioavailability and dietary variety in age-related macular degeneration protection. Nutrients, 9(2), p.120.