Nutrition plays a big role in your child’s overall wellbeing. When it comes to vision and eye health, food can be the first line of defence not only to improve any problems with eyesight, but also prevent age-related eye diseases. For example, macular degeneration and cataracts.
Your eyes are the one of the most important organs in your body. It helps you perceive the world. So, protecting your eyesight is important, especially while you’re young.
But can you really improve eyesight with food? Or perhaps even cure eye-related disorders? Let’s find out together.
Can you Really Cure Poor Vision with Food?
We’ve all heard stories about how eating carrots can make you see better in the dark. But those are just old wives’ tales. Probably fabricated to get children to eat their veggies.
Nevertheless, there may be some fact to the fiction. While carrots have become synonymous with enhancing eyesight, it’s actually what’s inside carrots (and other foods) that helps protect your vision.
One of the most common and notable eye conditions affecting both children and adults is probably blurry vision—myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness). The ocular disorder that forces many people to wear glasses and contact lenses to help them see better.
Unfortunately, science tells us that poor vision is hereditary. Something to do with the shape of the eyeballs and cornea that can only be corrected through refractive surgery.
While poor vision can’t necessarily be cured naturally, it can be controlled and improved. Especially through diet and nutrition.
Moreover, eye-enhancing food can also help with other eye problems like dry eyes, eyestrain, and even other serious vision problems like glaucoma.
It’s important to help your kids maintain their eyesight while they’re still young. After all, prescription glasses can be quite expensive.
Som which foods should you add to your child’s diet to aid their vision? Keep reading.
6 Foods to Improve Your Child’s Eyesight
Beta-Carotene
Our eyes are constantly being exposed to light, from the harmful UV rays of the sun, to the blinding blue screens of our laptops and phones. These types of light can cause gradual damage to our retinas.
But it’s compounds like beta-carotene that helps to reduce the oxidative stress this light puts on our eyes. Foods rich in beta-carotene include orange, yellow and red vegetables and fruits like carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, tomatoes and papaya, squash and mangoes.
A good way to incorporate these ingredients into your meals, especially if you have a picky eater, is through purees and smoothies.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Another nutrient that is important for eye health is omega-3 fatty acids, also called DHA.
DHA makes up almost 90% of the retina, the most important part of the eye. So, a healthy amount of this nutrient in your diet will help maintain the ocular structure and keep it healthy for longer.
You’re probably familiar with all the omega-3 sources by now. Tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines and anchovies all contain high amounts of DHA.
Some studies have also discovered that fish oil can reverse dry eye—especially if it’s caused by prolonged screentime.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is responsible for the production of collagen in our body, a protein that provides structure to the eyes. Research suggest it can protect against cataracts and AMD (age-related macular degeneration).
Some good sources of vitamin C include your citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits, peppers (capsicum and chilies), strawberries, blackcurrants, and broccoli.
But if you want to try something new, you can try getting your hands on some black sapote which is said to contain more vitamin C than oranges.
Vitamin E
Studies show that vitamin E can protect the eye free radicals, which are harmful molecules that break down healthy cells overtime. The action of free radicals is what causes conditions like cataracts or age-related macular degeneration.
So, eating more vitamin E has an antioxidant effect that can help keep your eyes younger. Some foods that contain a lot of vitamin E include nuts and seeds like almonds, pistachios, and walnuts.
You can also include wheatgerm oil, avocadoes and sunflower seeds into your cooking to boost the vitamin E in your child’s diet.
Zinc
Zinc is a mineral that helps maintain the health of the retina, cell membranes, and protein structure of the eye. It also plays an essential role in melanin-production by supporting the transmission of vitamin A from the liver to the eye.
More melanin in the eye means greater protection against harmful UV light. Zinc-rich foods include red meat, shellfish (crabs and prawns), legumes (chickpeas and lentils).
Copper
Copper is an important nutrient for eye health. It enhances the function of antioxidant enzymes in the eye and preserves melanin in the retina, keeping your eyes brighter and clearer.
Research also suggests that there’s some connection between vision loss and copper deficiency. Some copper-rich foods you may want to include in your child’s diet include liver, oysters, shiitake mushrooms, spirulina, and lobster.
Better Vision for a Better Future
Chances are your little one may be wearing glass at his or her tender age. You see many toddlers these days with vision problems and poor eyesight.
While excessive use of television and smart phones are likely at fault, genetics play a part as well. Poor vision is often genetic and not something you can entirely control.
However, if you have a family history of eyesight problems, you may be able to delay those conditions in your young child by reducing screen time and supplementing their diet. All through the power of nutrition and food.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!