Got ocular nutrition?

Ocular nutrition is a fancy way of saying "food for your eyes".*Your eyes work pretty hard and, for the most part, do not require any day-to-day attention from you. However, they do have some vitamins and other nutrients that they need to perform at their peak level. Unfortunately, they can't communicate those needs to you directly because, after all, who listens to their eyes? Fortunately for your eyeballs we've prepared an article that describes their favorite menu.

My eyes must be getting old...

Here's a news flash: Your eyes started getting old the moment that you were born and they're not getting any younger while you're reading this. The good news is that some of the "old eyes" conditions, such as macular degeneration, may be prevented, or their symptoms reduced, with the correct diet.

Proper ocular nutrition includes a diet that is rich in the vitamins and nutrients that your eyes crave. These include Beta Carotene (hey, that's the stuff in carrots), and Lutein which is found in fruits and vegetables. So your Mom was right after all!

The #1 cause of "legal blindness" in the U.S. is a disease known as Age-related Macular Degeneration(AMD). Its symptoms are what we usually refer to as "old eyes". AMD is what causes our eyes to blur when performing "straight-ahead" vision tasks such as reading, sewing, and driving. Your macula is the part of the eye that is in the center of the retina. Your retina is what converts the light that passes into your eyes into electronic "digital image data" and passes it on to your brain. AMD is not the only condition that can affect your eyes. Feeding your eyes what they need has been proven to stave off the effects of AMD.

Here are some great foods that are a good source of the ocular nutrition that your eyes crave:

  • Apricots
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Cantaloupe
  • Carrots
  • Cheese
  • Egg
  • Enriched Corn Grits
  • Fortified Butter/Margarine
  • Fortified Milk
  • Greens
  • Kidney Liver
  • Mangos
  • Nectarines
  • Pakchoy
  • Papayas
  • Prunes
  • Pumpkin
  • Spinach
  • Sweet Potato
  • Tomato Juice
  • Tomatoes
  • Vitamin A Fortified Cereal
  • Winter Squash

You should be aware, however, that it unlikely that even a diet that consisted 100% of the foods described above can provide the level of vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants that your eyes require to keep themselves healthy and happy. There are many over-the-counter food supplements that purport to provide the minimum daily levels of nutrients that your eyes need. Whether or not any one of them is right for you is a decision that should be made by you and your eye doctor.

You should see an eye doctor at least once per year if you have "normal" vision. Diseases like AMD can sneak up over time and once the symptoms appear it can sometimes become more difficult to treat. Ask your doctor about ocular nutrition while you are there. Once you are armed with the facts you can start feeding your eyes so they will serve you better and longer.

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