Foods That May Harm Your Eye Health — and What to Eat Instead
The headline needs some nuance: there aren’t many foods that directly “damage” healthy eyes, but certain dietary patterns can increase the risk of conditions that affect vision, particularly diabetes, high blood pressure, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
N
National Eye Institute
+1
Foods to limit
Sugary drinks and sweets: Frequent high-sugar intake can contribute to poor blood-sugar control, which can damage the small blood vessels supplying the eyes in people with diabetes.
Highly refined carbohydrates: Large amounts of refined grains and other high-glycemic foods can make blood-sugar management more difficult.
Foods high in saturated and trans fats: A diet dominated by these fats is associated with poorer cardiovascular health and may contribute to eye-disease risk.
E
EyeWiki
Highly processed foods: Diets heavy in processed foods often provide fewer of the nutrients found in vegetables, fruits, fish, and whole foods.
Excessive alcohol: Heavy alcohol consumption can contribute to nutritional deficiencies and other health problems that can affect vision.
What to eat instead
🥬 Spinach, kale, and other dark leafy greens — excellent sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients concentrated in the retina.
N
National Eye Institute
🐟 Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and halibut — good sources of omega-3 fatty acids and recommended by the National Eye Institute as part of an eye-healthy diet.
N
National Eye Institute
🥕 Colorful vegetables, including carrots and sweet potatoes, which provide carotenoids and other nutrients.
🍊 Fruit and vegetables rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants.
🥜 Nuts and seeds as sources of healthy fats and nutrients.
One important supplement warning
Don’t assume that taking large doses of vitamins will protect your eyesight. AREDS2 supplements can slow progression of intermediate or certain forms of advanced AMD, but they don’t prevent AMD from developing and aren’t recommended for everyone.
N
National Eye Institute
+1
Bottom line: For long-term eye health, think less about one “bad” food and more about your overall eating pattern: more leafy greens, fish, vegetables, and whole foods; less highly processed, sugary, and unhealthy-fat-heavy food. Regular eye examinations and controlling blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol are also important.
N
National Eye Institute
+1
N
E
Sources
