Good nutrition is essential to keep your eyes healthy. According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People, vitamins can help heal and repair your eyes, protect against infections and keep your vision sharp and strong. A vitamin deficiency may speed up the development or worsening of certain eye conditions like age-related macular-degeneration (AMD). If you eat a well-balanced diet, you might be getting all the vitamins you need from your food. If not, talk to your eye doctor about taking a supplement.
Beta Carotene
Beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, is probably the most important vitamin for eye health. This vitamin keeps the retina healthy and might prevent night blindness. It can also lower your chances of developing dry-eye syndrome and AMD. Beta carotene can be found in dark green and orange vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, kale, apricots and peppers.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C can help protect against AMD and the formation of cataracts. It is an antioxidant, so vitamin C can also help keep your eyes young and slow down the natural aging process. Some of the best sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, but you can also get this vitamin from strawberries, sweet peppers, broccoli, papaya and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant that can help keep your eyes strong and young. This in turn can help slow down the development of age-related eye problems. Vitamin E can be found in nuts, fortified cereals, sunflower seeds and green leafy vegetables.
Minerals
Selenium and zinc are both essential minerals for eye health. They work together with antioxidants to protect the eyes against premature aging. They might also help prevent night blindness. Zinc can be found mainly in animal products, including beef, cheese and oysters. Walnuts, fortified breads and cereals, and brown rice are all good sources of selenium.
