Food Mataz: The Hidden Danger of Your Diet on Eye Health

By: Precious Fagbola

Imagine the kind of feeling and experience you have when in a well-lit room with no window and a tightly shut door, the lights suddenly goes off and everywhere becomes totally dark. Feeling so alone and out of the world, I bet you would either have to grope to the door to let natural lights in or to where your torch is. Similarly, that is the kind of fate a body with poor nutritional attention could make its eyes suffer

A popular Yoruba adage says, ‘ojú l’ọba ara’ (the eyes is the king of the body) which literally means these organs of the body are the most important part. Thus, the need for extreme care. Asides the negative effects of ultraviolet light from the sun and blue light from digital devices, poor diet is also a determining factor that could affect the eyes functionality. You may probably not know that what you serve daily on your plates are a major factor of how good your vision is shaped. In this article, you get to know the dangers to your optical world and the way out.

According to a post made by World Health Organisation on Blindness and Vision impairment in 2023, “Globally, at least 2.2 billion people have a near or distance vision impairment. In at least 1 billion of these, vision impairment could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed”. Then to prevent avoidable issue, your first priority should be knowing foods that are important for your eyesight. This type of foods are usually high in vitamins and nutrients like antioxidants, Vitamin A, C, E, Omega-3 fatty acids and Zinc, providing your sight with the best quantity needed. Examples of foods scientifically proven to improve eyesight include:

1. Orange-coloured fruits & veggies: The natural colour in orange veggies like carrots, pumpkins, mangoes, apricots, sweet potatoes and others known as beta-carotene is a pigmented nutrient that your body converts into Vitamin A, an antioxidant. Vitamin A protects the retinas in your eyes and also helps it stay lubricated to prevent damaging dryness.

2. Citrus fruit: Fruits like oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes and grapefruits are high in Vitamin SEE (C). Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps keep away harmful free radicals from the eyes. It also helps protect eyes from defects like cataracts (clouding of eyes) and AMD (Age-related Macular degeneration).

3) Green Veggies: Leafy greens and vegetables are very rich in Lutein and Zeaxanthin which also serves as antioxidants for maintaining good eyesight. The best sources for lutein and Zeaxanthin are lettuce, spinach, peas, kale, savoy cabbage among others.

4) Berries: Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and cranberries are the best berries that can provide the eyes with vitamins and antioxidants in the needed quantity for vision-boosting.

5) Fish: Fsh is one of the most common sources of omega-3 nutrients fatty acids; a health promoting fat with surplus benefits. The fat produced by fish may lower your risk of AMD and help reduce dry eye due to digital eye strain

6) Beans: legumes like beans are highly rich in zinc which boosts the formation of a pigment that protects the eyes called melanin. Melanin keeps your retinas in good state. Researchers also opines that adding zinc to your diet lowers your risk for a sight loss and AMD. Zinc can be found in beans and legumes like black, red and white beans, lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, peanuts (with its butter) and locust beans.

7) Nuts and Seeds: Although small in size, but very high in omega-3 and Vitamin E needed by the eyes. However, seeds should be taken in appropriate quantity because they are also high in calories. Examples of sight-friendly seeds and nuts are cashews, almonds, walnuts, chia seeds and sunflower seeds.

8) Eggs: eggs are sources of Vitamins A and E, Lutein and Zeaxanthin. They can be prepared in diverse ways to supplement your diet for good vision benefits.

Now, you fit think you dey chop well make ur eyes still dey do ‘balabulu’. Below are foods wey medical scientists don talk sey fit make your eyes dey do wayo

Fattier meats: Processed meats that are high in artery-clogging saturated fats leaves deposits under your retinas that incites macular degeneration.

High-Sodium foods: Your diet should mot be high in sodium as they can pose threat to the strength of your blood vessels that are located in the eyes. Weakened blood vessels can ultimately lead to retinas damage and vision impediment.

Sugary foods: A daily diet filled with sugary foods is prone to raising the bars of your blood sugar which can be dangerous to the blood vessels in your eyes. This is one major reason why diabetic patients have higher chances of having glaucoma.

Carb-heavy “white foods”: excessive consumption of white bread and bread products like biscuits, crackers, muffins, baggels and the likes can increase blood sugar which fit cause ‘yawa’ for ya eyes if unregulated.

Fried foods: Filling ur body system with fried foods increases oxidative agents that promotes vision issues.

Alcohol: Excessive alcohol intake predisposes your eyes to diseases like cataracts and AMD which could lead to blindness and vision impairment.

Overall, you must have seen that eyes wey no dey see well no be always village people. E fit dey miss good food sometimes. It is required of you that you give your natural lens the kain attention wey you dey give your skin and hair as e dey more necessary in function. In essence, your next diet should be chosen carefully with your beautiful eyes in consideration.

Bonus: Locust beans is one of the cheapest processed beans that is very rich in numerous nutrients like protein, fat, fiber, Vitamins A and B, minerals (iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc & antioxidants. An occasional munching or sprinkling of finely washed #100/200 locust beans in your soup or stew can provide your eyes with every of the aforementioned nutrients

image credit: Thind Eye Hospital