Cataracts and age-related macular degeneration are the leading causes of visual impairment and acquired blindness in the U.S.
- Approximately 10 million Americans suffer from early signs of Macular Degeneration. Macular Degeneration results in loss of vision at the very center of vision.
- Cataract extractions account for more than 2 million procedures a year. Cataracts cause dark, blurry vision, and eventually blindness.
Veggies battle blue light damage
Nutrition is one promising means of protecting the eyes from both of these diseases.
Vitamin C (mg/serving)T
Try to eat 250 mg per day for therapeutic effect.
Most fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin C.
| Food | Amount | Vitamin C mg |
| Orange juice, fresh squeezed | 1 cup | 124 |
| Grapefruit juice, fresh squeezed | 1 cup | 94 |
| Papaya | 1/2 medium | 94 |
| Cantaloupe | 1/4 melon | 86 |
| Orange | 1 medium | 80 |
| Green peppers, raw chopped | 1/2 cup | 67 |
| Tomato juice | 1 cup | 44 |
| Strawberries | 1/2 cup | 43 |
| Broccoli, raw chopped | 1/2 cup | 41 |
| Grapefruit | 1/2 medium | 40 |
Vitamin E (mg/serving)
Try to get 100 IU per day. It’s hard to get enough with diet alone. You may need to take a supplement.
Vitamin E is found in foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.
| Food | Amount | Vitamin E |
| Almonds | 1/4 cup | 9.3 (13.9 IU) |
| Sunflower seeds | 1/4 cup | 5.8 (8.7 IU) |
| Safflower oil | 1 tbsp | 4.7 (7.0 IU) |
| Peanuts | 1/4 cup | 3.3 (4.9 IU) |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp | 3.2 (4.8 IU) |
| Corn oil | 1 tbsp | 2.8 (4.2 IU) |
Lutein and Zeaxanthin (mg/serving)
Need 6 mg per day. You may need a supplement.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are found together in dark green leafy vegetables, and are also present in lesser amounts in other colorful fruits and vegetables.
| Food/Serving (1 cup) |
Lutein and Zeaxanthin |
Lutein | Zeaxanthin mg |
| Kale | 20.5 – 26.5* | – | 1.1 – 2.2* |
| Collard greens | 15.3 | – | 5.1 |
| Spinach | 3.6 – 12.6* | 1.7 – 13.3* | 0.5 – 5.9* |
| Turnip greens | 12.1 | – | 0.4 |
| Broccoli | 2.1 – 3.5* | 1.4 – 1.6* | – |
| Corn, yellow | 1.4 – 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.9 |
| Peas, green | 2.3 | 2.2 | – |
| Orange pepper | – | – | 1.7 |
| Persimmons | 1.4 | – | 0.8 |
| Tangerine | 0.5 | – | 0.2 |