That said, it’s essential to eat with Vitamin E in mind. That’s because the body can’t make Vitamin E, so it needs to be added to the diet. Foods rich in Vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds and spinach. Safflower oil, many fortified cereals and sweet potatoes also contain Vitamin E.

Zinc is yet another important element of eye health. Zinc is “highly concentrated in the eye, mostly in the retina and choroid, the vascular tissue layer lying under the retina,” according to the AOA. It is often referred to as a "helper molecule” because it helps to bring vitamin A from the liver to the retina to produce a protective eye pigment called melanin.

Impaired vision and zinc deficiency can go hand in hand. This can lead to poor night vision and cataracts.

The human body can’t make zinc, so it has to be added to the diet. Oysters, beef and pork are all high in zinc, and so are yogurt and milk.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are also necessary for optimal eye health. In particular, Omega-3 fatty acids are needed.

According to the AOA, fatty acids are made up of fat molecules. In the wild, two families of these occur: omega-3 and omega-6. These fatty acids assist the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune and nervous systems.

Two of these omega-3 fatty acids are essential for visual development and retinal function: DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid).

DHA and EPA are interlinked. The highest amounts of DHA are found in the retina. And EPA is used in DHA biosynthesis, according to the AOA.