Food For Eyes

By Sharon Jentzer, Captain, USN (Ret.)

You probably have a lot of food for thought ruminating around in your mind. Now here is some food for your eyes.

The National Eye Institute sponsors research into the link between eye health and nutrition. One of the studies evaluated the effect of high doses of antioxidants and zinc on the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.

The study, involving 3,640 subjects between the ages of 55 and 80, showed that supplementation slowed AMD by 25 percent and visual acuity loss by 19 percent in high risk individuals. Several other studies have confirmed these results. Various studies such as this have shown beneficial results from vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

What is even more exciting is that studies have shown that AMD symptoms may be reversed through purified lutein supplementation or a supplement mix of lutein and other antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene. Similar studies have shown that these nutrients also reduce the formation of cataracts.

There are several food sources of these nutrients oranges, grapefruits, spinach, tomatoes, bananas, apples, and peaches for vitamin C; red meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, wheat germ, mixed nuts, black-eyed peas, tofu, and baked beans for zinc; kale, spinach, corn, green peas, broccoli, romaine lettuce, green beans, and eggs for lutein and zeaxanthin; fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, anchovy and trout for omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA).

It is important to note that the high levels recommended by research can be difficult to obtain from diet alone. For example, the daily recommended intake of vitamin C is 70 mg/day for females and 90 mg/day for males. The researchers were using 500 mg/day. Similar disparities in dosages exist for the other nutrients used in these studies.

While eating a carefully planned diet can make acquiring the desired amount easier, additional vitamin supplementation can also be used to get closer to the desired levels in order to maintain optimal eye health. For more information on these, and other eye health studies, visit the American Optometric Association (www.aoa.aorg/nutrition.xml) and the National Eye Institute (www.nei.nih.gov).

If you need help getting started contact a wellness coach who can help you navigate the grocery aisle and choose from the vast selection of nutritional supplements; those that are most appropriate for you.