Joan’s Boomer Blog

I think many of us take our eye health for granted until we are threatened with losing our eyesight due to macular degeneration, cataracts or other eye problems. I recently had a scare that led me to research foods for eye health and other natural eye health tips.

A day or so ago, I suddenly noticed flashing lights in my peripheral vision and floaters in my eyes. As someone who always checks the Internet for any strange symptoms, I was alarmed when WebMD said flashing lights in the eyes could be a symptom of a detached retina, which can cause blindness in hours if not treated. So at 1030 pm, my husband and I trooped to the Emergency Room, something I’ve never done in my nearly 60 years of living.

The ER doctor reassured me that he didn’t think it was a detached retina but that I should check first thing in the morning with an Opthamologist, which I did. The good news was my retina was not torn or detached, the bad news was that the floater was still attached to the retina and could cause a tear eventually. Another piece of bad news was that I was developing cataracts! Yikes! There’s something that can make old age slap you in the face in a hurry.

I’m a very healthy person so I’ve taken my eye health for granted. No longer. Besides detached retinas and cataracts, older people are susceptible to macular degeneration and other eye problems as well. I decided to do my research on foods and vitamins for eyes so I can add these to my daily regimen. Here is what I found out:

Vitamins for Eye Health

You can take special supplements for your eyes and these will probably contain lutein, zeaxathin, lycopene and zinc. These are very important to overall eye health and preventing eye problems like mucular degeneration.

Other vitamins for your eye health include antioxidants Vitamin C, A, D, B6 and B12. The best source of Vitamin A is food as too much Vitamin A can be harmful.

Selenium is another trace mineral that it’s best to get from food and is good for the eyes. Selenium overdose can be harmful.

Foods for the Eyes:

When possible, it’s best to get your nutrients from food and for eye health, you need antioxidants in your diet. Antioxidants are also good for overall health and a good immune system. These foods contain eye vitamins like lutein, lycopene, zeayxathin and Vitamins A and C.

• Avacodos - Contain more lutein than any other fruit and antioxidant Vitamins A, C, B6 and Vitamin E.
• Eggs - Great source of eye nutrients - Vitamin A, zinc, lutein, lecithen, B12, Vitamin D
• Greens like spinach and kale - which contain Vitamin A, lutein and zeaxathin, which are important eye vitamins and nutrients.
• Brocoli - On every superfood list for preventing cancer, good old broccoli is also great for eye health, containing Vitamin C, calcium, lutein and zeaxanthin
• Carrots - Your mom always said eat your carrots to have healthy eyes and she was right.
• Tomatoes contain lycopene and Vitamin C, which is very good for the eyes.
• Garlic - besides being great for the immune system, garlic contains the antioxidant quercetin and Vitamin C.
• Salmon - contains omega 3 fatty acids for overall eye health, plus folic acid, Vitamins D, B6, B12 and Vitamin A.
• Sunflower seeds contain selenium, which may help prevent cataracts and is good for overall eye health as well.

We all age eventually. As my 82 year old mother says, “It beats the alternative.” I believe, however, that HOW we age is in large part due to our daily living health habits. Do you eat plenty of fruits and veggies, get enough sleep and exercise? Do you take vitamins with could be beneficial for your specific health concerns? When it comes to natural eye health and preventing eye problems, there is much we can do to keep our eyes healthy into our boomer years.

Read more about Cataract Symptoms and Prevention

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