The Link Between Eye Health and Lifestyle Choices

Posted on August 28, 2024 in Healthy Living

*Updated May 2025

Eating nutritious food can help energize and power your body. Exercise helps build and maintain strength and cardio function. These small lifestyle choices and many others can impact overall health, including your eye health.

Understanding eye health 

The eyes are complex and remarkable organs that help you see the world. Yet, eye health often goes overlooked. Taking care of these valuable organs will help you maintain good vision now and in the future. 

Having healthy eyes is more than having 20/20 vision. Overall eye health covers all aspects of the eye, like anatomy, visual acuity, eye functionality, eye comfort, and more.

Eye doctors specialize in eye health and are a vital part of detecting eye disorders early, treating them, and maintaining good eye care. However, seeing an eye doctor is just one aspect of caring for your vision. 

Lifestyle choices and eye health

From the foods you eat to the activities you engage in, your lifestyle plays a role in determining the clarity of your vision and the longevity of your eye health.

Diet and nutrition: Your eyes need a variety of nutrients and vitamins to remain functional and healthy. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), “Researchers have linked eye-friendly nutrients, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc, to reducing the risk of certain serious eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.”

Here are some power-house nutrients to boost your eye health:

• Vitamin E helps protect cells in the eye from free radicals that can break down healthy tissues. Include nuts, wheat germ, and sweet potatoes in your diet as good sources of vitamin E.
• Lutein and zeaxanthin have been shown to reduce the risk of eye diseases such as cataracts. Fill your plate with leafy greens, broccoli, corn, persimmons, and other colorful fruits and vegetables to reap the benefits.
• Zinc is a mineral that helps produce melanin, a protective pigment for the eyes. A zinc deficiency could lead to poor nighttime vision. Red meat, shellfish, nuts and seeds are all excellent sources of zinc.
• Vitamin C can help reduce the risk of developing cataracts, slow the progress of age-related macular degeneration, and help prevent visual acuity loss. Fruits like oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, and peppers are good foods for more vitamin C.

Exercise and physical activity: Keeping physically active can also contribute to healthier eyes. If you’re at risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), physical exercise may benefit you by increasing antioxidant levels in your eyes and neutralizing free radicals that get in the way of your retina’s ability to repair itself. 

Regular exercise also supports eye health by helping to manage conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, which have been linked to eye disorders. By lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, you may be able to slow the progression of vision loss.

Smoking: If you smoke cigarettes or vape, quitting may be the best thing you can do to maintain and improve your eye health. Smokers are four times more likely to develop AMD and up to two to three times more likely to develop cataracts compared to non-smokers.

Screen time and eye strain: Americans spend roughly seven hours each day looking at a screen. However, this could be more if your job requires you to use a computer all day. Screen time can have negative side effects on your eye health. According to the AOA, excessive screen time can lead to digital eye strain, sometimes called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). If you have CVS, you might suffer from dry eyes, headaches, neck and shoulder pain, blurry vision or eye discomfort. The more time you spend in front of screens, the longer these symptoms will take to go away. 

For more tips on reducing the effects of digital eye strain, check out the AOA’s Eye Health Guidance for Screen Time.  

Eye exams are vital for good eye health

Even if you have 20/20 vision, regular eye exams are an essential part of good eye health. Comprehensive exams can help detect and treat eye diseases early, keep tabs on changes in your vision, and uncover medical conditions like diabetes, brain tumors, heart disease, high blood pressure, and more. The AOA recommends that adult patients aged 18 to 64 have an eye exam at least every two years, and patients 65 and older have an eye exam every year.

Children also benefit from eye exams. The AOA recommends that children aged three to five have at least one exam in that period, and children aged six to 17 have a comprehensive eye exam every year. 

Your lifestyle choices can impact your eye health

Eating a balanced diet, staying active, protecting your eyes from digital strain and avoiding smoking can help you maintain healthy vision. Regular eye exams are also essential for catching potential issues early. Prioritize these habits to ensure your eyes stay healthy for years to come. 

Pro tip: Having vision insurance makes it easy to protect your eye health with regular comprehensive eye exams. Learn more about DeltaVision insurance plans here.