Nutrient-Rich Fresh Produce Can Help Eyes

Summer is a critical time for eye health, according to Park City dietitian Kate Geagan. Two key ways that you can protect your eyesight is to eat lots of nutrient-rich summer produce, and to shield them from the sun’s harsh ultraviolet rays.

Geagan is working on a "Don’t Lose Sight" campaign to fight macular degeneration in conjunction with Prevent Blindness America and Bausch & Lomb, the company that makes contact lenses and multivitamin supplements for eye health.

Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss for people over age 50, according to a "Don’t Lose Sight" press release. It’s a degenerative disease that affects an area of the eye known as the macula, the central part of the retina.

When the macula degenerates, the center part of your vision becomes blurry or wavy, according to the Prevent Blindness America Web site at www.preventblindness.org. Fifteen million Americans currently have macular degeneration, and the numbers are expected to triple by 2025.

Nutrition plays a vital role in cutting your risk of macular degeneration, said Geagan.

"Eyes need sustenance to stay healthy in the same way that bones need calcium, especially as people age," she said. "Summer is a great time to take advantage of some more abundant produce options in Utah to help you stack the odds of seeing clearly into your golden years."

Research suggests that vision-protecting nutrients include the phytochemicals lutein and zeaxanthin, plus omega-3 fats, zinc, beta carotene, and vitamins C and E. Here are foods that provide them:

Beta carotene: Carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, cantaloupe, apricots and cherries. (Yes, your mom was right: Eat your carrots for better eyesight. But there are no guarantees about that other wives’ tale — that eating bread crusts will give you curly hair.)

Lutein and zeaxanthin: Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale and Swiss chard; broccoli, peas, kiwis, red grapes, yellow squash, oranges, corn, mangoes and honeydew melons.

Vitamin C: Bell peppers, strawberries, kiwis, broccoli and brussels sprouts.

Zinc: Oysters and seafood, turkey, beef, pumpkin seeds and chickpeas.

Omega-3 fats: Wild salmon, sardines, Atlantic mackerel and omega- 3-fortified eggs.

Geagan said people should consider a multivitamin supplement as an "insurance policy." But not all supplements contain omega-3, lutein and zeaxanthin — check the labels.

Exposing your eyes to harmful ultraviolet light may increase your risk for AMD, Geagan said, so wear a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses that block UVA/UVB rays when out in the sun.

Also, the Don’t Lose Sight Web site, www.dontlosesight.org, touts the benefits of exercise: It improves blood circulation, which improves oxygen levels to the eyes and the removal of toxins.

The Web site also lists factors that increase the risk of AMD:

– High intake of alcohol and saturated fats

– Smoking

– Poor blood circulation due to high blood pressure

– Elevated blood-cholesterol levels.

It appears that many of the things that affect our general health also affect our eyes. That’s one more incentive to eat right and exercise.