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Looking for natural ways to improve your eyesight? Wondering what vitamins are good for vision? In this guide, we’ll be exploring a two-fold approach to natural eye health, with both easy tips you can implement at home and information on what vitamins eyes love.
We all want to live a colorful life, full of bright blue skies, deep green trees, and vibrant shades of color. And yet, many people find these things getting duller as they age due to waning vision and declining eye health. While a visit to your optometrist or ophthalmologist is always the first thing you should do when it comes to your eyes, there are some great natural ways to improve vision that can help you to take better care of your ocular health at home.
There are two different types of natural ways to improve eyesight we’ll be exploring here. The first involves healthy practices that you can work into your daily routine to protect your eyes and reduce strain, while the second includes a breakdown of what vitamins are good for vision, in order to help you choose better foods and supplements for your eyesight. Without further ado, let’s take a look at some natural ways to improve vision.
Considering how important as our eyes are, they’re really quite fragile. The muscles, nerves, and blood vessels that work together to allow us to see are subject to strain and damage at the hands of a variety of factors, but there are some easy ways to help protect them.
Be Diligent About Having Your Eyes Examined
If anybody knows about eye health, it’s certainly the National Eye Institute, who highly recommends regular eye exams as the best thing you can do for your eye health. They’re painless and easy - after checking for vision problems with a simple chart test, your doctor will dilate your eyes with drops and look for signs of eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration.
Exercise for Healthier Eyes
Physical activity is great for so many areas of wellness, but it can also act as a natural way to improve eyesight and support ocular health. The improved blood circulation that results from exercise can help keep the small, delicate blood vessels in the eyes strong and healthy.
Reduce Eye Strain With A Simple Rule-of-Thumb
In today’s world, screens pose an added risk to our eyes at almost all hours of the day. To give your eyes a much needed break and protect your vision, try practicing the 20-20-20 rule recommended by the American optometric association.
It’s simple: for every 20 minutes of screen time, take a 20 second break to look at something 20 feet away.Keep a Close Eye on Health Conditions That Could Harm Your Vision
Those with diabetes may already be aware of their risk for diabetic retinopathy, which can cause damage to the small arteries of the retina, and damage sight. However, there are a host of other common health conditions that are correlated with vision impairment, as listed in this table from the CDC.
A healthy diet is a major component of managing many of the conditions listed. But what if you could eat not just for your overall wellness, but for your eyes in particular? Let’s talk about what vitamins are good for eyesight, and how you can increase your intake.
Now that we’ve covered some natural ways to improve eyesight through healthy habits, it’s time to answer the question of what vitamin is good for vision. In fact, there are a handful of different nutrients that are beneficial for supporting eye health:
Vitamin A
We’ve all heard it a million times: carrots are good for your eyes. The story goes that this is because of their high content of beta-carotene, which is true, but that beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A by the body. Vitamin A helps to produce a pigment used by the retina, and a deficiency of it can lead to duller vision and a decrease in night vision.
Where to Get It: Carrots are actually outperformed by pumpkin and sweet potatoes when it comes to vitamin A content, but anything with a bright orange color is a pretty safe bet!
Vitamin C
Well-known for its immunity supporting properties, vitamin C is also believed to be a natural way to improve eyesight. As a powerful antioxidant, it helps protect the lens of the eye from free radicals that may be responsible for age-related decreases in visual acuity.
Where to Get It: Citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, and peppers are all rich sources of vitamin C.
Carotenoids
We can’t answer the question “what vitamin is good for vision” without mentioning a few nutrients that aren’t technically vitamins. Carotenoids are naturally occurring pigments with antioxidant properties such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene. These compounds help to support the macula by increasing pigment density, which aids in the absorption of harmful ultraviolet light.
Where to Get It: Leafy greens such as spinach and kale are the name of the game when it comes to carotenoids, with supplements serving as a good alternative for those who don’t like their veggies.
Anthocyanin
Legend has it that British Royal Air Force pilots would chow down on bilberry jam before their bombing runs to heighten their night vision. The berry (which is a relative of the cranberry) is rich in an antioxidant called anthocyanin, which is a lesser-known natural way to improve vision. A study found that anthocyanin improved blood circulation in eye tissues, and it proves to be promising in its ability to support visual health.1
Where to Get It: Aside from the bilberry, other dark berries such as blackcurrants, blackberries, and blueberries are good sources of anthocyanin.
DHA
A type of Omega-3 fatty acid, DHA is a great nutrient for supporting strong vision into later life. According to this Harvard article, research suggests that DHA plays a role in suppressing the build-up of a toxic molecule that accumulates in the back of the eye over time. A natural way to preserve eyesight is just as valuable as a natural way to improve eyesight, making DHA a valuable addition to any ocular health nutritional regimen.
Where to Get It: Fish and flaxseed are both rich in DHA, and there are also many supplements available to get your Omega-3’s.
In addition to the food suggestions listed for each of these vitamins and nutrients, you may find supplements to be an easy, convenient way to boost your intake of vitamins that are good for vision. Consider checking out a vision supplement that blends a variety of natural eye health ingredients together.
The search for natural ways to improve eyesight can be a tough one at times, but by taking a twofold approach that combines healthy eye habits and lifestyle choices with vitamins good for vision, you’ll be well-equipped to support strong visual health for years to come. If you enjoyed this “look” at natural ways to improve vision and answers to what vitamins are good for eyesight, make sure to follow us on social media to keep up with even more wellness news and tips.
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