Macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts are common eye problems as people age, according to MayoClinic.com. Some vitamins might improve your eyes and vision if you develop one of these eye conditions. However, these eye conditions can lead to blindness and often require medication or surgery, notes MayoClinic.com. It is important to visit your eye doctor instead of trying to treat your eye condition on your own.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration commonly leads to a loss of vision in the senior population over the age of sixty, according to MayoClinic.com. This eye condition creates a dark spot in the middle of your field of vision due to tissue in the eye breaking down. A 2001 longitudinal study by the Age-Related Eye Disease Study Coordinating Center in "Archives of Ophthalmology" found that high levels of vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene reduced a senior's risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. However, these vitamins had the best results when combined with zinc rather than taken alone.
Cataracts
Around half of people in the U.S. over the age of 80 have experienced cataracts, according to MayoClinic.com. This eye condition creates blurry vision by affecting your eye's lens. Macular Degeneration Support cites a 1990 study by the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Western Ontario that researched cataracts. This study found that 300 to 600 mg of vitamin C and 400 IU of vitamin E per day lowered study participants' chances of developing cataracts.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma, another eye problem common to seniors, creates pressure in the eye that can deteriorate the optic nerve and lead to blind spots in your vision. Vitamin B12, vitamin E and folic acid are some vitamins that might help glaucoma, according to Macular Degeneration Support. These vitamins play a role in protecting the nerves in your eye from this damage. Macular Degeneration Support explains that it takes 1,500 mcg of vitamin B12 per day to have this effect. A combination of vitamin E, folic acid and omega-3 fish oil benefits glaucoma, although Macular Degeneration Support does not specify the dose.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Vision Problems as You Age
- "Archives of Ophthalmology"; A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial of High-Dose Supplementation With Vitamins C and E, Beta Carotene, and Zinc for Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Vision Loss; AREDS Coordinating Center; October 2001
- Macular Degeneration Support: A New Look At Eye Health
