Vitamins for Eyesight: What Seniors in Chattanooga Should Know
Approximately 73% of global avoidable vision loss cases affect people aged 50 and older. This represents about 80 million seniors today and an estimated 1.28 billion by 2050.
One of the best prevention methods is also the simplest: eating a nutritious diet.
Chattanooga boasts a vibrant food scene, featuring a diverse array of local restaurants. It offers up plenty of choices. Senior living in Chattanooga can provide nutritious food, but what exactly should you eat?
Read on to learn about the most important vitamins for eyesight that seniors should know about.
Vitamins for Eyesight
Vitamins are versatile compounds that enhance various aspects of wellness. Some are particularly known for their contribution to eye health.
Vitamin A and Beta Carotene
Beta carotene gets converted into Vitamin A, which keeps the corneas clear. It also helps support low-light vision.
Deficiencies are rare but dangerous. They can lead to night blindness or even severe, total blindness.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant. It boosts the immune system and is also connected to aging and vision.
Vitamin C helps combat age-related eye diseases, including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Vitamin E
Vitamin E also has antioxidant properties. It works with Vitamin C to protect eye cells against oxidative damage, which occurs when there is an imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals in the body.
It may also protect against age-related eye diseases. For example, it can slow the progression of cataracts.
Vitamin B
The group of B vitamins is wide, but the ones that contribute the most to eye health include:
- B6
- B9
- B12
- Riboflavin
They support overall eye health and reduce the risk of certain vision diseases.
B1 is known as thiamine. A deficiency can lead to a host of vision problems, including:
- Optic neuropathy
- Blurred vision
- Wernicke's encephalopathy
- Involuntary eye movements
- Paralysis of the eye muscles
Increasing thiamine intake through food or supplements can help alleviate these symptoms. It can even help prevent age-related conditions, such as cataracts.
Other Minerals and Nutrients for Eyesight
If vitamins were all seniors needed to stay healthy, they could take a multivitamin and be done with it. However, this isn't sufficient.
Minerals and nutrients provide what the vitamins can't and help keep your eyes as healthy as possible.
Zinc
Zinc protects vision and eye tissue while also reducing the risk of severe AMD. Its impact on vision isn't well-studied, but it's an essential mineral for overall wellness.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin
These plant pigments are also found in human eyes.
They can help filter out harmful blue and UV light. They also support retinal health. They even protect against AMD.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids protect the retinas. They can reduce the risk of dry eye and AMD.
Calcium
Calcium contributes to eye health by regulating light-sensitive cells in the retina.
This becomes increasingly important with age. It helps prevent vision loss from conditions such as AMD.
The Risks and Benefits of Supplements for Seniors
Vitamin deficiencies present a danger to more than just eye health, which is why supplements for seniors are recommended in specific cases. They can help with a diagnosed deficiency or conditions like AMD.
Having too much of a vitamin or mineral is also dangerous. Too much zinc reduces the blood's ability to absorb copper and iron.
Consult a healthcare professional before you start or stop taking a supplement. They can have negative interactions with pre-existing conditions or current medications.
Eye Health and Nutrition
The right diet is crucial for overall senior wellness.
Knowing what to eat is only half the battle. Everyone, including residents of senior living communities in Chattanooga, TN, needs to understand and commit to focusing on the interplay between eye health and nutrition.
What to Eat
Foods with the best vitamins for eyesight often overlap significantly. Many foods that contain one also contain others.
Get beta carotene from orange vegetables such as:
- Carrots
- Squash
- Sweet potatoes
Leafy greens are perhaps the most well-known "healthy" food, and there is a reason for that; a few of the nutrients they contain include:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Lutamin and zeaxanthin
If you want to boost your vitamin C intake, focus on bright citrus fruits, berries, or vibrant peppers.
Nuts and legumes don't get enough credit for all the nutrition they provide while remaining delicious. They provide Vitamin E, zinc, and B vitamins.
Other sources of protein can also provide multiple nutrients. Egg yolks have vitamin A and B, and they also contain lutein and zeaxanthin.
If lactose-intolerant, consider a lactose-free milk to enjoy its nutritional benefits. These include vitamins A and B as well as zinc.
Seafood doesn't only have omega-3 fatty acids. It can also be a source of zinc.
Other Nutrition Tips
Variety isn't only the spice of life; it helps maintain it. There is no single "superfood" that can provide all the nutrients you need.
Your diet should include a variety of fruits, vegetables, and proteins. Explore your options and incorporate as many as you can.
Combinations provide more complete, tasty meals and offer multiple nutrients simultaneously.
Consider enjoying salmon with a salad of leafy greens topped with nuts and an egg on the side. You'll get omega-3 fatty acids and many of the most essential vitamins for eye health in one dish.
Independent living in Chattanooga, TN, helps you achieve these three pillars. They set up a full menu for you. It's catered to the unique needs of senior health.
More importantly, they help you feel fulfilled with a variety of activities and amenities. You'll always feel like there is something to look forward to.
Find Chattanooga Aging Support
Essential vitamins for eyesight include A, C, E, and B. Other crucial nutrients include zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids, and calcium.
Once you are aware of these nutrients and which foods contain them, the key is to create a diet that incorporates and combines them in unique ways.
Creekside at Shallowford provides Chattanooga aging support that doesn't sacrifice independence. What to eat or when to do the laundry is no longer a problem.
Focus on what and who you love. Contact us to tour our senior living community in Chattanooga today.