Imagine if everything you saw was obstructed by a spot on your eyes. Unlike a piece of dirt on glasses, you can’t just wipe it off.
It’s what the world looks like to people with macular degeneration - it's the leading cause of vision loss in people over 50.
There are certain foods you can eat to save your sight, and others you should avoid.
One myth? Carrots are not high on the list, It turns out beta carotene doesn't lower the risk for macular degeneration.
Lutein-rich vegetables and fruit, such as Kale, spinach, swiss chard, collard greens, peas, broccoli and zucchini score high. You should aim for 5 to 9 servings a day; the more leafy greens the better
Foods to eat less of to protect your eyes include those with a high glycemic index, processed foods like white bread and pastries as well as starchy carbohydrates like potatoes. Those foods are digested quickly and produce rapid spikes in blood sugar levels.
You can read more about the best foods to keep your eyes young in the May 2009 edition of
Nutrition Action Health letter.
