Now that it’s getting darker earlier and there’s increased precipitation coming down—the dreaded white snow—giving the streets that slick glare, driving just ain’t what it used to be…even what it was just a few short weeks ago.
The Secret to Better Eyesight
But there is a way to improve how your eyes deal with glare while protecting your vision for the long term—and it’s completely natural. It won’t help overnight, but by taking lutein and zeaxanthin supplements—or eating foods rich in these antioxidants—you could improve vision and prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
These two nutrients are very concentrated in the lens, retina, and macula in the eye. Research has shown that increasing dietary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin could lead to improved vision in dim lighting or when there’s glare while also holding off the vision-related diseases common with age. For example, it can fight back against AMD, which is the leading cause of blindness in people over 65.
So, How Can You Get This Stuff?
It’s actually really easy to incorporate lutein and zeaxanthin into your diet because these antioxidants are abundant in the following foods:
Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Turnip greens, Corn & Collard greens.
Basically, eating green, leafy vegetables every day can provide all the lutein and zeaxanthin you need.
Supplementing has also shown to slow the progression of AMD. The proper dosage is about 10 mg/per day of lutein and 2 mg/per day of zeaxanthin. To get your dosage right, however, you’ll want to check with your doctor.
Be Careful Not to Overdo It
There is evidence of people without eye trouble who supplement in excess of 12 mg/day (combined dosage of the two supplements) for extended periods of time experiencing poorer vision caused by crusty buildups on the eye. So, please don’t adopt the “more is better” philosophy with lutein and zeaxanthin supplements.
Start boosting your intake of leafy greens and consider sticking to 10 mg/per day of lutein and 2 mg/per day of zeaxanthin to improve your vision and prevent AMD in the long term.