Healthy Vision Month

How can nutrition impact our eyes? Here are some nutrients that are important to our eyes:

• Vitamin A: Vitamin A helps retina turn light into rays into the images we see, and can help keep eyes moist
  • Vitamin A deficiency can lead to stopped production of these pigments that are the images we see and can lead to night blindness and dry eyes.  
  • Vitamin A Sources: Carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, apricots, mangos, red peppers (raw), ricotta cheese (part-skim), spinach 
• Vitamin C and E: Vitamin C and E help repair, grow and keep tissues and cells healthy that have been damaged by things we eat, unhealthy habits and environmental factors that can produce free radicals which are molecules that can damage and kill cells.  
  • Vitamin C sources: citrus fruits (oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, lemon), peaches, red bell peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kiwi 
    Vitamin E sources: avocado, almonds, sunflower seeds, broccoli, peanut butter,
    spinach, wheat germ 
• Zinc:  Zinc help keep retina healthy and may protect eye from damaging effects of light 
  • Zinc Sources: beans (black eyed, kidney, lima), oysters, lean red meats, poultry, fortified cereals, Chickpeas, yogurt