The best foods for healthy eyes

If your eyes are the window to your soul, it’s probably rather important you look after them, right? But how many of us actually know how to keep our vision and eyes in tip-top shape? I’m going to take a stab in the dark and suggest the answer is not many.
So, want to know more about preventing the deterioration of your vision and combating certain eye diseases? Thought so. That’s why we’ve gathered OPSM’s best bits of clear vision information.
From creating healthy, nutritious eating habits to making a few important lifestyle changes, promoting good vision and eye health is achievable for everyone. Just consider this your eye health 101…
Key nutrients vital for eye health
There are a few; some familiar, and some not so familiar: lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids and zinc, all of which help boost eye health and protect from external factors, while also helping to prevent macula (centre of the retina) degeneration and cataracts from forming.
Best foods for good eye health
GREEN AND YELLOW FOODS: dark green leafy vegetables, including spinach, kale, broccoli and cabbage, and corn and yellow capsicum. Try to include these foods in your diet on a daily basis. A nifty snack idea is spraying kale with olive oil and placing in the oven until it’s crispy, or why not make a delectable corn, cherry tomato, avocado and bocconcini tartlet with steamed broccoli side salad for a good dose of vitamins A, B6, C and E, lutein and lycopene? Delish!
OILY FISH: Atlantic and Australian salmon, blue-eye trevalla, blue mackerel, gemfish, canned sardines, canned salmon and some varieties of canned tuna. Aim to eat a variety of fish from this list two to three times a week. Need a meal suggestion? A scrumptious herbed crepe with smoked salmon is chock-full of vitamins A, B6, B12 and D, omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid and zinc to name a few.
OTHER TYPES OF SEAFOOD: barramundi, bream, flathead, arrow squid, scallops, and mussels, which are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and prawns and oysters, which contain zinc. Why not grill some prawn skewers on the barbecue one night a week?
FRUITS: all varieties of citrus, including oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits, and strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Mix up a delicious juice each morning containing carrot, orange, apple and strawberry to amp up your daily dose of vitamins A and C.
How to ensure your vision stays clear
The quality and health of your eyesight ultimately relates to how healthy your lifestyle is and if you get regular check-ups. Here is the ultimate checklist for healthy eyes:
#1: visit an optometrist every one or two years and have your vision checked as well as your eye health. (OPSM has this wonderful new process called ACCUFIT, which not only ensures your vision and eyes are in tip-top shape, but makes choosing the right pair of frames a breeze, too. I tried it, loved it, and now sport perfectly-suited glasses.)
#2: don’t smoke. And if you do, quit. Obviously.
#3: lead a healthy lifestyle, which includes watching your weight and exercising regularly.
#4: eat well. This means eating fish two or three times a week, dark green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit on a daily basis, and a handful of nuts a few times each week. Also, limit your intake of fats and oils, and always opt for low GI carbohydrates.
#5: always protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays by wearing protective sunglasses outdoors. And make sure the little ones do, too. (Need some style inspiration and encouragement? Miranda Kerr will give you just that.)
FINAL FACT: love hitting the pavement? Regular exercise is a sensational way to not only keep in shape, but also decrease your chance of developing conditions linked with inactivity; ones that can also affect your eye health.
Did you know eating certain foods was vital for eye health? Will you be following any of these optimal vision tips and tricks from now on? Do you suffer from poor vision or eye health?
MORE FOOD AND HEALTH TIPS ON BH
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Five foods you thought were healthy… but aren’t!
Three detoxes decoded
Six foods not to put in your trolley
63 Member Comments
Healthy eating = healthy eyes :)
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Eat well. Vitamin A is critical. Love raw salmon too :)
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ohhh i eat salmon a lot
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I really miss my oily fish intake! I used to eat sushi and sashimi at least twice a week.
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So strawberry-loaded summer pavlova's are good for the eyes! Yay!!
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I eat a few of these feel good foods. They've become a lot tastier now. That final fact about exercising and eye health is very interesting. Even more of an incentive to be more active.
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Orange is great, like carrots and orange capsicums
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Interesting article. I try and eat a healthy diet, I've noticed my eyesight has worsened recently. I need to get my eyes checked.
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I knew alot of that I need more fish but can mostly only get frozen here which I do buy but not as nice,I take vitamins to help with slack & need more veg.Sunglsses are a must but got some information I had forgotten. Dianne 542
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I am really starting to like japanese food now
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Great tips ~ really handy to know!
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Love salmon!! Having some for dinner tonight!
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Some eye conditions are genetic, so regular eye tests are really important by an Optometrist
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I only knew carrots were good for your eyes
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loving these types of articles, well done BH team
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We were told as kids to eat our carrots because they are good for our eyes. Now I know it's the beta carotene :)
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Great informative article.
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sunglasses is my weakness.. doesn't matter where they are, when I go out in the sun. I always forget. even though I spend additional $$$ to make they prescripted, I still dont wear them. I need to get in the habit of doing so
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Love fish ..and carrot from the tip list
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Wow this is the diet i've been following for the past couple of months yay, hopefully my 20-20 vision will remain!!!
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Thankfully I have great eyes, or so I am told by the last optometrist that I visited.
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Yes I knew that certain foods were good for your eyes/vision. I didn't know about the exercise thing though!
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