The Best Vitamins And Nutrients For Eye Health

 The Best Vitamins And Nutrients For Eye Health

Your eyesight is probably the most important of your five senses.

Eye health goes hand-in-hand with general health, but a few nutrients are especially important for your eyes.

Our eyes are very complex sense organs whose cells must remain in top shape for a lifetime, as once they’re damaged, they don’t grow back or heal.

That means as we age, protecting cells in the eye with certain vitamins and other nutrients is essential for their health.

These nutrients help maintain eye function, protect your eyes against harmful light, and reduce the development of age-related degenerative diseases.

Overview of Common Eye Diseases

Your risk of developing an eye disease increases as you get older. The most common eye diseases include:

Cataracts. A condition in which your eyes become clouded. Age-related cataracts are a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness around the world.

Diabetic retinopathy. Associated with diabetes and a major cause of visual impairment and blindness, retinopathy develops when high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels in your retina.

Dry eye disease. A condition marked by insufficient tear fluid, which causes your eyes to dry up and leads to discomfort and potential visual problems.

Glaucoma. A group of diseases characterised by progressive degeneration of your optic nerve, which transfers visual information from eyes to brain. Glaucoma may cause poor eyesight or blindness.

Macular degeneration. The macula is the central part of your retina. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the main causes of blindness in developed countries.

Although your risk of getting these conditions depends to some extent on your genes, your diet may also play a major role.

 Vitamin A

Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most common causes of blindness in the world 

This vitamin is essential for maintaining your eyes’ light-sensing cells, also known as photoreceptors.

If you don’t consume enough vitamin A, you may experience night blindness, dry eyes, or even more serious conditions, depending on the severity of your deficiency 

Vitamin A is only found in animal-derived foods. The richest dietary sources include liver, egg yolks, and dairy products.

However, you can also get vitamin A from antioxidant plant compounds called provitamin A carotenoids, found in high amounts in some fruits and vegetables.

Provitamin A carotenoids provide around 30% of people’s vitamin A requirements, on average. The most efficient of them is beta-carotene, which is found in high amounts in kale, spinach, and carrots

Lutein and Zeaxanthin

Lutein and zeaxanthin are yellow carotenoid antioxidants known as macular pigments.

They are concentrated in the macula, the central part of your retina, which is a layer of light-sensitive cells on the back wall of your eyeball.

Lutein and zeaxanthin function as a natural sunblock. They’re thought to play a central role in protecting your eyes against harmful blue light 

Controlled studies show that intake of lutein and zeaxanthin is proportional to their levels in your retina One observational study in middle-aged and older adults noted that consuming 6 mg of lutein and/or zeaxanthin per day significantly reduced the risk of AMD.

The researchers also discovered that those with the highest intake of lutein and zeaxanthin had a 43% lower risk of macular degeneration, compared to those with the lowest intake However, the evidence is not entirely consistent. One meta-analysis of six observational studies suggests that lutein and zeaxanthin only protect against late-stage AMD — not its early development stagesLutein and zeaxanthin usually occur together in foods. Spinach, swiss chard, kale, parsley, pistachios, and green peas are among the best sources 

What’s more, egg yolks, sweet corn, and red grapes may also be high in lutein and zeaxanthin In fact, egg yolks are considered one of the best sources due to their high fat content. Carotenoids are better absorbed when eaten with fat, so it’s best to add some avocado or healthy oils to your leafy vegetable salad 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are important for eye health.

DHA is found in high amounts in your retina, where it may help maintain eye function. It’s also important for brain and eye development during infancy. Thus, DHA deficiency can impair vision, especially in children

Evidence also shows that taking omega-3 supplements may benefit those with dry eye disease One study in people with dry eyes revealed that taking EPA and DHA supplements daily for three months significantly reduced dry eye symptoms by increasing the formation of tear fluid 

Omega-3 fatty acids may also help prevent other eye diseases. A study in middle-aged and older adults with diabetes found that taking at least 500 mg of long-chain omega-3s daily may reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy

In contrast, omega-3 fatty acids are not an effective treatment for AMD 

The best dietary source of EPA and DHA is oily fish. Additionally, omega-3 supplements derived from fish or microalgae are widely available.

 Gamma-Linolenic Acid

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid found in small amounts in the modern diet.

Unlike many other omega-6 fatty acids, GLA appears to have anti-inflammatory properties The richest sources of GLA are evening primrose oil and starflower oil.

Some evidence suggests that taking evening primrose oil may reduce the symptoms of dry eye disease.

One randomised controlled study gave women with dry eyes a daily dose of evening primrose oil with 300 mg of GLA. The study noted that their symptoms improved over a 6-month period

 Vitamin C

Your eyes require high amounts of antioxidants — more so than many other organs.

The antioxidant vitamin C appears to be especially important, although controlled studies on its role in eye health are lacking.

The concentration of vitamin C is higher in the aqueous humour of the eye than in any other body fluid. The aqueous humour is the liquid that fills the outermost part of your eye.

The levels of vitamin C in the aqueous humour are directly proportional to its dietary intake. In other words, you can increase its concentration by taking supplements or eating foods rich in vitamin C Observational studies show that people with cataracts tend to have a low antioxidant status. They also indicate that people who take vitamin C supplements are less likely to get cataracts While vitamin C appears to play a protective role in your eyes, it’s unclear whether supplements provide added benefits for those who aren’t deficient.

High amounts of vitamin C are found in many fruits and vegetables, including bell peppers, citrus fruits, guavas, kale, and broccoli 

 Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a group of fat-soluble antioxidants that protect fatty acids from harmful oxidation.

Since your retina has a high concentration of fatty acids, adequate vitamin E intake is important for optimal eye health Although severe vitamin E deficiency may lead to retinal degeneration and blindness, it’s unclear whether supplements provide any additional benefits if you’re already getting enough from your diet 

One analysis suggests that consuming more than 7 mg of vitamin E daily may reduce your risk of age-related cataracts by 6% 

In contrast, randomised controlled studies indicate that vitamin E supplements do not slow or prevent the progression of cataracts 

The best dietary sources of vitamin E include almonds, sunflower seeds, and vegetable oils like flaxseed oil 

 Zinc

Your eyes contain high levels of zinc (36Trusted Source).

Zinc is a part of many essential enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, which functions as an antioxidant.

It also appears to be involved in the formation of visual pigments in your retina. For this reason, zinc deficiency may lead to night blindness (37Trusted Source).

In one study, older adults with early macular degeneration were given zinc supplements. Their macular deterioration slowed, and they maintained their visual sharpness better than those who received a placebo (38Trusted Source).

However, further studies are needed before strong conclusions can be reached.

Natural dietary sources of zinc include oysters, meat, pumpkin seeds, and peanuts (39).

Can I use supplements to improve my eye health?

Your eyes and vision are affected by many factors, including genetics and age. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating a balanced diet that contains antioxidant-rich foods can contribute significantly to the health of your eyes.

Tips for eye health

There are many things you can do to benefit your eye health.

Don’t smoke. Smoking damages blood vessels in the eyes and can lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, and other sight problems.

Protect your eyes from ultraviolet light. Wear sunglasses when you’re outdoors and avoid staring directly into bright lights.

Maintain a healthy weight and an active lifestyle.

After age 60, get a dilated eye exam each year.

Make sure your diet contains plenty of green leafy vegetables, spinach, corn, oranges, eggs, yellow carrots. These foods contain high levels of nutrients, including those found in the AREDS2 formulation.