18 Foods for Healthy Eyes

Are you eating the foods that are best for your eyes? There's more to eye nutrition than just carrots. Learn which foods boost your eye health and help protect against sight-threatening diseases. Maintaining a well-balanced, healthy diet is key to keeping your eyes healthy, and may help reduce your risk for developing eye conditions. Serious eye conditions may be avoided if you include foods that contain a range of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals, known as antioxidants. Eye conditions that you may be able to prevent with a healthy diet include:

• cataracts, which cause cloudy vision
• age-related macular degeneration, which can limit your eyesight
• glaucoma
• dry eyes
• poor night vision

These antioxidants ward off oxidants that can affect your health in negative ways.

Your eyes need many types of antioxidants to stay healthy. These include:

• lutein
• zeaxanthin
• vitamins A, C, E
• beta-carotene
• omega-3 fatty acids
• zinc

A balanced diet is best created with a variety of proteins, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. Try to eat a rainbow during your day, incorporating many types of foods in many different colors. You should limit consumption of unhealthy foods that are processed, contain saturated fats, or are high in sugar.

Here are eighteen of the best foods for your eyes. Most are generally available year-round and for a reasonable price. You can enjoy them on their own or in more complex recipes.

1. Fish

Fish, particularly salmon, can be a great food to consume for eye health. Salmon and other fish have omega-3 fatty acids. These are “healthy” fats. Omega-3 fatty acids can contribute to visual development and the health of the retina in the back of the eye. They can also help prevent dry eyes.

Consider incorporating fish into your meal plan a few days a week. When buying salmon, choose a wild-caught version instead of farm-raised salmon. That’s because farm-raised salmon has more saturated fat and less omega-3s than wild-caught salmon.

Salmon, and most fish, can be grilled or broiled. Try seasoning it with fresh herbs, lemons, and salt and pepper for a simple and delicious dinner.

2. Eggs

Eggs are a great food to eat for eye health. The yolks contain vitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin, and zinc, which are all vital to eye health. Vitamin A safeguards the cornea. The cornea is the surface of the eye. Lutein and zeaxanthin lower the chance of getting serious eye conditions like age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Zinc contributes to the health of the retina. The retina is the back of the eye. Zinc also helps eyes see at night.

Eggs are extremely versatile and can work for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A simple way to enjoy eggs is by hard-boiling them. Try them in salads and sandwiches. You can even eat a hardboiled egg for a snack.

3. Almonds

Almonds, like other nuts and seeds, are generally good for eye health. Almonds contain vitamin E. This vitamin guards against unstable molecules that target healthy tissue. Consuming regular amounts of vitamin E can help prevent age-related macular degeneration as well as cataracts. You should aim for about 22 international units (IU), or 15 mg of vitamin E a day. One serving of almonds is about 23 nuts, or ¼ cup, and has 11 IU. Other nuts and seeds that contain vitamin E include sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, and peanuts.

You can enjoy almonds as a snack at any time. They are also tasty in your breakfast cereal, yogurt, or in salads. Just remember to keep an eye on serving size. Almonds are high in calories, so try to limit your intake to one to two servings a day.

4. Dairy

Dairy products such as milk and yogurt can be good for the eyes. They contain vitamin A as well as the mineral zinc. Vitamin A protects the cornea while zinc helps bring that vitamin to the eyes from the liver. Zinc is found throughout the eye, especially the retina and choroid, which is the vascular tissue that lies under the retina. This important mineral helps with night vision as well as the prevention of cataracts. Dairy from grass-fed cows provides the most benefits.

Dairy can be consumed throughout your day. You can drink a glass with a meal or enjoy it in coffee and tea, or breakfast cereal. Yogurt is a healthy option for breakfast or as a snack.

5. Carrots

Carrots are well-known to be good for eye health. Like egg yolks, carrots have vitamin A and also beta carotene. Vitamin A and beta carotene help the surface of the eye and can also help prevent eye infections and other serious eye conditions.

Carrots are easy to eat on the go. Julianne whole carrots or keep a bag of baby carrots handy for an afternoon or evening snack. Toss them in salads and soups for some added nutrition, or shred them up and add them to muffin or pancake batter.

