The Eyes Have It

Certain foods and vitamins can help fend off the eye ailments that come with age, including cataracts, night blindness, conjunctivitis and reduced sight.

By Camille Chatterjee, published on March 01, 1999 - last reviewed on May 31, 2008

Cataracts, night blindness, conjunctivitis and reduced sight are just a few of the vision impairments that descend with age—and poor nutrition. But it's never too late to keep an eye on these problems. A review of studies in the journal Eye confirms that certain foods and vitamins can help fend off these ailments. Those that Ophthalmologist Nicholas Brown deems most useful:

Vitamins
People with cataracts are often low in vitamins C, E and beta-carotene. Brown concludes that they are most helpful in smokers or people with poor nutrition. They can be found in green vegetables, fruits and nuts. In pills, he suggests an upper limit of 10 mg of beta-carotene, 1000 mg of C and 600 mg of E.
Zinc
Deficiency of this metal can lead to night blindness. Studies also show that taking zinc leads to better visual acuity. Find it in meats, eggs, whole cereals and seafood. As a supplement, 20 mg is safe.

Carotenoids

These yellow pigments color fruits and vegetables like melon and spinach and are essential to eye health. Carotenoids seem to be particularly useful in protecting the eye against macular degeneration.

Essential fatty acids

Because the body can't synthesize them, it is crucial to get fatty acids through food or supplements. A remedy called Evening Primrose Oil, which contains gamma linolinic acid (GLA), is useful in treating conjunctivitis and dry eyes. Omega-3 fatty acids like docosahexanoic acid (DHA), can be found in oily fish such as mackerel and are crucial to maintaining the health of the retina.