What Kind Of Diet Should I Eat To Make My Cataracts Go Away?

A cataract is a cloudy or opaque area in the normally clear lens of the eye, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA). Usually, cataracts develop in both eyes, but one may be worse than the other. The AOA reports that foods with certain eye-friendly nutrients have been linked to reducing the risk of cataracts, but the ability of a particular diet to actually make your cataracts go away is limited.

Diet Limitations

Nutrition is a promising way to prevent or delay the progression of cataracts, according to the AOA. But making cataracts go away with diet is more difficult. "There's no evidence that any diet can make cataracts magically go away," says John Hagan, M.D., a Kansas City ophthalmologist specializing in cataracts and other older-adult eye diseases. However, cataracts develop slowly and subtle changes become noticeable over years, not months, Dr. Hagan says. Eating a diet rich in certain foods may keep your cataracts from getting worse and allow you to see clearly longer.

Citrus Fruit

A diet that includes citrus fruits is recommended to prevent and delay the progression of cataracts. Citrus fruits are a top-notch source of vitamin C, a nutrient that evidence suggests lowers the risk of cataracts, according to the AOA. The best sources of vitamin C are orange juice, grapefruit juice and oranges. Vitamin C also promotes healthy capillaries and blood vessels to give you good eye health. Poor circulation due to hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, increases the risk of eye diseases, Hagan says.

Leafy Green Vegetables

Lutein and zeaxanthin are eye-friendly nutrients found in spinach, kale, collard greens and other leafy green vegetables. Research shows eating foods with high amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin reduces the need for cataract surgery and significantly lowers the risk of developing new cataracts, the AOA reports. Cooked spinach is a better source of these nutrients than eating this veggie raw. Other good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin that may fend off cataracts include turnip greens, corn, green beans and eggs. Lutein and zeaxanthin are nutrients that act as an internal pair of sunglasses that filter out harmful sunlight that can damage your eyes and lead to cataracts.

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds are rich in vitamin E. This vitamin, along with lutein and zeaxanthin, has been shown to significantly decrease the risk of cataracts. Foods with abundant vitamin E include almonds, peanuts, hazel nuts and sunflower seeds. Vitamin E is also found in safflower and corn oils, as well as in margarine, sweet potatoes and fortified cereals. In addition to protecting you from cataracts, the AOA reports that vitamin E can slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by 25 percent and visual acuity loss by 19 percent.

Seafood

Zinc is a mineral found in oysters and lobster. Deficiencies in zinc have been linked to impaired vision and cloudy cataracts. Salmon, tuna and other fatty fish are rich in the essential fatty acids known as DHA and EPA. Low levels of DHA and EPA have been linked to eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes. Cataracts are a common vision problem brought on by diabetes, Hagan says. In addition to an eye-healthy diet, it's important that you have regular eye exams and wear sunglasses to protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation that can lead to cataracts.