6. Kale

Kale is known as a superfood by many because it contains so many important vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. It’s extremely good for eye health. Kale has the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, also found in eggs and other foods. These nutrients may help to prevent serious eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Lutein and zeaxanthin aren’t made in the body, so you have to incorporate them into your diet. A 100 gram serving of kale, which is about 1 ½ cups, contains 11.4 mg of lutein, and it’s recommended you get 10 mg per day. Other vegetables high in lutein are red peppers and spinach.

Kale can be made into snack chips. First wash the leaves, then tear them into small pieces; toss it in olive oil, and bake it 20 minutes or so, until the kale gets crispy. You can season them with a light sprinkle of salt. You can also sauté kale for a side dish or serve it in a salad.

7. Oranges

Oranges and other citrus fruit contain vitamin C, which is key for eye health. The vitamin, found mainly in fresh fruits and vegetables, contributes to healthy blood vessels in your eyes. It can combat the development of cataracts, and in combination with other vitamins and nutrients, age-related macular degeneration.

To enjoy oranges, you can drink orange juice, peel one as a snack, or add them to a fruit salad.

8.Sweet Potatoes: The Color of Health

These orange tubers are a good source of beta carotene, which may slow progress of macular degeneration. Your body converts beta carotene to vitamin A, a nutrient that helps prevent dry eyes and night blindness. Beta carotene and vitamin A also help reduce the risk eye infections. Sweet potatoes not your favorite? For beta carotene, try other deep orange foods, which include carrots and butternut squash, plus dark green foods including spinach and collard greens. Liver, milk and eggs are other great sources of vitamin A.

But don't count on popping a pill to get these nutrients — your best sources of vitamins and antioxidants are from whole foods, since it may be a food's combination of nutrients that have a synergistic healing effect. And, similar to lutein and zeaxanthin, beta carotene and vitamin A are absorbed best when eaten with a little healthy fat such as olive oil.

9.Strawberries: Help You "C" Better

Fresh, juicy strawberries are a good thing for your eyes, and contain plenty of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that can help lower your risk of cataracts. Also, be sure to load up your plate with other vitamin C-rich foods including bell peppers, broccoli, citrus (such as orange and grapefruit) and cantaloupe.

10.Green Tea: Antioxidant Powerhouse

A cup of green tea is more than relaxing and delicious — its antioxidants may help lower risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. Green tea contains healthful substances called catcehins, which are responsible for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Other foods that are that are high in catechins include red wine, chocolate, berries and apples. Black tea also boasts catechins, but in lower amounts than its green cousin.

11.Leafy Greens 

Spinach, kale and collard greens, to name a few, are full of luteinand zeaxanthin, plant pigments that can help stem the development of macular degeneration and cataracts. Broccoli, peas and avocados are also good sources of this powerful antioxidant duo.

12.Whole Grains 

A diet containing foods with a low glycemic index (GI) can help reduce your risk for age-related macular degeneration.Swap refined carbohydrates for quinoa, brown rice, whole oats and whole-wheat breads and pasta. The vitamin E, zinc and niacin found in whole grains also help promote overall eye health.

13.Citrus Fruits and Berries 

Oranges, grapefruits, lemons and berries are high in vitamin C, which may reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

14.Nuts 

Pistachios, walnuts, almonds — whichever type tickles your fancy — are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E that boost your eye health.

15.Legumes 

Kidney beans, black-eyed peas and lentils are good sources of bioflavonoids and zinc — and can help protect the retina and lower the risk for developing macular degeneration and cataracts.

16.Fish Oil, Flaxseed Oil and Black Currant Seed Oil 

These super supplements contain omega-3 fatty acids and have many eye health benefits, including helping to prevent or control dry eye syndrome as well as reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

17.Sunflower Seeds 

Help keep your eyes healthy and disease-free by snacking on sunflowers seeds, which are excellent sources of vitamin E and zin

18.Beef 

In moderation, lean beef in your diet can boost your eye health. Beef contains zinc, which helps your body absorb vitamin A and may play a role in reducing risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration.