A new study published in the journal Ophthalmology shows that consuming fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk of vision loss from cataracts.

Scientists studied approximately 1,000 pairs of female twins who completed food questionnaires that detailed their eating habits. Upon entering the study, the average age of the volunteers was 60.

Progression of cataracts was measured using digital imaging of the eye.

Those who consumed approximately two servings of fruits and two servings of vegetables each day, as well as diets rich in vitamin C, had a 20 percent lower risk of developing cataracts compared to the volunteers whose diet was less nutritious.

The researchers followed 324 of the twin pairs for 10 years. Those who reported eating twice the recommended amount of vitamin C had a 33 percent lower risk for cataract progression compared with the volunteers who consumed less vitamin C.