The leading causes of vision impairment and blindness in the United States are cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).  You may be able to reduce your risk of vision loss by 2 or 3 times by eating healthfully, getting regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight.

In fact, one study found that overweight people are 2.35 times more likely to develop advanced AMD and vision loss than those who maintain a healthy weight. In addition, researchers found that those participating in vigorous physical activity at least 3 times per week had a 25 percent reduction in their risk of vision loss.

Other recent studies show that diet can play a significant role in the development of AMD.  One recent study found that dark green and yellow vegetables appeared to be protective against intermediate AMD in healthy women younger than age 75.  A 7-year study found that consuming a combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc in high-dose combinations reduced the risk of developing advanced stages of AMD by approximately 25 percent.  In addition, another study found that consuming spinach and other greens can protect the eyes from the damage caused by sun and also reduce the risk of cataracts.

Tips for Maintaining Eye Health:

• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Exercise on most days of the week and include vigorous exercise at least 3 times per week.
• Include foods rich in beta-carotene as a regular part of your diet (e.g. sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, and spinach).
• Eat lots of foods high in the antioxidants leutein and zeaxanthin; these antioxidants can be found in kale, spinach, broccoli, squash, green beans, green peas, corn, cabbage, collard greens, and orange peppers.
• Eat foods high in vitamin C.  Although all fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, the foods with the highest amount include:  citrus fruits, berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and cranberries), red peppers, pineapple, mango, papaya, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and tomatoes.
• Include dietary sources of vitamin E in your diet; good sources of vitamin E include: corn, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, asparagus, and vegetable oils.
• Make sure to include zinc in your diet.  Most protein foods contain zinc. Pumpkin seeds provide one of the most concentrated vegetarian food sources of zinc. Other good sources of zinc are peanuts, peanut butter, and legumes.

Sources:  Moeller, et al. (August 2006). Associations Between Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Lutein and Zeaxanthin in the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS): Ancillary Study of the Women's Health Initiative. Archives of Ophthalmology, 124:1151-1162; Seddon, et al. (2003). Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Archives of Ophthalmology, 121:785-792.