basta have a slight drop in pressure and vision immediately becomes blurred. Already this practical example, which we have all experienced at least once in our lives, shows how the eyes are closely connected to everything that happens in the rest of our body. For this reason, diet, what we eat or don’t eat, has a beneficial or less beneficial effect on vision. “The eyes are organs that they consume a lot of energy, because they are made up of muscles that work constantly, very hard and at breakneck speed. Just think of how many times we “blink”, or how many images the retina sends to the brain in a day» he explains Edoardo Ligabue, coordinator of the ophthalmology and eye surgery service of the Italian Diagnostic Center (Milan).
A sponge that wants quality food
«Precisely because the eye needs so much energy, it also needs a lot of nutrients to work well» clarifies the expert. The “sight” absorbs all the good and bad that we eat. However, our diet has changed in the last 30 years, both in the way we eat and in the quality of the food. «Nowadays there are few who eat freshly picked fruit and vegetables, perhaps from the garden behind the house. Even if we have a seemingly healthy diet, the fruits and vegetables we consume have been on planes, containers and trucks before reaching the table. Its nutrients, therefore, are reduced and our eyesight can suffer the consequences» clarifies the ophthalmologist. “The eye is more sensitive to the supply of nutrients than a leg muscle, for example. If there is a nutrient deficiencydue to an incorrect diet, eyesight suffers immediately» concludes Dr. Ligabue.
For good eyesight you need many antioxidants
«To stay healthy and, therefore, to ensure good vision, the eye needs many metabolites, above all antioxidants, substances that help fight aging» explains the ophthalmologist. Other than the face and neck… our eyes are made up of tissue that ages prematurely, which is why it needs lots of anti-aging, i.e. the classic antioxidants found in beauty creams. But you can’t spread lotions & Co. on the cornea and retina as you do on the cheekbones and forehead. So the only way to keeping these tissues young is consuming foods rich in anti-aging nutrients.
Eye-friendly foods
«The vitamins ACDE, the omega 3 fatty acids, lutein and zeaxanthin are the fundamental substances to ensure good eyesight even over the years» explains Dr. Ligabue. We then also need minerals such as the zinc. But where are these beneficial substances for the eyes found? «Citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, cabbage, legumes contain a lot lutein and zeaxanthin, which are essential for the good health of the retina and the macula. These substances, in fact, are essential for the cells that nourish the photoreceptors, those that translate light and images into nerve impulses» concludes the expert.
Fruit and vegetables, especially red and purple ones, are rich in eye-friendly substances. (Getty Images)
The diet must be colorful
Green light then to citrus fruit rich in vitamin C, not only oranges but also lemons and grapefruit. They’re also fine squeezed, the important thing is that they’re fresh fruit, not that they’ve ripened in a fridge, but on the tree! «All yellow and red colored vegetables and fruit are useful for eye health: peppers, tomatoes and even the good old carrots. But better if eaten raw, because cooking ruins many of the precious nutrients for the eyes» advises Dr. Ligabue.
A mixed salad is ideal, but…
A mixed salad is the perfect dish to keep your eyesight healthy: because it is made up of many fresh and raw vegetables, to which perhaps you can add a little cabbage and some cooked legumes, to make it even more eye-friendly. “Be careful though a mistake you make in good faith» warns the ophthalmologist «Often, olive oil is eliminated to dress salads, or it is replaced with other oils. This is not good for the eyes at all. Not just because good quality extra virgin olive oil is a mine of useful substances, like fatty acids. But also because many of the anti-aging nutrients, to fully develop their activity, need a “fat” in which to melt. And olive oil is ideal for these fat-loving substances.
This type of fish is also good for the eyes
Another essential element for the health of the retina and the other components of the eyes is fish. Specifically, that rich in omega 3. «The one with the highest quality is salmon, but oily fish, tuna and sardines are also good» explains Dr. Ligabue. In this case, however, that too can be consumed preserved in oil because these nutrients are maintained, even if freshly caught fish is not consumed.
Not to forget this super precious food
If it is true that a balanced diet is also ideal for keeping our eyesight in shape, it is also true that the Mediterranean diet is also perfect for the eyes. However, a food that was once considered “exotic” but which is now in our supermarkets in various forms should be added to this diet: soy. Both in sprouts and to drink it is a super antioxidant. “Soy is very rich in substances that fight aging and for this reason it is also useful for preventing cataracts, a vision disorder that now always appears earlier” concludes the ophthalmologist.
iO Woman © REPRODUCTION RESERVED