10 Foods That Improve Eyesight and Protect Your Eyes

The right foods can help keep your eyes healthy and lower the risk of some common eye diseases, such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Here are the foods that are good for your eyesight, many of them easy to find in Nigerian markets, plus an honest answer to whether food can restore your vision.

Can food improve or restore eyesight?

A healthy diet helps protect your eyes over time, but no food can cure short-sightedness or long-sightedness, or bring back sight that has been lost. Blurry vision is usually caused by a need for glasses, or by conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma or diabetes, which need an eye check. The one exception is vitamin A deficiency: if you lack vitamin A, eating more of it can improve night vision.

Key nutrients for healthy eyes

• Vitamin A and beta-carotene: help you see in low light and keep the front of the eye healthy
• Lutein and zeaxanthin: plant pigments that collect in the retina and help filter harmful light
• Vitamin C and vitamin E: antioxidants that help protect eye cells
• Zinc: helps vitamin A work in the eye
• Omega-3 fats: important for the retina

10 foods that are good for your eyesight

1. Dark green leafy vegetables. Ugu, efo tete (African spinach), waterleaf and bitter leaf are rich in lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin A.

2. Carrots. High in beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

3. Orange sweet potatoes. One of the richest sources of beta-carotene.

4. Pawpaw and mango. Provide beta-carotene and vitamin C.

5. Red palm oil. Rich in carotenoids that the body converts to vitamin A. Use it in moderation as it is high in fat.

6. Eggs. The yolk contains lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin A and zinc in a form that is easy to absorb.

7. Oily fish. Sardines, mackerel (titus), tuna and salmon provide omega-3 fats.

8. Oranges and other citrus fruits. Good sources of vitamin C.

9. Groundnuts, almonds and sunflower seeds. Provide vitamin E.

10. Beans and lean meat. Good sources of zinc.

Do eye supplements help?

A large US study (AREDS2) found that a specific combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, copper, lutein and zeaxanthin can slow the progression of moderate to advanced age-related macular degeneration. It did not prevent the disease in people with healthy eyes. Only take eye supplements if an eye doctor recommends them, and get most of your nutrients from food.

Other ways to protect your eyesight

• Get regular eye tests, every 2 years for most adults, and more often if you’re over 40 or have a family history of glaucoma.
• Control diabetes and blood pressure. Both can damage the eyes. People with diabetes need an eye check at least once a year.
• Don’t smoke. Smoking raises the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
• Wear sunglasses that block UV light outdoors.
• Rest your eyes from screens using the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Don’t put unprescribed drops or traditional remedies in your eyes. They can cause infections and serious damage.

Read more: 8 tips for maintaining good eyesight and protecting your vision at work.

When to see an eye doctor

See an eye doctor promptly if you notice blurred or double vision, difficulty seeing at night, eye pain or redness, flashes of light or new floaters. Sudden loss of vision is an emergency.

Frequently asked questions

What foods improve eyesight?
Leafy greens, carrots, orange sweet potatoes, eggs, oily fish, citrus fruits and nuts help keep eyes healthy, but they can’t correct a need for glasses.

How can I restore my eyesight naturally?
Lost vision can’t usually be restored with food or exercises. An eye test will show whether glasses, treatment or surgery, such as for cataracts, can help.

Are carrots really good for your eyes?
Yes, they provide vitamin A, which the eyes need. They only improve vision if you are low in vitamin A.

This article is for general information and does not replace advice from your doctor.

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