Priyanka Ray, M.A., B.Ed,
Digital Strategist, Vision Science Academy
Our eyes are mirrors through which we see the world around us. We need to take good care of our eyes to preserve our vision. A vegan diet mainly consists of fruits, vegetables, and soy products. It excludes eggs, fish, meat, and dairy products. It is possible to get the right nutrition for our eye health through a well-planned, balanced vegan diet. Adding the right nutrients to our daily diet can promote our vision health. We know that carrots are beneficial for visual health. These orange vegetables are rich in Vitamin A, which is essential for maintaining good visual health. Carrots contain beta carotene which belongs to the group of nutrients known as carotenoids. These are required to make Vitamin A by our body. Regular intake of Vitamin A, C and Zinc can help in reducing the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Pumpkin, carrot, cantaloupe, and sweet potato are some examples of food rich in Vitamin A. (1)
The antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin are responsible for preserving the macula. Macula is part of our retina, which provides the accurate central vision required for our daily activities such as reading and driving. Leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, lettuce, and peas are rich in nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin. (2)
Vitamin C also plays an essential role in preserving our eyesight. High oxidative stress can damage the DNA and protein in the cells of the retina. Antioxidants help to fight the free radicals and thus preserve the retina, responsible for vision. Vitamin C can also be effective in decreasing the possibility of developing cataract. Vitamin C can be obtained through consumption of fruits and vegetables such as lemons, grapefruits, strawberries, raw broccoli, peppers, and mango.
Berries are rich in Vitamin C:
Vitamin E is an effective antioxidant that protects our eyes from harmful free radicals. Vegan food rich in Vitamin E are a wide variety of nuts and seeds such as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, and sunflower seeds. A meta-analysis research conducted in 2015 found that Vitamin E intake might be significantly associated with reduced risk of Age-Related Cataracts (ARC). (3)
Almonds are a good source of Vitamin E:
Zinc also plays an important role in protecting and preserving our retina. Zinc is responsible for transporting Vitamin A from our liver to our retina and manufacture the essential pigment melanin. Some sources of zinc are beans, lentils, cashew nuts, walnuts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and whole meal bread.
Apart from eating nutritious food, we need to ensure that we avoid highly processed food to enjoy maximum health benefits. Severe health conditions like dehydration and diabetics can often lead to poor visual health. As a result, we need to add the right nutrients to our diet and reap the maximum benefits from the food nature has to offer.
An Article by Priyanka Ray, Digital Strategist, Vision Science Academy.
References
- Emily Y. Chew, MD et. al. 2012 The Age-related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) Study Design and Baseline Characteristics (AREDS2 Report Number 1)VOLUME 119, ISSUE 11, P2282-2289, July 27, 2012 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2012.05.027
- Eating for good vision. Add these nutrients to your diet to preserve and protect your eyesight. Harv Womens Health Watch. 2013 Oct;21(2):6. PMID: 24432456.
- Zhang Y, Jiang W, Xie Z, Wu W, Zhang D. Vitamin E, and risk of age-related cataract: a meta-analysis. Public Health Nutr. 2015 Oct;18(15):2804-14. doi: 10.1017/S1368980014003115. Epub 2015 Jan 16. PMID: 25591715.
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