Nutrients cannot improve vision problems that occur from the natural shape of the eye -- that requires glasses or contacts for correction. Although nutrients such as zinc and selenium may not have a direct affect on improving your visual acuity, these nutrients could have an impact in preventing or treating certain eye conditions. Knowing the benefits these nutrients may have for your eyes will help you make better dietary choices that could help protect the health of your eyes.
Zinc
Zinc helps to protect your immune systems and aids wound healing and cell functions. In addition to these functions, zinc may help prevent macular degeneration, a condition that results in permanent vision loss and often leads to blindness. In a 2001 study called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study, or AREDS, researchers discovered that when accompanied with other studied nutrients, 80mg of zinc each day could help reduce the risk of this eye disease.
Selenium
Your body does not require large quantities of selenium, but you do need some to incorporate with proteins that will help control your thyroid and immune system. Selenium has antioxidant properties that may help slow down damage to cells which, in theory, may help slow down or prevent vision-damaging conditions such as cataracts.
Selenium may help treat Graves' disease, an eye condition that results from thyroid disease and often causes bulging eyes and double vision. Study results released in May 2011 by researchers at the University of Pisa, Italy, indicated that selenium had a beneficial effect in reducing the symptoms of the disease and that these effects continued for six additional months.
Sources
If your doctor determines that you would benefit from a certain amount of zinc or selenium each day she may recommend that you take a supplement. This will ensure that you have the necessary amount.
Foods contain these nutrients as well. For zinc, choose foods such as oysters, pork, chicken, cashews or kidney beans. Selenium-rich foods include Brazil nuts, tuna, beef, eggs, rice and cottage cheese.
Considerations
You should not take high doses of zinc, selenium or any other nutrient without consulting your doctor. High intake could lead to complications or interfere with health conditions or medications you take.
If you experience vision changes, contact your doctor immediately to determine the cause for these changes. She will help you determine the appropriate method of treatment to protect your vision.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: National Institutes of Health: Zinc
- Office of Dietary Supplements: National Institutes of Health: Selenium
- MedlinePlus; Selenium Might Help Treat Symptoms in Graves' Eye Disease; May 2011
- National Eye Institute: The AREDS Formulation and Age-Related Macular Degeneration
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