Three Crucial Nutrients For Healthy Vision

Nutrition plays a significant role in healthy vision. Your eyes rely on you getting an abundance of certain nutrients in order to keep them healthy and protect against disease. That's why it's always important to consume a healthy diet that consists of a wide array of nutrient-dense foods, so that you're getting the nutrients you need for eye health. Learn about three nutrients that are imperative to keeping your eyes healthy.

Omega-3 Fats

Healthy fats, like the omega-3 polyunsaturated variety are essential to your diet. Your body is unable to make them on its own, so getting them from your diet is crucial. These fats influence health in a number of ways, including keeping your brain and heart healthy. They're also beneficial to your vision. Researchers found that omega-3 fats protect your vision by keeping the blood vessels in your eyes healthy, reducing the risk of abnormal growth, as seen in diabetic retinopathy -- a condition that can cause blindness in people with diabetes. Omega fats, also reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, which occurs when the center part of the retina begins to deteriorate, according to research. Abundant omega-3 fats are found in cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout and herring.

Carotenoids

Antioxidants, such as lutein and zeaxanthin reduce the risk of developing chronic eye diseases like cataracts and protect against macular degeneration. The eyes have a high concentration of both nutrients, especially your macula. One of the primary way these crucial nutrients protect your eyes, is by preventing damage from the sun's rays. Lutein and zeaxanthin filter harmful rays, such as blue wave-lengths, thereby keeping the cells in your eye healthy. In your diet, these two antioxidants are responsible for the pigment of vegetables. So you'll find dark leafy vegetables, and colorful vegetables like carrots, sweet bell peppers contain rich amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C reduces the risk of cataracts and slows the progression of age-related macular degeneration, according to the American Optometric Association. Your body uses vitamin C to make collagen, the connective tissue that holds your body together. It's concentrated in the eyes, but all of your body's cells depend on it. It keeps the blood vessels and capillaries in your eyes, and the rest of your body healthy and it acts as the body's most abundant antioxidant. The best sources of vitamin C in your diet are fruits and vegetables, with citrus fruits and tomatoes being the most abundant. Other rich sources include kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries and cantaloupe.

For more information contact a company like Baldwin Optical & Hearing Aid Co.

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