The following was written by Bill Evans and published in the Coolum and North Shore News, Ask the Professionals page on Friday, 27th September 2013.
Q: What foods keep your eyes healthy?
A: Maintaining a good diet is one of the best ways to keep your eyes performing at their optimum and prevent many eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration (MD). Beta-carotene is the precursor to vitamin A, forming a necessary pigment in the retina. Beta-carotene is found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and silverbeet, as well as orange vegetables like carrots and pumpkin. A diet high in these foods will also provide other essential eye nutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin E. Citrus fruits, capsicum and broccoli all contain vitamin C, an antioxidant which helps guard the eyes against cataracts and MD, as well as repair the cornea. Seafood, nuts and wholegrains provide nutrients such as zinc, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients assist in antioxidant action, and are involved in cell growth, repair and renewal.
