It's not every day that the public is educated about the strong link between nutrition and ocular health. Research indicates that unhealthy lifestyle choices, especially poor dietary habits, can significantly affect health. A balanced diet with proper care and treatment can help slow down the symptoms of optic neuropathy quickly.
Understanding Nutritional Optic Neuropathy
The clarity of your vision and the health of your eyes are dependent on a variety of lifestyle habits. The term optic neuropathy describes any abnormality or damage to the optic nerve. This could be caused by blocked blood flow, certain medical conditions, or toxic exposure. One particular condition that could cause this is called optic neuritis.
Nutritional optic neuropathy develops when the optic nerve is damaged due to a lack of essential nutrients. This condition is more often seen in places with famine, poverty, and conflict. Sometimes, it develops when intestinal problems, changes resulting from bariatric surgery, or the use of certain medications interfere with the proper absorption of nutrients. It can also happen when excessive alcohol consumption crowds out balanced meals, or even in the case of individuals who follow a very strict vegan diet.
The Importance of Eye Nutrition
From an early age, most of us learn that vitamin A is vital to eye health. B vitamins, along with iron and thiamine, are also essential. Thiamine deficiency can develop quickly and impact eye movement and the optic nerve.
Non-starchy plant foods, such as fruits and leafy vegetables, are ideal sources of vitamin B. This eye-healthy vitamin can also be found in whole grains, eggs, dairy products, meat, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Eyes function like any other part of your body, i.e., they need oxygen as well as a wide range of nutrients to function well.
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Foods to Add to Your Optic Neuropathy Diet Plan
Experts say a balanced and nutritious diet can play a complementary role in supporting your visual health and symptoms of optic neuropathy. By incorporating these nutrient-rich foods into your diet, you can nourish your eyes and support your optic nerve, promoting a better quality of life despite the challenges of optic neuropathy.
Leafy Greens: Rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and collard greens have the power to promote eye health. Leafy greens are also known for reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration. Individuals who regularly consume leafy greens such as kale and spinach may have a 20% to 30% lower risk of developing glaucoma.
Colorful Vegetables and Fruits: Fruits such as oranges, strawberries, and kiwis are rich in Vitamin C and are thus essential for keeping the blood vessels in the eyes healthy and supporting the optic nerve. Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and tangerines are rich in vitamin C, which contributes to healthy blood vessels in your eyes. It can prevent age-related eye damage by developing and repairing new tissue cells. It should be noted that eating fresh fruits is not the same as drinking a glass of packaged orange juice which is chock-full of added sugars. Due to a high concentration of vitamin C, red bell peppers are really good for the blood vessels in your eyes.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: The consumption of fatty fish like tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, can help reduce inflammation and improve blood flow to the eyes. Fish and fish oil supplements are great sources of omega 3 fatty acids which help maintain healthy eyes. Medically reviewed journals have found that eating fish like tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel can prevent dry eyes as well. Just be aware that fish and other seafoods also contain a lot of mercury.
Seeds and Nuts: Vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids are found in abundance in almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds. Flax, chia, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds are high in omega-3s and vitamin E. The same goes for cashews, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and other nuts. Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of vitamin E, which helps maintain cell health and protects retinal tissues from free radical damage. Incorporating almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds into your diet can benefit your eye health. Bananas, avocados, pumpkin seeds, and black beans are excellent sources of magnesium, helping you reach the recommended daily intake of 300-400 mg. Dietary magnesium may support people with glaucoma by enhancing blood flow to the eyes. It may also help protect retinal ganglion cells - key players in processing visual information and sending it to the brain through the optic nerve.
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Legumes: Kidney beans, lentils, and black-eyed peas are great sources of zinc and bioflavonoids - both of which can help reduce the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration and can protect the retina. Zinc is necessary for proper eye health, as it is concentrated in the retina and helps to move vitamin A to the eyes from the liver.
Whole Grains: Including whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and oats in your diet can supply your optic nerve with a practically unending flow of energy, and help to regulate your blood sugar level, which if not kept stable can worsen optic neuropathy.
Eggs: Eggs are packed with essential nutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E, and zinc, which are especially beneficial for those suffering from optic neuropathy. The yolk of eggs contains vitamin A, zinc, and important antioxidants that are all vital to eye health.
Green Tea: Green tea is packed with beneficial antioxidants, such as catechins, that may play a part in improving eye health, including the prevention of optic neuropathy.
Garlic and Onion: The sulfur present in these fragrant vegetables is responsible for producing glutathione, a key antioxidant that safeguards the optic nerve from harm due to oxidative stress.
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Beef: High-quality beef is rich in zinc and vitamin A, which are highly beneficial for your retina and cornea (the outer layer of the eye).
Black Currants: Black currants are packed with linoleic acid and Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which are also found in vitamin C and can prove beneficial in treating dry eye syndrome.
Foods to Avoid or Use in Moderation
When dealing with optic neuropathy, it’s essential to be mindful of your diet and lifestyle choices to support your visual health.
High-Sodium Foods: Consuming a diet with excessive sodium can lead to high blood pressure, which may negatively impact your optic nerve’s blood flow.
Refined Carbohydrates and Sugars: Incorporating this into your diet can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels and this can contribute to inflammation and may adversely affect the optic nerve’s health.
Caffeine and Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can cause a lack of essential nutrients and damage to nerves. Caffeine can also reduce the body’s ability to absorb those nutrients.
Allergenic Foods: Some people who have optic neuropathy may have an undiagnosed food sensitivity or allergy that can make their symptoms worse.
Additional Nutrients and Their Benefits
Vitamin A: It nourishes your corneas and helps create the pigments that allow your retinas to work properly. The leading cause of preventable blindness in children across the globe is actually a deficiency of this essential vitamin.
Vitamin C: This antioxidant vitamin leads to collagen production which provides structure to your eyes.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids: These essential fatty acids help reduce the risk of glaucoma caused by high eye pressure.
Minerals and Antioxidants: Studies suggest that lutein and zeaxanthin can protect your eyes from potentially dangerous UV rays in sunlight. There is also evidence that a high level of these two antioxidants is linked with better night vision.
Lifestyle Considerations
In addition to diet, protecting your eyes from the sun and limiting screen time are important. Unprotected sun exposure can pose some serious health risks that can impact the eyes for years to come. Blue light emitted from smartphones, laptops, and televisions may also harm our eyes.
Glaucoma and Diet
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with glaucoma, you may wonder if diet plays a role in managing this condition. While a balanced diet cannot cure glaucoma, certain foods and nutrients actively support better eye pressure regulation, improve blood flow to the optic nerve, and reduce oxidative stress - crucial factors in managing glaucoma.
While there is no cure for glaucoma, advancements in research continue to bring us closer to finding one and restoring vision loss.
The Importance of Regular Eye Exams
Taking control of your diet is the first step toward a healthy lifestyle. Your next step should be to go for an eye examination every year to ensure your eye health is perfect. At VNA Health Care, we offer annual eye exams to catch preventable health issues early.