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Please Note: This article is presented for informational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness. If you have any health concern, see a licensed healthcare professional in person.
Many of us think that our failing eyesight and vision is due to aging, eye strain, and genetics. While all these three play a major role in having the perfect eyesight, the foods we take in also play a major role in avoiding major eyesight problems. A consistent supply of nutritious foods and vitamins is important for our body to perform well.
Along with a balanced amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, vitamins and minerals keep the whole body functioning properly. Vitamins A, C, and E seem to be the three most important vitamins necessary for proper eyesight. The micronutrients Zinc and Copper are also proved to be essential for vision-related processes. Along with these, daily intake of pigments like beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are also recommended.
Now, the foods that are rich in some of the above-mentioned nutrients are as follows:
- Fatty fish are rich sources of omega-3-fatty acids, owing to the oil in their system. The most beneficial fish for improving eyesight are tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines etc.,
- Leafy greens like spinach and kale are rich sources of lutein and zeaxanthin. These are the pigments in our eyes that filter blue light. Intake of broccoli, peas, and avocados along with leafy greens add a healthy dose of antioxidants to the plate.
- Vegetables like carrots and bell peppers contain a lot of Vitamin A. In addition, bell peppers are also rich in Vitamin C. Along with Vitamin E, these three vitamins are responsible to reduce the risk of cataract and macular degeneration. These vegetables are low in calories, making them ideal snacks to munch on without worrying about gaining weight.
- Fruits like blueberries, orange, gooseberry, and guava are rich in Vitamin C and are huge wells of antioxidants. The antioxidants protect our eyes from environmental stress and Vitamin C helps in quick regeneration of cells in the eyes, making them extremely important for eye health.
- Dry fruits like pistachios, walnuts, and almonds are huge reservoirs of Vitamin E and omega-3-fatty acids.
- Zinc can be found in meat, fish, poultry, whole grains and dairy products in abundance.
Along with all these nutrients, the intake of the required amount of water can save us from dry eyes. Staying hydrated should be on the top of our priority list.
Getting regular eye check-ups, eating a balanced diet, moderate exercise, reducing exposure to digital devices, wearing protective eyewear etc. can help in maintaining healthy eyesight for a long time. For some people, vision problems are genetic or disease-induced. Maintaining a healthy diet helps in not worsening those problems too. While a whole array of advanced treatments are available for serious problems, glasses or contact lenses suffice to help refractory issues.
A lot of people are even afraid to try contact lenses. But the past decade has improved a lot in lens technology which has made contact lenses comfortable to wear. Manufacturers like solotica even make natural-looking colored contacts. I have tried them on and found Solotica natural colors avela and solotica natural colors cristal to be the most enchanting.
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This content is sponsored by Nidhi Mahajan.
Photo: Shutterstock
