Everyday we all struggle to eat right, avoid unhealthy foods, and make sure we get the right nutrients in our diets. Some people need to take vitamin supplements to guarantee that we get everything we need. Many patients with eye problems take supplements to help with medical issues such as macular degeneration. But as our diets have an impact on our bodies, so does it impact our eyes. We can eat for our eyes. Here’s a quick overview of what we need in our diets to battle those pesky eye conditions.
AMD– One of the most commonly discussed disease that can be helped with supplements. The supplements for AMD consist of high doses of carotenoids (lutin and zeaxanthin) and Omega 3 fatty acids. Eat foods rich in the carotenoids (lutein & zeaxanthin) such as fruits and vegetables, ensure your diet is high in vitamin C, and choose fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
Cataracts– There may be some protection against the development of cataracts with diets rich in the same antioxidants that help AMD as well as omega-3. It’s also interesting to add that there may be an increase for the risk of cataracts in food with a high glycemic index.
Dry Eye Syndrome– Omega-3 fatty acids decrease the incidence of dry eye syndrome, though diets with high omega-6 to omega-3 ratios (15:1) are associated with dry eye twice as much.
Blepharitis & Meibomianitis– An imbalance of fatty acids in the body promotes inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids should be taken to reduce inflammation.
What does this tell us? Many of the Vitamins that protect the eye from AMD, cataracts, dry eye syndrome, blepharitis and meibomianitis are the same. Lutein is found in egg yolks and leafy green vegetables. Zeaxanthin is found in orange peppers. Omega- 3 is found fish oils, nuts, flax seed, and vegetable oils. Eat for your eyes and protect your vision. Check out the fantastic book called Eye Foods, A Food Plan for Healthy Eyes by Dr. Laurie Capogna and Dr. Barbara Pelletier. It can be found at www.eyefoods.com