The Eye Diet

Need one more reason to eat healthy? New research shows certain foods may keep your vision crisp and clear. Usually around age 50 is when many people begin noticing a decline in eyesight. In fact nearly ten million Americans experience something known as macular degeneration. It develops when the macula tissue surrounding the retina area in your eye deteriorates causing a blurry, dark blind spot smack dab in the center of your vision.

Experts aren't entirely sure why this occurs but they have pinpointed that foods rich in omege-3 fatty acids may protect your vision. Here are few tips on what the study says are the best foods to eat for eye health:

GOOD FAT: Just one serving of fish a week reduced study participant's risk of macular degeneration by 31 percent. Two servings of nuts equaled a 35 percent decrease and just one tablespoon of olive oil a day seemed to drop your risk of blurry vision in half! The key ingredient was omega-3 fatty acids, the good kind of fat! Here's a tip: the fish with the highest levels of omega-3 are salmon, tuna, mackerel. As for nuts? Walnuts are among the best.

BAD FAT: We all know all 'fat' isn't created equal and here's one more example why: people who consume diets high in trans fat are nearly two times more likely to develop macular degeneration than those who limit their trans fat intake. So stay away from a lot of sweets, processed and fried foods.

Researchers believe foods high in omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the eye which keeps the arteries and blood vessels healthy. Seems to protect the eye much the same way as a it would protect your heart. You've heard me mention in the past that omega-3 helps lower blood pressure and high cholesterol as well as your risk of heart disease and stroke.

The American Heart Association recommends two servings of omega-3 fatty acid foods a week for a balanced diet. If you don't like fish or nuts – soybeans, tofu and flaxseeds also are great sources of omega-3.

Be sure to tune in to Dr. Sanjay Gupta every weekend on HOUSE CALL. You'll find the answers to your medical questions Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET on CNN.