It shouldn’t be a surprise that what you eat affects your health. However, many people don’t take eye health into account when planning their meals. Many nutrients in fruits and vegetables are beneficial for your sight and general eye condition, so you want to include as many of these foods as you can in your daily diet. In Williamsburg, the Eye Center of Virginia wants you to have healthy eyes, so take a look at these nutrients and foods and see which ones you can start including in your diet immediately.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are among the two most important compounds for your sight. These two are commonly found in leafy green vegetables like kale. Along with beta-carotene and vitamin A, they work to protect your eyes from conditions like macular degeneration and cataracts. Speaking of beta-carotene, this is a natural compound found in orange and red foods, like sweet potatoes and orange carrots. Your body converts this as needed into vitamin A. That’s important because vitamin A, as found in supplements, can be toxic in large doses. However, beta-carotene is not, and if your body has enough vitamin A, it won’t “over-convert” more beta-carotene. Vitamin A reduces the risk of night blindness.
Vitamin C is crucial for eye health, and you can find that vitamin in many fruits and vegetables. Citrus fruits are the best-known, but vitamin C is also in foods like broccoli and cantaloupe. Potatoes are also a good source, but remember that vitamin C is heat-sensitive. In other words, deep-frying a potato may destroy too much of the vitamin C.
The Eye Center of Virginia in Williamsburg, VA has appointment times open if you want to have an optometry checkup and see how your vision is doing. If you haven’t had your eyes checked in a while, call us at (757) 919-3500. Servicing around these nearby towns; West Point, Hampton, Gloucester, Newport News, Yorktown, and New Kent, Virginia.