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Health Conditions / Eye and Vision Health / Healthy Vision

Healthy Vision

Also known asGood Vision · Night Blindness · Dry Eyes · 夜盲症

What it is

Clear vision depends on the cornea and lens focusing light, and on the retina, whose light-sensing cells need a steady supply of nutrients and healthy blood vessels. The most common problems are short- and long-sightedness, dry eyes, cataracts and, with age, macular degeneration. Many eye conditions cause no early symptoms, so regular eye tests matter.

How food and lifestyle can help

Not smoking is the single most important thing for your eyes. Eating well helps keep the retina and lens healthy, and controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar protects the tiny blood vessels of the eye.

Foods and nutrients to focus on

  1. Vitamin A (needed for night vision) from eggs, dairy, liver in small amounts, and orange and dark-green vegetables rich in carotenoids.
  2. Lutein and zeaxanthin, pigments in the macula, from leafy greens such as kai lan, spinach and kale, plus peas, corn and egg yolk (vegetables).
  3. Oily fish for omega-3, which may help with dry eyes.
  4. Fruit and vegetables rich in vitamin C and vitamin E, and zinc from beans, seafood and nuts.

Foods and drinks to limit

  1. Smoking, and excessive alcohol.
  2. High-dose vitamin A supplements: too much is harmful, especially in pregnancy.

Good to know

  1. Wear sunglasses that block UV, and take regular screen breaks (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds).
  2. Children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to develop short-sightedness.
  3. Get an eye test every one to two years, and yearly if you have diabetes.

When to see a doctor

  1. Sudden loss or blurring of vision, new flashes or many floaters, a curtain across your vision, or eye pain: seek urgent care.
  2. Trouble seeing at night, or colours looking faded.
  3. You have not had an eye test for more than two years.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition or take medicines, check changes to your diet with your doctor or a registered dietitian.

WHO — Blindness and visual impairment, used for the main facts: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment

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