As you age, it's very likely that you will develop a cataract, which is a clouding of the natural lens in the eye. The treatment for cataract consists of surgically replacing the cloudy lens with an artificial implant. No dietary cure for cataracts exists at this time, but some researchers believe dietary changes or vitamin supplements might slow down the development of age-related cataracts. You should discuss any management plans -- including dietary changes -- for your cataracts with your eye care professional.
Antioxidant Vitamins
Even though cataract growth can't be reversed, research suggests that antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin E might slow down the development of cataracts in some people. The Nutrition and Vision Project -- which was a subset of the Nurses' Health Study -- showed that increasing your intake of vitamin C reduced your risk of age-related cataracts, as noted by the American Optometric Association. Participants in the Roche European American Cataract Trial who took vitamins C and E had slower growth of their cataracts. People who took vitamins C and E also had fewer cataracts in the five-year follow-up to the Beaver Dam Eye Study. The amount of antioxidant vitamins that are beneficial has not been established, but your eye doctor can give you guidance as it relates to your health status.
Eat More Foods Containing Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids that are found in brightly-colored fruits and vegetables. These substances have been found to slow down the progression of cataracts as well. In the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, men who ate more foods with lutein and zeaxanthin, such as broccoli and spinach, did not need cataract surgery as often as men who did not. The follow-up to the Beaver Dam Eye study also demonstrated that people who ate more carotenoids had a significantly lower risk of developing cataracts when compared with people who did not consume many carotenoids, as noted by the American Optometric Association. The results of these studies suggest an intake of around 6 mg per day. Five servings of fruits and vegetables might be able to provide that amount.
Reduce Refined Sugars
Dietary refined sugars can increase your risk of cataracts, as noted by VisionWorksUSA.com. Refined sugars include lactose, which is found in milk and other dairy products. Fluctuations in your blood sugar, which can be caused by foods that contain these types of sugars, can be damaging to the lens of the eye and might hasten the development of cataracts -- both in people with diabetes and in people without diabetes. Eating more whole grains can be more protective because grains can slow down the digestion of sugars and level out blood sugar levels. Whole grains can also limit the amount of food and snacks that you eat by making you feel full.
Selection of Dietary Fats
Including more healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed or walnuts, can reduce your risk of cataract development, as noted by AllAboutVision.com. A study by Minyi Lu and colleagues showed that women who increased their intakes of omega-3 fatty acids or who ate fatty fish at least once a week were less likely to need cataract surgery over time. Another trial from Spain by E. H. Martínez-Lapiscina and colleagues demonstrated similar results. The scientific reasons for these findings are not fully understood at this time, and further research needs to be completed. Before taking high numbers of omega-3 supplements, you should follow up with your physician.
The Role of Healthy Diet
While increasing your intake of specific substances such as antioxidants or lutein might decrease your risk of cataracts, the best way to lower your risk of cataracts through diet is to improve your overall diet quality. A study determined that women who ate the healthiest diets had a 37 percent lower chance of developing cataracts. The women with fewer cataracts had higher intakes of vitamins C and E, lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as lower intakes of dietary animal fats. Another study found that people who ate a lot of meat were at higher risk of cataracts than people who ate more fish and at even higher risk than people who were vegetarians. Eating more whole grains can manage your blood sugar and lower your risk of cataracts as well. Maintaining a healthy diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, and fewer saturated fats and sugars, can improve your odds of prolonging the time before you develop cataracts or before you need cataract surgery.
References
- "Vitamin Supplement Use and Incident Cataracts in a Population-based Study"; "Archives of Ophthalmology"; Mares-Perlman et al; 2000
- Roche European American Cataract Trial: A Randomized Clinical Trial to Investigate the Efficacy of an Oral Antioxidant Micronutrient Mixture to Slow Progression of Age-Related Cataract.; "Ophthalmic Epidemiology"; L.T. Chylack et al; 2002.
- "A Prospective Study of Carotenoid Intake and Risk of Cataract Extraction in US Men; "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Lisa Brown et al; 1999.
- "Healthy Diets and the Subsequent Prevalence of Nuclear Cataract in Women"; "Archives of Ophthalmology"; J.A. Mares et al; 2010.
- "Diet, Vegetarianism and Cataract Risk"; "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Paul Appleby et al; 2011
- "Dietary Fat Intake and Incidence of Cataracts: The SUN Prospective Study in the Cohort of Navarra, Spain; "Medicina Clínica Facultad de Medicina de Barcelona"; E.H. Martínez-Lapiscina et al; 2010.
