The UK government recommends we all eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day for optimum health. It is well known that deficiency in vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients found in fruit and vegetables can contribute to sight threatening conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that can lead to permanent loss of vision and possibly blindness.

80grams of fresh fruit and vegetables constitutes a single portion, so 400grams (nearly a pound) is required each day. It is best that these are a mixture of fruit and vegetables and that we also have a variety of different colours of different fruit and veg each day as it is the various pigments that make up the colours that act as powerful antioxidants.

Vitamin A and Vitamin C and the pigments lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin are particularly important for eye health. All these vitamins are contained within the supplement Macushield, which is available within all Conlons opticians. Macushield vitamins have received significant press coverage within the last few years. For further information see diet or visit www.5aday.nhs.uk