One statistic that you might not be familiar with is that it is believed that an estimated 6.6 million Americans will be dealing with poor vision and blindness by the year 2030. That is double the number of people in the United States dealing with those issues now. Many people blame the decline in eye health on modern technology such as our smartphones that many of us have glued to our hands and the computer screens many of us stare at for most of the day. However, many people ignore the fact that our diets play a huge role when it comes to eye health. For instance, it likely is not a surprise that fruits and vegetables are essential when it comes to keeping your eyes healthy. Unfortunately, many Americans do not eat enough of them. Keep reading to learn more about what nutrients you should incorporate into your diet for better eye health.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential when it comes to the structural part of the cell membranes that help to protect the retina of the eye. Therefore, it is important to eat foods high in Omega 3s including salmon (not farmed), krill, walnuts, and flaxseed. If you are vegetarian or vegan and don’t think you can get enough through your diet, you can purchase Omega 3 pills that do not contain fish oil (and some that do if you do not have any dietary restrictions). Researchers have found that individuals with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood were at much lower risk of advanced degeneration of the macula of the eye (the part of the retina that allows you to see what is straight in front of you).
