How To Prevent Chronic Eye Problems

Our sight is one of our most valuable assets, this is why we should focus more on eye health – in the end, it is certainly better to prevent than to treat. Eye treatments are expensive, and it often happens that once your vision deteriorates, you can rarely recover it 100%. As you may already know, some foods can promote healthy eyes over the years, as certain nutrients and vitamins play an essential role for preventing chronic eye conditions such as cataracts or macular degeneration, two of the most common eye conditions these days. No matter if you will get these essential nutrients from food or you will opt for supplements, they can truly make a difference in your life. Having said that, here are some of the most important nutrients that promote healthy eyes and should not miss from your daily diet:

1. Lutein

Lutein is by far the most important nutrient for your eyes, and it occurs naturally in carotenoids. At the same time, lutein is a compound that is found inside the eye as well, and it is extremely important for your central vision as it prevents oxidative stress and limits the effects of free radicals on your eyes. If you want to increase your lutein intake, you should eat more eggs, spinach, dark leafy vegetables and such. Besides improving your sight and keeping your eyes healthy, lutein also reduces the risk for age-related eye diseases.

2. Vitamin C

The health benefits of Vitamin C are many, but few of us know that in addition to strengthening our immune system and helping us fight off free radicals, Vitamin C is also essential for healthy eyes. Doctors recommend us 500 mg of Vitamin C (also referred to as ascorbic acid) on a daily basis. The good news is that this valuable nutrient can be found in most citrus fruits, especially oranges, grapefruits and lemons. If you stick to the recommended daily dose of Vitamin C, you can prevent the loss of visual acuity (a very common age-related problem) and you can also lower your risk for cataracts.

3. Vitamin E

Doctors recommend us approximately 400 mg of Vitamin E per day. The antioxidant properties of this compound are very well-known, and Vitamin E can be widely found in cereals, sweet potatoes, salads as well as nuts. As a matter of fact, it is highly recommended to increase your daily intake of nuts given the fact that besides Vitamin E, nuts also contain essential fatty acids and other compounds that keep your heart healthy and lower the risk for certain types of cancer. When it comes to eye health, Vitamin E is known to protect the eye cells and to prevent the free radicals (unstable molecules found in the surrounding environment) from breaking down the healthy eye tissue, which often results in chronic eye diseases.