If you’ve ever heard the rumor that eating carrots are good for your eyes, you probably realized that they can’t be the only food that will help them. While carrot’s reputation as eye food is somewhat overrated, there are other foods you can eat that will help maintain good eye health. Like any organ, your eyes need a variety of nutrients and minerals to be able to remain healthy. Below we’re going to list a selection of foods that you can add to your diet that will promote long-term eye health.

Leafy Greens

Mustard Greens, collard greens, spinach, and kale are all dark greens that have the kinds of minerals and nutrients your eyes need. In addition to healthy amounts of iron, they also contain zeaxanthin and lutein that have been shown to reduce the risk of chronic eye diseases. These include macular degeneration, cataracts, and more.

Citrus Fruits and Berries

Vitamin C is important to the health of our eyes, but it isn’t a vitamin our body can produce naturally. As a result foods like strawberries, grapefruits, raspberries, blueberries, oranges, and lemons are all essential to an eye-healthy diet. Thankfully these are easy to add to your diet, just throw some in your cereal, eat a handful as a snack, or make smoothies with them.

Nuts

Pistachios, peanuts, walnuts, Brazil Nuts, and many other nuts contain tons of Vitamin E. This vitamin is essential to protecting the cells in your eye and has been shown to contribute to reduced cases of macular degeneration and cataracts alike.

Orange Peppers

If you love bell peppers then this is going to be great news for you. These peppers contain lots of zeaxanthin, more than any other fruit in fact, along with Vitamin C and Vitamin A. They make a fantastic snack for dipping and are a foundation flavor in many delicious foods like Enchiladas.

Seafood

If you love tuna, salmon, shrimp, oysters, trout, or mackerel then you’re in luck. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are an important part of preventing dry eyes and promoting the health of your retinas. Zinc deficiencies have been shown to be correlated with vision problems and are found in seafood as well. Seafood with a reddish color is a source of astaxanthin, another defense against macular degeneration.

These foods can all provide your eyes with the nutrients they need to stay healthy for years to come. If you’ve been worried about the health of your eyes or want more tips on keeping them healthy and strong for a lifetime then it’s time to see your optometrist. Make a call to The Optical Shoppe in Smyrna, TN and schedule an appointment with Dr. Paul Trapeni. He works closely with the community of Smyrna to promote excellent optimal health and is proud to serve hundreds of patients throughout the area. Don’t wait for eye problems to develop to see your optometrist, schedule an appointment today and start learning more about how to conquer eye health problems before they occur.