Types of smoothies that prevent eye aging

Eye surgeon and expert Shafiq Rehman shares withExpressabout drinks that affect eyesight.

“Green smoothies are great for your eyesight,” says Dr. Rehman. “Foods like kale, spinach, broccoli, peas, and avocados contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which help reduce the amount of light that is harmful to the eyes.”

Vegetable juice is considered good for the eyes. Photo: Yum

The British expert explained that lutein and zeaxanthin can slow down the process of age-related macular degeneration, which usually affects people aged 50 and over.

The macula is the part located deep in the center of the retina. This is where millions of cells are concentrated to help capture images, recognize colors, and sharpness of images.

The UK's National Health Service outlines signs that you may have the condition: if you notice any "blurred or distorted areas in your vision" in one or both eyes.

Symptoms of degeneration include:

- See wavy, winding lines

- The object looks smaller than normal

- Colors seem less bright than before

- Seeing things that are not there (hallucinations).

Although the condition is painless, distorted vision can make it difficult to recognize familiar faces.

Agreeing with Dr Rehman, ophthalmologist Nimmi Mistry said: “Foods containing certain vitamins such as lutein and zeaxanthin have been shown to improve vision or at least protect vision.”

These vitamins can provide nutrients, improve eye health, reduce dry eye discomfort, and eye problems.

However, “the most important drink for eye health is water,” says Mistry, as hydration is essential for lubricating the eyes. Adults should drink at least two liters of water a day.

As for the drink that can harm eyesight, both experts agree it's alcohol.

“To have good eyesight, one should not drink too much alcohol. It can be harmful to the eyes as well as other parts of the body. People who drink too much alcohol can develop optic nerve degeneration, which affects vision – sometimes severely and permanently,” says Dr. Rehman.

Nimmy said that in the short term, drinking alcohol can lead to dry eyes, red eyes and eyelid twitching. If a person drinks alcohol continuously, it can cause vision loss and cataracts./.