Green means go for the eyes

You’ve heard about eating a healthy dose of carrots for good eyesight, but did you know that greens could be even better? Eating your greens to improve your vision may not just be an old wives’ tale, with an increasing body of evidence highlighting the benefits of eating lutein – a carotenoid found in dark green leafy vegetables – for good eye health.

And with lutein-rich vegetables, including broccoli, purple sprouting and spinach, there’s never been a better time to eat with the seasons.

Lutein is highly concentrated in the macula of the eye – the area of the eye which is responsible for the sharp central vision. The lutein is deposited in this area through the lutein we consume as part of our diet, and in the eye is used to filter blue light and protect the macula from free-radical damage.

Top natural sources of lutein include:

- Kale
- Spinach
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Eggs

Recent research suggests that a higher lutein intake could be influential in reducing the incidence of common eye health disorders such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.

But according to the experts, while mother’s advice to eat greens was well-founded, the quantity of vegetables needed to make a positive difference to the vision is so substantial that many consumers would be hard-pressed to fulfil them.

The Lutein Information Bureau suggests a minimum of 6-10 mg per day of lutein from dark green leafy vegetables and other sources is necessary to benefit from its health benefits – equivalent to a mixing bowl of fresh spinach each day of the week.

Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Hillingdon Hospital, Mr Nick Lee said: “It is widely known that what we eat affects our body functions and green vegetables have long been considered valuable to maintaining eye sight. But what most people don’t realise is that even with a healthy diet, the levels of nutrients needed to make a positive difference to eye sight are such that it would be almost impossible to maintain them. The best way to ensure you are getting exactly the right levels of lutein is to take a supplement.”

Ocuvite Lutein is an advanced antioxidant supplement formulated to provide complete nutritional support for good general eye health.

The formulation provides 6mg of lutein plus the antioxidant vitamins C, E, and the minerals zinc and copper– the trace elements found to be useful in promoting good eye health in the US National Eye Institute’s ten year eye health study.

Ocuvite Lutein is available from Boots and independent pharmacies, priced £7.49 (RRP). For further information, visit Bausch.co.uk.