Eyesight and food

As with any disease food can be of enormous benefit to restoring and maintaining clear eyesight. Also, many diseases are caused by the wrong eating habits and that can have an impact on your eyesight.
Following are top recommendations on food and eyesight divided into:
Food:

Carrots
Very rich in Vitamin A. "Carrots are good for your eyesight", we were told as children and indeed around 500, 000 children worldwide are going blind every year because their diet and their mothers' breast milk does not contain sufficient amounts of vitamin A and Beta-carotene.
Beta carotene is a substance that is converted to Vitamin A in the human body. This vitamin helps transfer fat to energy. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked carrots contains four times the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A. Beta-carotene is also a powerful antioxidant effective in fighting against some forms of cancer.

It helps maintain the surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. When those linings break down, bacteria can enter the body and cause infection, therefore it is good in several ways and it is not just eye food. Vitamin A also helps maintain the integrity of skin and mucous membranes that function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses.

In order to convert Beta-carotene into vitamin A the body also needs some fat, sufficient levels of zinc and iron along with the sanitary conditions, especially clean water. All must be available to avoid the carotene being flushed through the body with no effect.

Cold water fish (sardines, cod, mackerel, tuna.)
Cold water fish are an excellent source of DHA, which provides structural support to cell membranes, and is recommended for dry eyes, treatment for macular degeneration, and sight preservation.

Spinach, kale and green leafy vegetables
These plants are rich in carotenoids, especially lutein and zeaxathin (also found in goji berries). Lutein, a yellow pigment, protects the macula from sun damage and from blue light.

Eggs
Eggs are rich in cysteine, sulfur, lecithin, amino acids and lutein. Sulfur-containing compounds protect the lens of the eye from cataract formation.

Garlic, onions, shallots and capers
This items are also rich in sulfur, which is necessary for the production of glutathione, an important antioxidant for the lens of the eye, and the whole body.

Soy
Low in fat, rich in protein, soy has become a staple in vegetarian diets. Soy contains essential fatty acids, phytoestrogens, vitamin E and natural anti-inflammatory agents.

Fruits and vegetables
Our mothers always told us about these -- they were right. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamin A, vitamin C, and E and Beta-carotene. The yellow vegetables, such as carrots and squash, are important for daytime vision.

Blueberries and grapes
These foods contain anthocyanins, which improve night vision. A cup full of blueberries, huckleberry jam, or a 100 mg bilberry supplement should improve dark adaptation within 30 minutes.

Wine
Known to have a cardioprotective effect, wine has many important nutrients, which protect vision, heart and blood flow. Needless to say, moderation is always important.

Nuts and berries These are nature's most concentrated food sources.

Since ancient times, Goji berries have been very popular in China for their vision improvement properties. Modern Chinese scientists have found that goji is able to reduce the time it takes for vision to adapt to darkness. It also improves vision under subdued light. Blind spots were reduced in patients taking goji. Its powerful antioxidant carotenoids may also protect against macular degeneration and cataracts. Goji reduces the time it takes for vision to adapt to darkness, and reduces blind spots. Its powerful antioxidant carotenoids and flavonoids may also protect against diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and cataracts. Read more on Goji berries here.

Supplements:
Vitamin A and Beta-carotene
Vitamin A is a family of fat-soluble vitamins. Retinol is one of the most active, or usable, forms of vitamin A, and is found in animal foods such as liver and eggs and in some fortified food products.

Some plant foods contain darkly coloured pigments called provitamin. Carotenoids can be converted to vitamin A. In the U.S., approximately 26% and 34% of vitamin A consumed by men and women is provided by provitamin A carotenoids.

Vitamin A plays an important role in vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division and cell differentiation, which is the process by which a cell decides what it is going to become .

Beta carotene is a substance that is converted to Vitamin A in the human body. This vitamin helps transfer fat to energy. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked carrots contains four times the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A. Beta carotene is also a powerful antioxidant effective in fighting against some forms of cancer.

It helps maintain the surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. When those linings break down, bacteria can enter the body and cause infection, therefore it is good in several ways and it is not just eye food. Vitamin A also helps maintain the integrity of skin and mucous membranes that function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses.

