Can vitamins and eye care supplements actually help improve your eye health?

It holds true that some nutrients can help sustain eye function, shield the eyes against damaging light and decrease the expansion of age-related deteriorating diseases of the eye. but how can you ensure that you are taking an adequate amount of these minerals and vitamins?

Why do you need supplements?

Your diet is the primary source for transferring essential minerals and vitamins to your body. Keeping a healthy lifestyle and consuming foods rich in antioxidants is great for eye care as it helps defend them from cellular damage. However, the adequate dose of vitamins required to support eye health do not exist in our diet and can not be consumed by the intake of certain foods. Therefore it is essential to take supplements that ensure sufficient absorption of important minerals in the bloodstream.

Here is a list of some vitamins and supplements that can help maintain healthy eyes:

Vitamin A

Inadequate levels of vitamin A can cause a white spot known as Bitot’s spot. Lack of vitamin A can harm night vision and result in blindness. With the accurate vitamin supplements most vitamin A deficiency cases are easy to handle.

The role of carrots comes here. They contain high amounts of beta carotene which is absorbed by the body and converted into vitamin A. Cheese, egg yolks, liver, carrots, squash, pumpkin and broccoli are also great sources of vitamin A.

So, you should make sure to consume all these in your diet for your eye care.

B vitamins

Daily supplements containing a combination of vitamin B6, B9 and B12 are important for eye care. It strengthens the vision and reduces the probability of degenerative eye diseases that can influence the vision. In cases of glaucoma, a fluid builds up in the eye which strains the eye by developing pressure on the optic nerve. This can have a damaging effect on the nerves ultimately leading to vision loss.

Rich sources of vitamin B are beans, fish, lentils, green peas, almonds, mushrooms, beef liver chicken, sunflower seeds, eggs and brown rice.

Vitamin C

A vitamin C rich diet decreases the chances of cataract development. Although you can’t entirely avoid cataracts as it occurs naturally with age, taking food rich in vitamin C interrupt their commencement and keep cataracts from waning.

Foods rich in vitamin C are all the citrus fruits like oranges, broccoli, blackberries, brussel sprouts and grapefruit. You should increase the intake of vitamin c-based foods to delay the onset of cataracts as you age. You can also take vitamin C supplements for eye care on a regular basis.

Vitamin E

A form of vitamin E that comprises strong antioxidants is Alpha tocopherol. Antioxidants assist in fighting free radicals that cause tissue damage in the body. At times, free radicals may also damage the protein building structures in the eye. This leads to cataracts, characterised by formation of cloudy areas on the lens of your eye.

Vitamin E is known to have a positive effect on prevention of cataracts, hence it is advised that vitamin E supplements should be taken regularly in your eye care routine to maintain healthy eyes.

Rich sources of vitamin E include almonds, peanuts, soybean oil, sunflower seeds, safflower oil, wheat germ oil, corn oil and asparagus.

Bilberry

Bilberry looks the same as blueberry. It has become very popular for enhancing night vision. However, there is a probability that it reacts with aspirin and other ibuprofen-based products and lead to a thinning of the blood. It is always advised to consult your physician before taking any eye medications and supplements.

Ginkgo biloba leaf extract

The gingko leaf extract is loaded with antioxidants, even more than the raw ginkgo seeds. You need to control eye pressure when it comes to treating glaucoma, but ginkgo supplements can assist in improving blood flow and vision.

Omega 3 fatty acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel, walnuts, flaxseed oil and leafy green vegetables. Omega 3 fatty acids play a role in healing and reducing inflammation in the retina. They also restore the damage caused by ageing, light exposure and help treat dry eyes.

However, we do not have a diet rich in omega 3’s, so we can always take omega 3 supplements as they can be a great alternative for eye care medications.

Zeaxanthin and lutein

These are carotenoids that are present in high amounts in leafy green vegetables. Other sources include egg yolks, asparagus, corn, broccoli, peas, kale and spinach. They also exist in the retina and lens of your eyes. lutein and zeaxanthin are powerful antioxidants that help prevent oxidative stress in the eyes. taking six milligrams of a combination of lutein and zeaxanthin supplements is recommended for eye care.

Zinc

Zinc is a significant mineral that helps in maintaining healthy retina, protein structure and cell membranes that form the eyes. Therefore, it is suggested that you take zinc supplements in your eye care routine every day.

Zinc stimulates the transfer of vitamin A to the liver to boost melanin production. Melanin is a pigment that safeguards the eyes from the harmful ultraviolet light.

The intake of 40-80 mg of zinc supplements every day can slow the development of eye diseases like visual acuity loss.

Rich sources of zinc include whole grains, milk, turkey, nuts, cereals, pumpkin seeds, seafood like lobster, crab and oysters.

Therefore, to maintain healthy eyes it is important that you consume foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals that support vision. Since many of us unfortunately do not consume vitamin rich foods in our diet, you can take healthy eye care supplements to fill this void.