Eye health: The ‘worst’ foods and drinks for your vision

Blue eyes are an illusion and are colourless says doctor

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Your diet plays a vital role in the health of your heart and blood vessels, both of which can then go on to influence your eye health. Optometrist Whitney Seltman verified that one of the “worst foods” for your eye health is bread and pasta. Simple carbohydrates in white bread and pasta have been linked with a higher chance of age-related macular degeneration.

The rationale is that simple carbohydrates spike blood sugar levels which, over time, could damage blood vessels.

Age-related macular degeneration

The NHS elaborated on age-related macular degeneration, which first affects people in their 50s and 60s.

Affecting the middle part of your vision, it can make reading and recognising faces more difficult.

The condition can affect one or both eyes, which can show up as:

  • Seeing straight lines as wavy or crooked
  • Objects looking smaller than normal
  • Colours seeming less bright than they used to
  • Seeing things that are not there (hallucinations).

Seltman suggests swapping white bread and pasta for wholegrain varieties to prevent spikes in blood sugar levels.

Processed meats are also bad for your eye health as they are loaded with sodium.

The optometrist confirmed that too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure, and this may lead to hypertensive retinopathy.

Hypertensive retinopathy is when damaged blood vessels cause the vision to become blurry, or the person suffers from vision loss.

High blood pressure may also lead to choroidopathy, which is a build-up of fluid beneath the retina.

Too much processed meat may also result in neuropathy as the blockage of blood flow kills nerve cells, leading to vision loss.

Pre-packaged foods, such as tinned soup, tomato sauce, and canned goods can be high in salt.

“Eating less of these foods can lower your chance of high blood pressure and related eye problems,” Seltman verified.

If you are to choose soups, for example, opt for “no salt added” versions.

Seltman points out that fried foods are also dangerous to your health.

Deep-fried foods cooked in trans fats can raise cholesterol levels.

Again, too much cholesterol can cause issues with blood vessels.

If you are to choose soups, for example, opt for “no salt added” versions.

Seltman points out that fried foods are also dangerous to your health.

Deep-fried foods cooked in trans fats can raise cholesterol levels.

Again, too much cholesterol can cause issues with blood vessels.

The drinks you consume can also have an impact on your vision.

Sugary drinks, such as soda, sports and energy drinks, can increase the likelihood of diabetes and heart disease.

“This can lead to related eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration,” Seltman added.

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