Delicious Foods That Keep Your Vision Sharp

kiwi for vision
Paul Edmondson/Offset

You've heard that carrots keep eyes healthy, and it's true: The body converts carrots' beta-carotene into vitamin A, which nourishes the eyes' surface. But this veggie isn't the only vision-friendly food. (Just make sure you don't do these 8 things to your eyes.)

Various whole foods can help prevent problems like age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts, while fried and processed foods wreak havoc by stressing the eyes' microvascular system. Here are five picks for clear vision.


1. Black-eyed peas

How they help: This legume is a source of the powerful antioxidant zinc, which strengthens the retina, the eyeball's back layer. "The retina needs zinc to change light entering the eye into chemical signals, which the brain turns into pictures," says Lylas Mogk, an ophthalmologist at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. "Zinc also helps prevent [retinal] damage from light." Half a cup of boiled black-eyed peas provides 1 mg of zinc (women need 8 mg per day; men, 11 mg).

Other good sources of zinc: Kidney beans, oysters, peanuts

MORE: 5 Signs You're Not Getting Enough Vitamin D

2. Kiwifruit

How it helps: One kiwi boasts 64 mg of vitamin C (women need 75 mg per day; men, 90 mg). A study published in Ophthalmology found that participants who consumed higher levels of vitamin C had a 33% lower risk of cataract progression after 10 years than did those who consumed less. "We think vitamin C, combined with other vitamins [like vitamin A], can also slow the progression of AMD," says Peter Kaiser, an ophthalmologist at Cleveland Clinic.

Other good sources of vitamin C: Broccoli, mangoes, Strawberries

3. Mackerel

How it helps: This mild fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can decrease the risk of neovascular AMD (a late-stage form) by nearly 50%. "Eat fish that have 'worked for a living,' not farm-raised fish," says Kaiser. "When wild fish swim long distances during migration, it builds up their omega-3 fatty acids." Experts recommend two 3.5 oz servings per week. 

Other good sources of omega-3s: Salmon, trout, tuna (here are 7 more sources of omega-3s)

4. Sweet potatoes

How they help: One baked sweet potato offers 28,058 IU of vitamin A, nearly six times what men and women need daily. In addition to nourishing the cornea, the vitamin prevents dry eye by reducing inflammation. This maintains the fatty component of the tear film, helping tears better lubricate the eye, says Kaiser.

Other good sources of vitamin A: Butternut squash, cantaloupe, pumpkin

Here's how to prep a butternut squash:

5. Kale

How it helps: This leafy green contains high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants, called carotenoids, filter out blue light in the retina, lowering the risk of oxidative stress. "Studies show that diets rich in green, leafy vegetables can help decrease the incidence of both macular degeneration and cataracts," says Assumpta Madu, an ophthalmologist at NYU Langone Medical Center. Harvard researchers found that people who ate the most foods high in lutein and zeaxanthin had a 40% lower risk of developing advanced AMD than those who ate the least.

Other good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin: Collards, spinach, Swiss chard

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