Carrots. That’s what my mum always swore would keep my eyesight pin-sharp when I needed a nudge to clear my plate. I’m betting your parents told you the same.
It was a common tale to tell kids, and it turns out, there is truth in it. Carrots are chock full of beta-carotene, which, when ingested, turns into vitamin A - a vitamin that’s crucial for eye health. Leafy greens like spinach, broccoli and kale also help, as do sweet potatoes, avocados and bell peppers, according to Eye Clinic London.
The short of it? Eat the rainbow and you’ll soon see the difference.
Eye health has never been higher up on the news agenda, especially since researchers in China discovered a link between increased screen time and worsening vision, especially among children. They also point to the pandemic as a culprit for heightened levels of nearsightedness, or myopia, due to children learning in online classrooms and working from home routines over lockdown.
While some eye conditions are inevitably down to genetics, there are ways to give your eyes a helping hand. If your job involves looking at computers for long periods, try to sit back from the screen and remember to give your peepers a break by getting up regularly or looking away from the monitor as much as you can.
Dry eyes are a modern-day malaise - one that affects half of Brits, according to research by eyecare expert Rohto Dry Aid. There are several causes to blame, from allergies and pollution to the weather and wearing contact lenses. Screen time is the other major factor, slowing the eye’s blink rate and creating dry spots on the ocular surface which become vulnerable to infection. Eye drops can help soothe dry eyes by giving them much-needed hydration, while gadgets like Peep Club’s humidifier act as an external remedy that adds extra moisture to the air around your eyes, helping keep things lubricated.
Another way to boost eye health? Vitamins. Taking regular supplements can reinforce your system with the vitamins and nutrients it needs to support and maintain your eyes.
We spoke to Kyla Black BSc (Hons) MCOptom Head of Professional Services & Professional Capability at Boots Opticians, to give us the lowdown on how vitamins can help support good eye health.
Can supplements or vitamins help protect eye health?
"Like the rest of the body, eyes benefit from a healthy, balanced diet. Supplements should not be seen as a substitute, but if you struggle to eat the recommended range of foods which can support eye health, which includes fruit and vegetables, eggs and oily fish, supplements may help support your nutritional needs."
How do they do this?
“Good nutrition is important for eye health as it helps the body to grow, repair wear and tear and protect against infection. Vitamins A, C and E are essential for maintaining good eye health and deficiencies in some of these vitamins can increase the risk of certain eye conditions.”
Which supplements do you recommend?
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“Vitamin A is beneficial in maintaining normal vision. People who are deficient in vitamin A may find their eyes are affected and cannot see as well at night and may also find that their eyes are dry by lack of, or poor quality of their tear film. You can find vitamin A in foods such as eggs, cheese, milk, yoghurt, liver, yellow and red vegetables and fruits.
“Vitamin B2 helps maintain normal vision and is found in milk, eggs, fortified breakfast cereal and rice. Zinc is a mineral that helps maintain the health of certain eye structures, in particular the retina. You can find it in red meat, shellfish, cheese and certain cereals containing wheat germ.
“Omega 3 DHA is beneficial to sustain normal vision and a daily intake of 250mg is recommended. The body cannot make omega 3 so it must be obtained from food, such as oily fish and eggs, meat, milk and cheese, or taken in the form of a fish oil supplement.”
We’ve rounded up the best vitamins and supplements to safeguard your peepers below.
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Can vitamins help with blurry vision?
Finding your vision is blurrier than usual even when you've got contacts in or glasses on? This could be down to a number of factors, from a vitamin deficiency to the modern malaise of overdoing screentime. If you've noticed redness, conjunctivitis may be the culprit, with blurry sight often one of the symptoms of the infection. Getting older can affect your numbers too with glaucoma more likely.
While you should consult an expert for long-term blurriness, there are things you can do to give yourself a helping hand.
Upping your vitamin intake, especially of Vitamins A, C, E and B Vitamin means your eyes will absorb the nourishment they need.
How else can you protect your eye health?
Black recommends getting eyes checked every two years at Boots Opticians, as recommended by the NHS. Further advice includes protecting eyes from the sun with UV sunglasses, kicking cigarettes (smoking leads to developing certain eye conditions such as macular degeneration), and employing the 20:20:20 rule when looking at screens, looking away and moving frequently.
