Vision problems may be a sign of advancing years. But your
eyesight need not dim as the
candles on your birthday cake get brighter. Sometimes it’s just
a matter of taste.
The American Foundation for the Blind says almost everyone
over 65 suffers some degree
of vision loss.
"But a healthy diet that tastes good can help preserve
your eyesight," says
Gail Hanula. She’s
a nutrition and health specialist with the University of Georgia
Extension Service.
You know you need to eat your carrots because they are good
for your eyes. But why?
The vitamin A value of carrots has long been known, Hanula
says. The first sign of
vitamin A deficiency can be night blindness, the inability to
see in dim light or adapt to
darkness.
"Our food supply in the United States is rich in vitamin
A," she says.
"You can find it in animal foods, such as liver and milk
fat. Dark yellow and leafy
green vegetables contain betacarotene. The body can convert this
to vitamin A. And many
foods, such as nonfat dairy products, are fortified with vitamin
A."
The most common U.S. causes of blindness are cataracts and
macular degeneration, Hanula
says. About 18 percent of 65- to 74-year-olds and 46 percent of
those over 75 have
cataracts.
Macular degeneration, the breakdown of a tiny part of the eye
vital to keen vision,
affects about 25 percent of Americans over 65.
"Scientists are studying the role of antioxidants in the
diet, including vitamin
C, vitamin E and carotenoids," Hanula says. "Oxidative
damage from the sun can
lead to both of these conditions."
Vitamin C seems to reduce cataract risk the most. Vitamin E
may also play a role.
"A large clinical study reported that multivitamin
supplements decreased one
common type of cataract by 35 percent in those 65-74 years
old," Hanula says.
"But vitamin supplements cannot replace all of the
substances found in food."
Betacarotene is only one of many carotenoids found in food.
Two others — lutein and
zeaxanthin — are known to lower the risk of macular
degeneration.
"In one study," Hanula says, "those with the
highest carotenoid intake
had 43 percent lower risk for macular degeneration. Those with
the highest intake of
lutein and zeaxanthin had 57 percent less risk."
Collard, turnip and mustard greens are rich in these two
carotenoids, she says.
Eating your fruits and vegetables can offer a big payback.
Studies have shown up to a
fivefold decrease in cataract risk for people who eat three and
a half servings a day of
fruits and vegetables.
"But only one in three American adults, and one in five
children, actually eat
this many servings," Hanula says.
In the 1994 Nationwide Survey of What and Where Our Children
Eat, seven of 10 children
under age 5 ate some fruit or fruit juice on any one day. But
eating fruit declines as
children get older. And fewer than 16 percent reported eating
the nutrient-packed dark
green or deep yellow vegetables.
"Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables — at least five
servings a day,"
Hanula says. “It’s
the best way to make sure your body gets all the nutrients it
needs for good health,
including good vision.”
To learn more about good nutrition, call your county
Extension Service agent.
