5 Ways Your Diet Impacts Your Eyes

You already know that your diet affects your health. You might not have explored how the nutrition you consume affects individual parts of your body, though. Today, we want to focus on your eyes. 

Our team at Edwin Y. Endo, OD & Associates wants to help people in Aiea, Hawaii, and the surrounding area eat their way to better eye health. Dr. Endo specializes in nutritional counseling to support your ocular wellness. We tapped his expertise to highlight five specific ways that your diet impacts your eyes.

1. Simple carbs can contribute to age-related macular degeneration

When you grab a piece of bread, try to choose whole-grain. Simple carbs, like those in white bread and pasta, cause a spike in your blood sugar. 

That can take a toll on your eyes. Researchers have linked that quick jump to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). 

2. Fruits and vegetables can fight against cataracts

Produce is rich in many nutrients, including those your eyes need. Vitamin C and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin all help to lower your risk of cataracts. Dark, leafy greens are great sources of zeaxanthin and lutein, and various colorful produce is rich in vitamin C.  

3. Picky eating is linked to vision loss

Skipping produce and other whole foods like beans can leave your eyes with less than they need. In one extreme case, a teenager even lost his vision after only eating chips, fries, and other low-nutrient foods. 

Aim to vary your diet and get lots of whole (i.e., non-processed) foods. 

4. Nuts and seeds can protect healthy eye tissue

Nuts and seeds are great sources of vitamin E, and getting plenty of this nutrient puts a line of defense in place for your vision. 

Specifically, vitamin E is an antioxidant. That means it helps to defend your eyes against free radicals, unstable molecules that could damage the tissue in and around your eyeballs. 

5. A healthy diet prevents complications from diabetic retinopathy

Everyone benefits from eating a nutrient-rich diet. If you have diabetes, though, this gets extra important. 

When you have diabetes, your heightened blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in your eyes. In the medical field, this is called diabetic retinopathy. Over time, this damage can compromise your vision. 

What you put on your plate can help to lower your risk here. Aim to get lots of fruits, vegetables, and fish. 

As all of this illustrates, there’s a direct link between your diet and your eye health. Imbalanced eating can lead to vision problems, while a nutritious diet rich in whole foods supports healthy eyes over the years.

If you want to get personalized nutritional counseling to support your vision, see Dr. Endo. Call our office at 808-774-3838 to make an appointment today.