Your Health

Watch Your Diet To Maintain Healthy Vision

Posted 9/7/2010

Food is not the enemy. Sitting still is the enemy. Try to stand and take a walk whenever you can fit it in.

(NAPSI) - Surprisingly, the phrase "you are what you eat" may be most significant when it comes to your eyesight. Yet many people are not aware of the positive effects that a healthy, balanced diet can have on their eyes.

A recent study in the United Kingdom by Transitions Optical revealed that 43 percent of consumers were unaware that improper nutrition can cause damage to the eyes and even contribute to conditions such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

"Good nutrition and a proper, balanced diet are important in any aspect of personal health," said Dr. Vincent Young, ophthalmologist. "When I talk to my patients about diet, I stress the importance of balance. When recommending specific foods, leafy green vegetables, such as kale and collard greens, are great components of a diet that promotes healthy sight."

What's more, 93 percent of the study's respondents considered sight to be their most valuable sense and the one they feared losing the most, yet most showed a lack of knowledge about foods that contribute to healthy eyesight.

According to Dr. Young, other foods that benefit the eyes include fruits, such as grapes and berries, vegetables, especially carrots and squash, soy, nuts and wine, in moderation. These foods contain vitamins A, C and E as well as fatty acids and omega-3, all of which contribute to eye health.

Dr. Young also stresses the importance of maintaining a healthy diet when managing diabetes, since diabetes often causes vision-threatening complications, such as diabetic retinopathy and, in some cases, even blindness. For diabetic patients, diets low in sodium and rich in antioxidants are good.

While a balanced diet promotes healthy vision from the inside, it's also important to protect your eyes from the outside. Dr. Young recommends the following steps to protect and promote healthy sight for the entire family:

• Schedule regular visits to your eye doctor

• Wear sunscreen and UV-protective clothing

• Consider adaptive eyeglass lenses, such as Transitions lenses, that automatically adjust the level of darkness to block 100 percent of UV rays and help to reduce distracting glare

• Drink plenty of water daily and maintain a balanced diet high in beta-carotene and antioxidants

To learn more about healthy sight, visit www.transitions.com.