6 Nutrients That Will Optimize Your Eye Health | EYE HEALTH CARE TIPS

6 Nutrients That Will Optimize Your Eye Health


Your eyesight is probably the most important of your five sense organs.

Eye health goes hand-in-hand with general health, some nutrients are especially important for your eyes.

These nutrients will help you to maintain eye function, protect your eyes against harmful light, and reduce the development of age-related degenerative diseases.

6 Nutrients That Will Optimize Your Eye Health

Here are 6 nutrients that benefit your eyes:


1. Vitamin A

Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most common causes of blindness around the world.

Vitamin A is essential for maintaining your eyes’ light-sensing cells, also known as photoreceptors.

If you don’t consume enough or required amount of vitamin A, you may experience night blindness, dry eyes, or even more serious conditions, depending on the severity of your deficiency.

This Vitamin is found in animal-derived foods. The richest dietary sources include egg yolks, and dairy products.

However, you can also get vitamin A from antioxidant plant compounds called provitamin A carotenoids, found in high amounts in some fruits and also in vegetables.

On average, Provitamin A carotenoids provide around 35% of people’s vitamin A requirements. The most efficient of them is beta-carotene, which is found in high amounts in kale, spinach, and carrots too.



2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are essential for eye health.

DHA is found in high amounts in your retina, where it helps to maintain eye function, it’s also important for brain and eye development during infancy.

Evidence also shows that taking omega-3 supplements may benefit those with dry eye problem.

One study in people with dry eyes revealed that taking EPA and DHA supplements daily for about three months significantly reduced dry eye symptoms by increasing the formation of tear fluid.

Omega-3 fatty acids may also help to prevent some other eye diseases. A study in middle-aged and older adults with diabetes found that taking about 500 mg of long-chain omega-3s daily can reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy.

One of the best dietary source of EPA and DHA is oily fish. Additionally, omega-3 supplements derived from fish or microalgae are widely available in medical stores.



3. Gamma-Linolenic Acid

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid which is found in small amounts in the modern diet.

Unlike many other omega-6 fatty acids, GLA appears to have anti-some inflammatory properties.

The best sources of GLA are evening primrose oil and starflower oil.

Some evidence suggests that taking evening primrose oil may reduce the symptoms of dry eye disease, as well.

One controlled study in women with dry eyes gave a daily dose of evening primrose oil with 300 mg of GLA. The study noted that their symptoms improved over a period of 6 months.



4. Vitamin C

Our eyes requires high amounts of antioxidants — more than many other organs.

The antioxidant vitamin C appears to be especially important.

The concentration of vitamin C is higher in the aqueous humor of the eye compared to any other body fluid. The aqueous humor is the liquid that fills the outermost part of our eye.

The level of vitamin C present in the aqueous humor are directly proportional to its dietary intake. In other words, you can increase its concentration by taking supplements or the best is by eating foods rich in vitamin C.

Some Observational studies shows that people with cataracts tend to have a low antioxidant status. It also indicate that people who take vitamin C supplements are less likely to get cataracts.

High amounts of vitamin C are mainly found in many fruits and vegetables, including bell peppers, citrus fruits, guavas, kale, broccoli, etc.



5. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a group of fat-soluble antioxidants that protect fatty acids from harmful oxidation.

As, the retina has a high concentration of fatty acids, adequate vitamin E intake is important for optimal eye health.

Although severe vitamin E deficiency may lead to retinal degeneration and even blindness, and it’s unclear whether supplements provide any additional benefits if you’re already getting enough from your diet.

One analysis suggests that consuming more than 8 mg of vitamin E daily may reduce your risk of age-related cataracts by 6-8%.

The rich sources of vitamin E include almonds, sunflower seeds, and vegetable oils like flaxseed oil.



6. Zinc

Your eyes also contain high levels of zinc.

Zinc is a part of many essential enzymes, which includes superoxide dismutase, which functions as an antioxidant.

It also appears to be involved in the formation of visual pigments in our retina. For this reason, zinc deficiency may cause night blindness.

Natural dietary sources of zinc includes oysters, meat, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, etc.


Also Read : The 5 Most Common Eye Diseases :Overview of Common Eye Diseases 


CONCLUDE-

Healthy lifestyle habits, such as a wholesome diet and regular exercise, may also help to prevent many chronic diseases — including eye conditions.

Getting enough of these nutrients listed above may help to reduce our eye risk. Other vitamins may also play a role in our eye health.

Note -  A diet that keeps your whole body healthy will likely keep your eyes healthy, too. So don’t neglect the rest of your body.



 

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