A number of vitamins and supplements can benefit your eyes if you have common eye conditions such as macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma. Most vitamins taken to improve eye conditions are antioxidants, meaning they decrease cell damage by binding to free radicals, unpaired electrons that cause oxidation in cells.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin long used to treat night blindness, also helps decrease dry eye. Vitamin A occurs naturally in beef and chicken liver as well as do liver oil, butter, eggs and milk. The recommended daily dose of vitamin A is 3,000 International Units for men and 2,333 IU for women, says All About Vision. Since vitamin A is stored in fat, taking too much can cause toxic side effects.
Vitamin C
The AREDS vitamin formula based on a study conducted at the National Eye Institute to treat macular degeneration has vitamin C as one of its components. The AREDS formula supplied 500 milligrams of vitamin C. The AREDS formula reduces the risk of developing wet age-related macular degeneration in people with advanced dry AMD or who have the wet form in one eye already by about 25 percent, the NEI states. Taking a vitamin containing vitamin C or vitamin E for over 10 years reduces the risk of cortical , which commonly cause glare, in women under age 60 by 60 percent, the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary reports. Many fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. the RDA for vitamin C is 90 mg for men and 70 mg for women.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E, also part of the ARED formulation for AMD, is found in nuts such as almonds, hazlenuts and sunflower seeds. The RDA for vitamin E is 15 mg, according to All About Vision, but the AREDS formulation contains 400 IU. Vitamin E may also protect against cataract formation, the University of Illinois states.
Zinc
Zinc, another component of the AREDS formulation that protects against wet AMD, also works with vitamin A to reduce the risk of night vision loss. Dark meat turkey, oysters and Dungeness crabs are natural sources of zinc. The RDA for zinc is 11 mg for men and 8 mg for women, reports the American Academy of Ophthalmology website Eyecare America, but the AREDS formula contains 80 mg in the form of zinc oxide. In clinical trials for AREDS, people taking zinc were more likely to develop severe urinary tract infections requiring hospitalization, the NEI reports. About 7.5 percent taking zinc in the formula developed urinary symptoms as opposed to 5 percent in the group without zinc.
Beta-Carotene
Beta-carotene is part of the AREDS formulation, but is not recommended for smokers, who can purchase a formulation without beta-carotene, which appears to increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Beta-carotene, found in orange vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and butternut squash as well as spinach and kale, may also help prevent night blindness. The AREDS formulation contains 15 mg of beta-carotene, says the NEI.
References
- All About Vision: Nutrition for Health Eyes
- University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary: Nutrition and Vision
- National Eye Institute: The AREDS Formulation and Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- American Academy of Ophthalmology: Antioxidant Vitamin and Mineral Supplements and Cataract Prevention and Progression
