What to eat to nourish eyes, increase eyesight?

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Eyes are an extremely valuable asset for each person, so we need special attention and care. In addition to a reasonable living and working regime, regularly adding foods that are good for eye health is extremely necessary to have healthy eyes. According to modern nutrition, foods rich in vitamin A, lutein, vitamin C, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, antioxidants... will help to nourish the eyes and increase vision.

1. What to eat to nourish the eyes? These nutrients are essential for a healthy eye.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most common causes of vision loss. This vitamin plays an important role in maintaining the light-sensing cells in the eye, also known as photoreceptors. If the body does not get enough vitamin A, we can suffer from night blindness, dry eyes or more serious eye disease, depending on the extent of the deficiency.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants, these two substances are usually concentrated in the central part of the retina. They act as a natural sunscreen, protecting the eyes from the harmful effects of the sun. In addition, these substances also help absorb blue light, blue light (a type of dangerous light emitted by electronic screens) is extremely dangerous to the retina.
Vitamin C : The eyes require a higher and higher amount of antioxidants than other organs in the body. Vitamin C is a type of antioxidant that is especially important for the eyes. The concentration of vitamin C in the eyes is much higher than the concentration of vitamin C in any other fluid in the body. Vitamin E belongs to the group of fat-soluble antioxidants that protect fatty acids from harmful oxidation. Because the retina contains a lot of fatty acids, vitamin E is essential for eye health.
Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are important for eye health. DHA is found in large amounts in the retina, which helps maintain eye function. This fatty acid is also important for brain and eye development during infancy. DHA deficiency can lead to impaired vision, especially in children. In addition, regular omega-3 supplements are also very beneficial for people with dry eye disease. Zinc is a constituent part of many essential enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, which functions as an antioxidant. Zinc is involved in the formation of visual pigments in the retina, zinc deficiency can lead to night blindness.

2. Plant-based foods that help nourish eyes and increase vision

On health information pages, social networking sites, it is easy to come across questions such as: "What to eat to nourish the eyes after surgery?", "What to eat to nourish the baby's eyes? ", "What to eat to nourish the eyes of the elderly? "... The answer is that all the foods mentioned below that can be added to the diet to help keep the eyes healthy can be used for the above subjects.
Carrots : When it comes to foods that need to be supplemented to be good for the eyes, carrots are always at the top of the list. Carrots contain a lot of vitamin A and beta-carotene, which helps to increase overall eye health. Vitamin A helps promote the health of the lens and cornea, beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that helps to minimize the harmful effects of free radicals. In addition, beta-carotene is also very good for the macula and lens, helping to limit macular degeneration and cataracts.
Green vegetables: Dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, radish... all contain two powerful antioxidants, zeaxanthin and lutein. In addition to the information mentioned above, many studies also show that zeaxanthin and lutein help reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Corn: Like green vegetables, corn contains a lot of zeaxanthin and lutein, two antioxidants good for eye health. The habit of eating corn regularly helps reduce the risk of cataracts and yellow pigment in the eyes. In addition, corn also adds vitamins C, B5, B1 and folate, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc ... and antioxidants to help the body reduce the harmful effects of free radicals.
Tomatoes : Most red vegetables and fruits are very good for eye health and tomatoes are one of them. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which helps protect our retinas and eyes from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light from the sun. Lycopene also helps protect the integrity of other cells and prevents cancer.

Walnuts: Walnuts are known to be a very nutrient-dense food. Eating a handful of walnuts daily can improve eye health and protect your eyes from vision problems because walnuts contain a large amount of omega-3 fatty acids that are very important in the health of your eyes. maintenance of overall eye health. In addition, the high content of vitamin A, zinc and antioxidants in walnuts helps fight inflammation and is good for heart health.
Sweet potatoes: Like carrots, sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene. The beta-carotene content in sweet potatoes promotes eye health. In addition, sweet potatoes also contain many nutrients such as vitamins A, C, potassium ... extremely good for the eyes.

3. The foods of animal origin need to be supplemented for healthy eyes

Salmon: As discussed above, the two types of omega-3 fatty acids needed for the retina to work are DHA and EPA. Omega-3s are found in abundance in salmon. These useful nutrients found in salmon can help us protect the retina and prevent blindness. In addition, the DHA and EPA in salmon help balance essential eye moisture and fight macular degeneration and glaucoma. As recommended by experts, you should eat salmon at least twice a week.
Lean meat and poultry: Poultry such as chicken, swan, goose, ostrich is recommended to be used as a substitute for the red meats we often use in meals such as beef, pork, and sheep to have a healthy eye. Although ostrich meat is not yet a popular food in our country, it contains a lot of important nutrients such as zinc, potassium, protein and iron... which help us to have a great vision. In addition to zinc, which is an important mineral for the retina, iron helps prevent eye degeneration, keeping the eyes healthy even in old age. Turkey and chicken also contain a lot of zinc. In addition, this type of food has another great advantage of being rich in vitamins (such as vitamin B, nicotinic acid and vitamin E) which are necessary nutrients to help reduce the likelihood of cataracts and other degenerative diseases. other eye defects. These meats can be processed into many dishes such as stews, soups, grilled or salads. Eggs: Eggs contain many eye-healthy nutrients such as vitamin A, zinc, lutein, lecithin, B12, vitamin D, and cysteine. In addition to protein, egg yolks are a rich source of lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc and substances that reduce the risk of macular degeneration in the eyes leading to blindness in the elderly. The zinc in eggs will help your body absorb lutein and zeaxanthin better. They also help increase the amount of protective pigment in the macula – the important part of the eye that controls central vision.

If you are experiencing vision problems, go to a medical facility immediately to be examined and treated by a doctor as soon as possible. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has vision-related service packages such as:
Refractive error screening package Cataract surgery consultation and examination package Ortho-K package

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.