Vitamin A is important for maintaining good eyesight, especially at night when it helps our eyes adjust to the dark. Vitamin A also helps fight infection, keeps skin and hair healthy, and supports bone growth and maintenance.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an important structural component to strengthen capillaries and build collagen. It maintains the shape of the cornea, especially in cases of infection, and supports the fight against free radicals throughout the body. Vitamin C is the second most common antioxidant in the lens, and prevents cataracts from developing, whether due to sunlight exposure or other oxidative stresses.

B Complex vitamins
These vitamins are necessary for nerve function. The retinal receptor cells send all their messages through nerve fibres into the optic nerve, and into the brain. These vitamins maintain many nerve and general body activities. B-12 is especially important, as it is the most common deficiency in elderly individuals. 1000 mg of B-12, sublingually (under the tongue) a day is recommended for people with optic nerve disease or glaucoma.

Alpha Lipoic Acid
This is a very important nerve stabilizer and is helpful in diabetics, and in patients with glaucoma, to protect their remaining optic nerve fibres.

Lutein
Lutein and other carotenoids are very important in the eye. We know that carrots are good for day vision and lutein and zeaxanthin are important in protecting the central retina (the macula) from blue and ultraviolet light. Studies have shown that oral administration of lutein, or eating spinach, can increase the level of lutein in the retina. This is especially important for people with age-related macular degeneration. Read more on Lutein here.

DHA
Dicosahexaenoic acid, with six unsaturated double bonds, comprises 30 percent of the good fat that is in the retina, brain and adrenal gland. The primary source for this is algae and cold water fish such as tuna, mackerel, salmon and sardines. DHA has been used as a supplement to infant formulas to improve visual performance in the first year of life, as well as emotional and physical development. People have found that following objects at a distance, driving and hand/eye coordination have all been improved with the use of this important fat, that stabilizes cell membranes throughout the body.

N-Acetyl Cysteine
This is the primary component in the production of glutathione. Glutathione is produced and released by the liver, and is the major antioxidant in the lens of the eye. Cellular enzymes -- glutathione reductase, super oxide dismutase and catalase, are the primary free radical-fighting potions inside our cells. Glutathione helps fortify these and protect many structures throughout the body while removing toxins from the body.

Magnesium
Magnesium is important in nerve conduction and it dilates blood vessels. Magnesium at bedtime, 400-500 mg, is important for maintaining blood flow to the eye and brain in elderly individuals with macular degeneration or diabetes, at a time of decreased blood pressure because they are lying down. Magnesium and B-12 deficiencies are the two most common deficiencies in the elderly.

Chromium, Selenium and Zinc
This is important in regulation of blood sugar. Selenium is a cofactor for vitamin E, as well as glutathione reductase. Zinc plays a role in many enzymes present in the retina. Supplementation of more than 30 mg zinc daily requires adding 2 mg of copper.

Gingko Biloba
This herb has been used for millennia for eye and central nervous system problems. It is known to be a selective cerebro-vascular dilator and seems to increase circulation to the back of the eye. It is becoming an adjunct in the treatment of macular degeneration and glaucoma. Although there are no critical studies that show a definite scientific value, there are many reports about its increasing blood flow to the eye.

Coleus forskohlii, Pilocarpus jaborandi, and Triphala
These have been recommended for patients with glaucoma to lower intra ocular pressure via parasympathetic relaxation of the body. Triphala (composes of Emblica officinaliis, Terminalia belerica and Terminalis chebula) has long been known in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of glaucoma. It is interesting that its mild laxative effect brings about a generalizing calming feeling, which is so important for glaucoma individuals, to reduce stress. Magnesium and B-12 are also important for these individuals with chronic glaucoma.

Silymarin
This is the primary component of milk thistle. Silymarin is a major liver support and is the only known treatment for chronic active hepatitis and for alcoholic cirrhosis. The liver is the key organ for the eye, since all the fat soluble vitamins and glutathione are stored there. The B vitamins are activated in the liver. The eye is subjected to bright light throughout the day and the important ingredients for repair are stored in the liver. When the liver is overburdened, eyesight will be compromised.