By Dr Davinia Beaver and Dr Carolyn English
In the quest to age well, many of us obsess over steps, heart rates and brain games, yet barely blink when it comes to eye health.
Losing sight later in life chips away at independence, so protecting our eyes is vital. The good news is, simple diet choices can help protect your eyes for the long haul.
The key player is the macula, the tiny patch of retina that lets us read fine print, drive and recognise faces. When it starts to break down, it can lead to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - the biggest cause of severe vision loss and blindness in Australia.
It occurs when the light-sensitive cells in the macula begin to degrade, damaging central vision.
About one in seven Australians over 50 is affected, and because early symptoms often go unnoticed, regular eye checks are a must.
For those already living with AMD, medical treatment remains essential, but nutrition matters too.
There’s no miracle cure, but the right diet can help strengthen the macula, support treatment and give people a sense of control over their eye health.
Why nutrition matters
The macula works constantly, processing detailed vision every waking hour. This generates oxidative stress, and the retina relies on protective nutrients, particularly antioxidants and macular pigments, to stay resilient.
A diet rich in these nutrients can strengthen the eye’s natural defences and support long-term ocular health. While this does not replace medical care, it can meaningfully support it.
Research shows that specific nutrients and overall dietary patterns can protect the macula and reduce the risk of AMD. These nutrients act as antioxidants, support retinal cells and strengthen macular pigment, which filters harmful blue light.
Because our bodies cannot make many of these compounds, we rely on food to supply them.
Plant-based protection
Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoid pigments found in plants. In the eye, they concentrate in the macula, where they help absorb high-energy blue light and solar radiation.
By filtering harmful light, they help reduce oxidative stress, inflammation and damage to retinal cells.
Foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin include dark leafy greens, broccoli, corn, peas, red capsicum, oranges, pistachios and egg yolks.
Favour fatty fish and berries
Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna and barramundi are rich in omega-3 fats DHA and EPA - important components of the retina.
They help keep photoreceptor membranes flexible and can protect against abnormal blood vessel growth, which is linked to advanced AMD.
So too can anthocyanins - the pigments responsible for the deep red, blue and purple colours found in berries - by inhibiting a protein called VEGF.
Fatty fish and berries both help reduce inflammation and harmful cell damage.
Try the Mediterranean diet
Eating a varied diet also ensures you are getting vitamins A, C and E - along with zinc and copper - which are crucial for healthy eyes.
The Mediterranean diet brings many of these protective nutrients together in one eating pattern, emphasising vegetables, fruits, fish, legumes, nuts and extra virgin olive oil.
Studies consistently link this dietary pattern - including its emphasis on whole, low-glycaemic carbohydrates over refined sugars - with a lower risk of developing AMD and slower progression in those already diagnosed.
Healthy ageing starts with the choices we make every day. By nourishing your body, staying proactive with regular eye checks and seeking care when needed, you can protect your macula and preserve the gift of clear sight long into the future.
- Dr Davinia Beaver is a biomedical scientist and postdoctoral research fellow at Bond University’s Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine. Dr Carolyn English is a registered nutritionist and senior teaching fellow at Bond University.