How Your Diet Can Affect Your Eyes

Studies show that what you eat can affect the different parts of your body, including your eyes. The American Academy of Ophthalmology stresses the importance of a balanced diet in maintaining eye and vision health. Knowing how your food choices can affect your eyes can motivate you to make some changes to your grocery list. Here are the details.

The Relationship Between Eye Health and Diet
 

Your diet can affect your eye and vision health. That is why you must reflect on the foods and drinks that you take in every day. Changing your grocery list and menus can make a difference in how you feel and see. Here are some findings from studies on diet and eye health:
 

• A high-fat diet can lead to eye issues.

• A high-sugar diet can deteriorate your eyesight. Sudden blood sugar spikes can lead to macular degeneration.

• Heart disease, as a complication of Type II diabetes, can increase your risk for glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy.

• A high-sodium diet can lead to different eye problems. Salad dressings, frozen meals, and deli meats are examples of foods that are high in sodium. This type of diet can also lead to liquid buildup underneath the retina. This condition is called choroidopathy.

What Antioxidants Can Do
 

Research shows that antioxidants can fight off the free radicals that invade your body. They also do the same thing to your eyes. A diet rich in zeaxanthin, lutein, and selenium, as well as vitamins E, A, and C can protect your eyes from free radical damage. You can get antioxidants from whole foods, vegetables, and fruits.

A Diet of Low-glycemic Foods and Drinks
 

Studies reveal that people with age-related macular degeneration and diabetes can improve with a low-glycemic index diet. Serious complications of diabetes may include vision loss. High-glycemic foods can make your blood sugar levels shoot up. Moderate-glycemic foods raise your blood sugar levels in a moderate way. You can choose low-glycemic foods to prevent spikes in your blood sugar levels. Here are some low-glycemic foods that you must consider:
 

• Nuts

• Muesli or oatmeal

• Sweet potato or durum wheat pasta

• Brown or black rice

• Whole-grain bread
   

Mediterranean Diet
 

This diet features a combination of seafood- and plant-based diets. Studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet may help lower macular degeneration and heart disease risks. If you are considering this diet, you should start consuming more healthy fats, as well as colorful fruits and green leafy vegetables. Your foods must also have many spices and herbs. Eating tree nuts like walnuts and almonds can help ease your hunger without bringing up your sugar level right away.

Healthy Fats for Dry Eye
 

You can ease your dry eye symptoms by eating more healthy fats. These are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. You can get these fatty acids from natural sources like salmon, nuts, and olive oil. These fatty acids can replace the lost oils in your tear film.

At Pinnacle Eye Group of Lambertville, we help our patients maintain or improve their eye health through effective eye care procedures, treatments, and products. Feel free to visit our facility in Lambertville, Michigan, for an in-person consultation. Please call 734-562-0099 to schedule an appointment or ask about our eye health nutrition pointers.