The Benefits of Thanksgiving on Your Vision

Thanksgiving comes with many benefits, such as the preparation of delicious food and time spent with family and friends, but did you know that Thanksgiving can also benefit your eyesight? Many Thanksgiving foods contain vitamins that are vital to eye health, helping with essential eye functions and preventing ocular diseases.

The benefits of Thanksgiving on your vision are vast, especially if you consume the right foods. We have provided you with a list of five foods that will keep your vision clear this holiday season.

1. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are full of nutrients, including vitamin A, potassium, vitamin C and vitamins B5 and B6. Vitamin A and vitamin C are essential nutrients for eye health that prevent age-related eye conditions, such as macular degeneration and cataracts.

2. Turkey

As the centerpiece of a Thanksgiving meal, turkey is full of zinc. Zinc is a beneficial mineral, second only to iron, in the body that enables vitamin A to produce melanin, a pigment that protects the eye. Zinc is also found in the retina, and has been shown to increase nighttime vision.

3. Cranberries

Cranberries are packed with nutrients that help prevent vision loss, including vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A is a protein found in the cornea that protects the surface of the eye, making it essential to eye health.

4. Carrots

If you love to eat roasted carrots, you are in luck. Carrots contain a high amount of beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A, which helps the retina and other parts of the eye function properly. When combined with other vitamins, beta-carotene is also shown to help slow the loss of peripheral vision.

5. Leafy Greens

Is salad included in your Thanksgiving meal? Leafy greens are full of lutein and zeaxanthin ­– antioxidants, which have been shown to lower the risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts.

CorrectVision Laser Institute is one of Florida’s most advanced vision correction practices with extensive experience in eye health. Our goal is to open your eyes to the world of great vision by offering unparalleled expertise and the most advanced technology available. Contact us today for a consultation with one of our South Florida eye specialists, located in Hollywood, Weston and Pembroke Pines!