As a result of the researches, it has been proven that the Mediterranean diet, which includes olive oil, fish, fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat and meat products, reduces eye ailments.
Kaşkaloğlu Eye Hospital Chief Physician Assoc. Dr. Bilgehan Sezgin Asena said that, according to a study conducted on 5 thousand people in different European countries, Mediterranean type nutrition also has positive effects on macular degeneration, which is seen with aging.
Asena said, “A Mediterranean diet that includes olive oil, fish, fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and meat products is important for protecting eye health. Mediterranean foods contain antioxidants. Macular degeneration, which occurs with aging and causes vision loss, can cause vision loss. Until now, many patients have been asking us how they should eat for eye health. Studies have proven that vitamin C and a Mediterranean diet protect eye health. Even eating an apple a day reduces the risk of macular degeneration.”
VITAMIN C PREVENTS CATARACTS
Assoc. Dr. Bilgehan Sezgin Asena also noted that regular consumption of foods such as citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, peppers, kiwis and oranges, which contain antioxidants and are rich in vitamin C, prevents the formation of cataracts.
Reminding that according to a 2-year study conducted on 54 twins in England, there was a 10% decrease in cataract formation in the group that regularly took vitamin C compared to the group that did not take vitamin C, Asena said: “30% of cataract formation is due to genetic factors, while the other 35% is due to environmental factors such as nutrition, age, alcohol and cigarette consumption, diabetes and excessive sunlight. In our country, 65 out of every thousand people over the age of 60 undergo cataract surgery. It has been shown in experiments that vitamin C prevents cataract formation due to its antioxidant properties.”
