As usual, mom was right: Carrots are good for your eyes. And now there's proof.

Researchers have shown that a diet rich in carrots and other vegetables may help protect against macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in older Americans.

Scientists say it's the carotenoids that help. These are substances that give carrots and other vegetables their yellow, orange and red colors. Researchers found a positive relationship between the density of a pigment in the macula lutea (an area of especially keen vision on your eye's retina) and the consumption of fruits and vegetables high in the carotenoids beta-carotene and lutein.

The scientists speculate that the pigment filters out harmful blue light and shields against reactive oxygen byproducts generated in the process of vision.

Along with carrots, beneficial foods include spinach, kale, corn and broccoli.

The Valley Health System c/o Valley Hospital Medical Center 620 Shadow Lane Las Vegas, NV 89106