How to keep eyes healthy and disease free in summerPartake of a balanced diet is of paramount importance for a growing child.
The developing eye has a high demand for certain micronutrients such as vitamin A, Essential fatty acids and Zinc.
Various diseases such as keratomalacia and night blindness are known to occur due to vitamin A deficiency.
Vitamin C deficiency can lead to repeated bleeds in the conjunctiva of the eye while essential fatty acid deficiency can impact brain development.Thus diet plays an important role in eye health .
They are key to protecting the macula, the area of the eye that gives us our best vision resolution.
How to keep eyes healthy and disease free in summer
Partake of a balanced diet is of paramount importance for a growing child. The developing eye has a high demand for certain micronutrients such as vitamin A, Essential fatty acids and Zinc. Various diseases such as keratomalacia and night blindness are known to occur due to vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin C deficiency can lead to repeated bleeds in the conjunctiva of the eye while essential fatty acid deficiency can impact brain development.Thus diet plays an important role in eye health . The most important requirements of the eye include essential fatty acids, vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Vitamin E along with micronutrients such as zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin .Essential fatty acids are found in fish and are important for proper retinal development in babiesand tear film maintenance in adults. Flax seeds and nuts can be an important vegetarian source.Vitamin A is found in large quantities in orange coloured fruits and vegetables including carrots, beetroot, sweet potatoes and apricots. Vitamin A plays an important role in retina function and its deficiency can lead to night blindness.Vitamin C is an important antioxidant and is found in citrus fruits, such as oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and lemons. It is also found in Amla (Indian Gooseberry), peaches, red bell peppers, tomatoes and strawberries. Vitamin C plays an important role in anti-aging and is helpful in preventing age related changes such as macular degeneration and cataract.Vitamin D is generated by exposure to sunlight and supports the function of the optic nerve.Vitamin E is found in avocados, almonds and sunflower seeds and plays a role in maintaining eye health.Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants found in the pigments of leafy green vegetables and other brightly colored foods. They are key to protecting the macula, the area of the eye that gives us our best vision resolution. The vegetables which have the highest amount of these antioxidants are kale, spinach, lettuce, turnips and broccoli. Eggs also have some amounts of these antioxidants.Zinc is used by the retina to protect itself from the damaging effects of blue light and is found in foods such as beans, legumes, lean red meat, poultry and fortified cereals.A growing child should include all these nutrients as a part of their balanced diet for developing a healthy eyesight. For children who are unable to include these micronutrients in their diet, options such as multivitamin syrups and chewable gummies are available in the market and may be used after consultation with a doctor.(Article Courtesy: Dr Digvijay Singh, Director, Noble Eye Care, Gurugram)
