In this day and age, we take our eyesight for granted. Our unhealthy lifestyle compromises the health of our eyes. In fact, we abuse our eyes by binge-watching shows, doom-scrolling on our gadgets, playing video games for long hours, reading with poor lighting, not getting enough quality sleep, and the list goes on. We also abuse our gift of eyesight by not getting optimum nutrition to keep our eyes healthy. Did you know that being physically inactive or having a sedentary lifestyle can hurt your eyes?

We need exercise and regular physical activity to help us manage our weight and body fat, as well as promote proper blood circulation. Being overweight and having poor blood circulation can lead to medical conditions such as hypertension or high blood pressure and high blood glucose or diabetes mellitus.

Both medical conditions can cause damage to the eyes known as retinopathy. Therefore, it is important to keep one’s blood pressure and blood glucose at bay. This can be achieved with regular physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management, and a diet that is rich in wholesome, minimally processed plant food sources that are high in dietary fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals or plant nutrients; low in refined sugars, trans or unhealthy fats, and sodium. Thus, go easy on table salt and condiments. Eating ultra-processed and convenience foods like fast food and canned or cured meat products is detrimental to eye health.

If you have been diagnosed with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus, these conditions are reversible at an early stage. Aim to make lifestyle changes with the help of a registered nutritionist-dietitian to adopt healthy lifestyle habits and save your sight, including the rest of your body’s organs.

Optimum nutrition and proper hydration are major key factors in keeping your vision healthy. The eyes largely rely on water to produce tears, thus keeping the eyes moist and preventing dryness, redness, and itchiness. A well-hydrated pair of eyes is able to flush out irritants and other toxins.

Unfortunately, many people do not have the habit of staying hydrated throughout the day. They only remember to drink water when they are already thirsty or, worse, when their throats are already parched. Have you noticed that your eyes feel more tired and dry when you are also thirsty? That is because you are already dehydrated. Make it a habit to drink one to two glasses of water before, during, and after meals. Drink water between meals even when you are not feeling thirsty.

It is wise to carry a water bottle when you are going out just to have water readily available. Drink more water during a hot day or when you are exercising or sweating. A good indicator of proper hydration is when your urine output is light-colored. Dark-colored urine is a sign that you are dehydrated and must immediately drink water.

Do you want your vision to be clear? Imagine a world without colors. Healthy vision needs a colorful plate. It simply means that you must consume a variety of fruits and vegetables to get the phytochemicals or plant nutrients that are beneficial to your eyes.

Ocular or eye diseases such as diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma are closely related to oxidative stress, inflammation, and dysfunction of the mitochondria, which is the powerhouse of cells in the body. These ocular diseases are major causes of blindness and other visual impairments worldwide.

A narrative review conducted by Sandun De Silva and Baojun Xu, titled “Beneficial Effects of Natural Bioactive Compounds on Eye Health,” was published on May 20, 2026. The review critically summarized available evidence on how phytonutrients impact important molecular pathways that are linked with ocular degeneration. These plant chemicals or plant nutrients have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective (protects nerve cells), and anti-angiogenic (prevents tumor formation) properties. Carotenoids, polyphenols, flavonoids, omega-3 fatty acids, and other bioactive compounds were mentioned in the narrative review.

Carotenoids are yellow, red, and orange pigments found in fruits and vegetables. These can only be obtained from food because the body cannot naturally produce these compounds. Therefore, we must consume yellow, orange, and red-colored fresh produce daily, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, red and yellow bell peppers, tomatoes, squash, papaya, mango, watermelon, cantaloupe, pink guava, red dragon fruit, and more.

Did you know that green vegetables also contain carotenoids? Their orange pigment is hidden by the green pigment chlorophyll. Therefore, it is important to eat dark, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, malunggay, kangkong, and the like.

To maximize the absorption of carotenoids, add some healthy fat with omega-3 fatty acids to your carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables. Omega-3 is found in fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and sardines, but it is also abundant in soy, avocado, oats, psyllium, chia seeds, flaxseeds, kiwi seeds, and walnuts.

Polyphenols are found in grapes, berries, dark chocolate, green tea, black tea, red onions, cloves, coffee, turmeric, ginger, black beans, lentils, soy, almonds, chestnuts, pecans, apples, plums, cherries, pears, saffron, and more.

Other botanicals contain compounds that also promote eye health. These include ginkgo biloba and ginsenosides found in ginseng. It is best to consult a registered nutritionist-dietitian specializing in integrative and functional nutrition if you wish to add these botanicals to your daily intake.

Never neglect your eye health. Save your sight by getting proper nutrition, being physically active, and getting good-quality sleep, in addition to observing other healthy lifestyle habits. Moreover, always visit your eye doctor at least once or twice a year for proper assessment and management.