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Eye-Healthy Meals

When looking for something to eat, whip up a meal that satisfies your stomach and your eyes. Eating a balanced diet can help protect your eyes and may reduce the risk of AMD from progressing. Here are some healthy meals that contain essential nutrients for your eyes:

Cooked fish and vegetables

Roasted salmon with chickpeas and kale

Oily fishes like salmon are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are critical to eye health. These fishes can help lower your cholesterol, which may be associated with macular degeneration.

Ingredients: 
  • 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each) 
  • 1 can chickpeas (15 oz), rinsed and drained 
  • 2 cups kale, chopped 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced 
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 
  • Fresh herbs (like dill or parsley) for garnish 
Instructions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. In a bowl, mix the chickpeas, kale, olive oil, half of the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. 
  3. Spread the chickpea and kale mixture on a baking sheet and place the salmon fillets on top. 
  4. Drizzle the remaining lemon juice and zest over the salmon. 
  5. Roast in the oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. 
  6. Garnish with fresh herbs before serving. 

Fancy tofu dish

Deviled cod with winter greens (kale)

In addition to fish, leafy greens like kale provide a ton of benefits to the eyes. These greens are high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are powerful antioxidants that can protect your eyes from free radicals.

Ingredients: 
  • 4 cod fillets (6 oz each)
  • 2 cups kale, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. In a small bowl, mix paprika, mustard powder, salt, and pepper.
  3. Rub the spice mix over the cod fillets.
  4. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add kale and sauté until wilted, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the apple cider vinegar.
  5. Transfer the kale to a baking dish and place the seasoned cod on top.
  6. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the cod is cooked through.
  7. Serve with lemon wedges.

Fancy fish dish

Fish Florentine (halibut with spinach)

One cup of spinach not only contains Vitamin A, which helps preserve and maintain your vision, it also provides nearly an entire day’s worth of Vitamin C!

Ingredients: 
  • 4 halibut fillets (6 oz each)
  • 4 cups spinach, fresh
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup low-fat cream
  • Nutmeg, a pinch
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish
Instructions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
  3. Add spinach and sauté until wilted. Stir in the cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  4. Place the sautéed spinach in a baking dish and lay the halibut fillets on top.
  5. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.
  7. Garnish with grated Parmesan before serving.

While there are plenty of meals that contain the nutrients you need to support eye health, diet alone may not be enough to manage AMD. Add an AREDS2 supplement into the mix, and that’s a recipe for success. 

Before making any changes to your diet, please consult a health care professional to ensure it's safe and appropriate for your specific health needs. 

Protect Your Eyes

Good lighting is also important for those with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and these tips can help you set your home up for success.

Close up of a person's eye Close up of a person's eye
Make the most of natural daylight while controlling glare

Use vertical instead of horizontal blinds to control light levels and enables you to change the direction of the light coming in.

Three different lighting fixtures hanging from the ceiling Three different lighting fixtures hanging from the ceiling
Maintain bright and even general lighting indoors

Keep halls and stairs well-lit and leave your hallway lights on so you can safely move around your house.

Office with a man seated at a desk and a woman leaning over the desk, both are looking at a computer monitor Office with a man seated at a desk and a woman leaning over the desk, both are looking at a computer monitor
Take advantage of task lighting

Whether you’re reading, cooking, or doing other close-up work, task lamps can shine a light on your activities while reducing glare and fatigue.

A woman sitting on a couch in her living room with a laptop on her lap, she is looking out the window A woman sitting on a couch in her living room with a laptop on her lap, she is looking out the window
Spread light evenly with multiple sources

Have several lights in a room rather than one bright light and position them to get an even spread of light with no dark corners.

Once you’ve maximized the light to your liking, you can also incorporate other eye-friendly strategies around your house. Use round paper shades to diffuse light in the room and avoid using lampshades or spotlights where you can see the bulb. And if you want to really tailor your surroundings to your eyesight, dimmer systems can be used to vary the amount of light needed.

Don’t let AMD stop you from doing the activities you love indoors. Try incorporating these techniques and see the winter in a better light.

New Analysis for Late AMD

The age-related eye disease study (AREDS) has previously demonstrated benefits for patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The study showed that oral supplementation with high-dose antioxidants and zinc decreased the risk of early AMD progressing to late-stage AMD. A promising sign to many eye doctors.

But one area where AREDS and AREDS 2 supplements had not yet proved their worth was in relation to geographic atrophy (GA), the late stage of dry AMD. That is, until now.

Drawn image of the parts of the eye

GA affects the macula, the part of the eye responsible for clear, sharp vision. It is estimated to affect more than 5 million people worldwide.

According to a new analysis of the data from the National Eye Institute’s (NEI) AREDS and AREDS2 studies, researchers found that AREDS and AREDS 2 nutritional supplements slowed the progression of GA toward the central macula.

Two red gel pill tablets Two red gel pill tablets

An oral antioxidant supplement, containing nutrients similar to those found in the AREDS2 nutrient formula, helped slow GA progression by as much as 36%.

Not only that, but the study also found a slower decline in visual acuity among eyes of participants randomized to lutein and zeaxanthin in the AREDS2.

These findings may justify an additional clinical trial of oral antioxidant and lutein/zeaxanthin supplementation in eyes of individuals with noncentral GA. If the results were confirmed, this would suggest a new standard of care for patients with GA.

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