Besides carrots are there any other foods that help the eyes?

A proper diet for your eyes will not only benefit your ocular health but also your systemic health.  The foods that feed your neurological system (brain, spine and eyes) will enable your body to age with more strength, less disease and a happier state of mind.  Nutrition is the fountain of youth.

Antioxidants became very popular a handful of years ago.  These are wonderful foods that not only prevent macular degeneration (leads to blindness) but they also boast your immune system.  You can Google a list of these types of foods.  My favorites are apples, onions, brussel sprouts, all berries, pomegranate, sweet potatoes, mangos, nuts, dark chocolate, red wine, corn, spinach, kale, red meat, beans, eggplant.... you get the point.  The really green and leafy vegetables contain an extra component called Lutein, which functions similarly to antioxidants and promotes healthy retinas.  Think of a spinach salad with nuts, berries and a squeeze of lemon with a glass of red wine and dark chocolate for dessert.  Delicious!  Now I wage caution for patients that are smokers.  Antioxidants can help repair cells all through out your body to keep tissue healthy, but for smokers it actually increases the chances of lung cancer.  Better quit those cigarettes and continue to enjoy your summer mangos.  

Another important component to healthy eyes are omega 3's.  The omega 3's are easy to find in fatty fish and flax seeds (for vegetarians).  Most people usually take supplement vitamins that are rich with omega 3’s; medical journals are stated 2000mg doses to be most effective (two tablets/day).  The last handful of years optometrist have been also recommended omega 3's for dry eye as well, it's extremely effective especially for women over the age of 40 (women dehydrate much more then men as they age).  Now there has been some controversy concerning the omega 3 craze in the last handful of years, specifically dealing with the manufactures of each supplement brand.  Do the research on your brand and ask your medical doctor which they find to be safest.

It's my advice to always consult with your primary care physician before adding any supplements to your diet, especially if you have a pre-existing condition.  We never want drug interactions to occur that may harm your body years in the future. 

See and Be Seen! at Eyed LA Optometry in Brentwood, West Los Angeles

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