Eye redness can stem from lack of sleep, exposure to smoke, or other lifestyle or environmental causes. You may also have eye redness if you have an infection, eye allergies or other eye condition. Red eyes may make you feel self-conscious, and "get the red out" eye drops can cause further irritation and redness, especially if used frequently. Certain vitamins, however, could help you reduce the likelihood of eye redness and help you have whiter, clearer eyes.
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, has many roles in your body, but having a good intake of this nutrient may also help prevent redness. Each day the average adult needs between 1.1 mg and 1.3 mg of vitamin B2, and you can reach this intake through diet or by taking a daily supplement. A single cup serving of milk contains 0.34 mg and one egg provides 0.27 mg. Other food sources include almonds, spinach, salmon, chicken and beef.
Vitamin A
A deficiency in vitamin A could cause dry eye, a condition that involves a decreased amount of tear film on the surface of your eyes. Dry eye may cause irritation and vision changes, as well as redness. Deficiencies in this nutrient are rare, but if you follow a restrictive diet, such as a diet that limits your intake of fruits and vegetables, you may have an increased risk for low levels of vitamin A.
The average adult needs between 700 international units and 900 IU of vitamin A each day, and you can reach these intake levels through a healthful diet. Food sources include one raw, large carrot that provides over 8,000 IU of vitamin A or 1 cup of milk providing 249 IU. Other sources include liver, kale, cantaloupe, spinach, peaches and mango.
Examination
To determine the best course of treatment or whether vitamins may help clear up your eye redness, contact your eye doctor. She will examine your eyes and ask you questions about what you might frequently be exposed to, such as chemicals or direct air-conditioning. If your eye redness results from these conditions, vitamins may not help reduce redness. Also, if an infection or other eye condition caused your redness, you may need a medication to resolve the source of your problem.
Considerations
You should not take vitamins or supplements without first consulting your doctor since high doses of nutrients could affect health conditions you may have. If you suspect that you may have a nutrient deficiency, discuss this with your doctor, and he will test your blood to determine the nutrient levels. Based on your symptoms and the findings with testing and examinations, your doctor will recommend an appropriate treatment to help clear the redness.
References
- MedlinePlus; Eye Redness; January 2011
- University of Michigan Medical Center: Dry Eye Syndrome
- Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute; Healthy Diet, Healthy Eyes; Joanne R. Pompano
- Oregon State University; Riboflavin; Linus Pauling Institute; Jane Higdon, Ph.D. et al.; June 2007
- Office of Dietary Supplements; National Institutes of Health; Vitamin A and Carotenoids; April 2006
