The 9 Most Important Vitamins for Eye Health

Do you know that your eyes are working tirelessly for you? The eyes help you navigate the constant stream of information within this fast-paced world. Good eyesight is an essential tool to maintain a high quality life. You can protect your precious assets i.e your eyes through proper nutrition and a few precautionary measures. Like the other parts of your body, eyes also need proper nutrition and care. They need certain vitamins for better protection and function. There is a vast range of essential Vitamins for Eye Health. 

This article is a great platform to learn essential vitamins for eye health that help maintain your eye health. You will also learn how to obtain these important vitamins from your diet. These vitamins play a vital role in maintaining a healthy and sharp vision. 

Significance of Vitamins for Healthy Vision

Vitamins play an amazing role in protecting and maintaining the health of your eyesight. The vitamins also help protect your eyes from pollutants, allergens, oxidative stress and harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. Additionally,they are a great source of promoting the functioning of your lens, retina and cornea as well. More benefits of vitamins for eye health include:

Optimal Functioning: Different eye pars use certain vitamins for their proper functioning.

Protection from Harmful Elements: Certain vitamins reduce the risk of different eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration, short-sightedness, long-sightedness and cataracts. They also protect your eyes from harmful radiations and oxidative stress.

Long Term Eye Health Maintenance: Several vitamins affect the long-term well-being of your eyes. They promote the clarity and magnification power of your eye lens.

Essential Vitamins for Eye Health

A good eyesight can be achieved by providing best nutrition to your eye organs, including vitamin A, C, and E. these are essential for the best functioning of your retina, cornea and lens respectively. 

In addition, vitamin D protects your eyes from macular degeneration and lowers the risk of the condition. Omega 3 fatty acids help make your retina strong and protected. Vitamin B-complex contributes in preventing eye disease. Zeaxanthin and Lutein are good for protection against UV radiations or light rays. Incorporate these vitamins into your diet to have clear and sharp eyesight. These are also great tools to prevent many eye conditions and promote overall eye health. 

Studies show that many vitamins help support your eye function and their deficiency causes poor eye sight or certain eye conditions. 

Research claims that eyes are the organs of your body that can function properly if you take proper care of them. The first step of eye care is the best nutrition that includes certain essential vitamins. The vitamins found in your diet prevent certain eye diseases, such as glaucoma, AMD, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Although a range of factors affect your eye health and contribute to making your eyesight weak, nutrition seems the most important of all.

Here are 9 essential vitamins and nutrients that can help you maintain your eye health to a great extent. So keep on reading!

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is the most important vitamin because it contributes in a great way in maintaining your eye health. It helps manage a clear and sharp vision by maintaining a clear cornea. Cornea is the outer covering of your eye. If it gets translucent, your lens will not get enough light to make a clear vision on your retina. That’s why vitamin A is the fundamental component of Rhodopsin. Rhodopsin is a specific protein found in your eyes that makes it possible that you can see clearly even in low intensity light in certain circumstances. Its deficiency causes a serious eye condition, called xerophthalmia. This disease starts with night blindness and progresses to total blindness. Vitamin  A deficiency is not a common condition but if it is not treated properly, causes more dangerous conditions.For example, Vitamin A deficiency if remain unaddressed leads to dryness of your tear ducts and eyes permanently. This causes softening and losing of cornea that eventually ends in complete blindness.

In addition, vitamin A also reduces the risk of other eye diseases, including Age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. It also plays an important role in preventing eye allergies. 

Moreover, pathologists generally recommend vitamin A-rich foods or supplements to maintain good eye health. These foods may include leafy greens, bell peppers, sweet potatoes and carrots. 

Vitamin E

An imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your bloodstream often leads to serious health conditions, including eye diseases. Studies showed that unchecked increase or decrease in the antioxidants causes oxidative stress that is associated with different eye diseases. Presence of vitamin E is the indication of enough antioxidants that is necessary for the protection of your eye cells. The antioxidants protect your eyes from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are actually harmful molecules that make it hard for antioxidants to protect your eye cells.

A research involving 4000 people for seven years, concluded that taking an optimum amount of vitamin E daily can help prevent eye diseases including cataracts and macular degeneration. This proof isn’t enough because some studies have found results that show no association between eye health and vitamin E. thus more research is needed.

In addition, new research has revealed that incorporating vitamin E rich foods into your diet can help maintain good eye health. Such food may include cooking oils, avocados, leafy greens, salmon, nuts and seeds.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is another powerful antioxidant that is essential for your eye health. It also prevents eye cell damage caused by free radicals. Vitamin C is a beneficial component of AREDS, that help prevent AMD. 

According to studies, regular intake of vitamin C rich foods or supplements reduces the risk of eye disease to a great extent.

In addition, vitamin C is the fundamental component of collagen. Collage is a protein that supports the actual structure of your eyes. T also mountain the specific shape of retina, sclera and cornea. 

Moreover, several research observations have confirmed that vitamin C is an effective source to lessen the risk of cataracts. It reduces the cloudiness caused by cataracts and promotes vision. Studies also suggested that this vitamin contributes a great role in reducing risk of poor vision or night blindness. If it is taken daily in a specific amount prescribed by a pathologist, it helps lower the risk of AMD. You can add tropical and citrus fruits to your diet to get a rich amount of vitamins. However, kale, broccoli and bell peppers are also great options to fulfill the requirements of vitamin C. They contain rich amounts of the said vitamin.

Vitamin B Complex (B6, B9, and B12)

Several B vitamins had also been studied for their beneficial impacts on eye health. The B complex vitamins work in a combination to reduce the levels of a specific protein, called homo-cysteine. This protein is associated with inflammation in your body parts. 

In addition, studies focus on the B6, B9 and B12 that particularly lowers the risk of inflammation and AMD as well. However, medical researchers demand more authentic proofs to rely  on the studies. Because the results do not confirm the beneficial effects of vitamin  B complex in rich quantities. Therefore, pathologists are still working to find out the benefits of increased intake of vitamin B complex on eye health.

Riboflavin

Riboflavin is another important vitamin B that contributes in preserving your vision and eye health. This is one of the essential vitamins for your eye health. This is a powerful antioxidant that helps reduce oxidative stress in different parts of the body, including eyes. This type of vitamin B also has increased potential to reduce risk of cataracts. Its deficiency can lead to cataracts. Studies show that people suffering from cataracts are often diagnosed with deficiency of riboflavin. 

Another study suggests that people taking sufficient amounts of riboflavin through their food or supplements are found with lesser risk of cataract development.

In addition, health departments also recommend that  taking 1.5 mg of riboflavin per day can protect you from several eye conditions. Different rich sources of riboflavin include beef, fortified cereals, oats, and milk.

Niacin

Niacin is another essential vitamin for eye health. It belongs to the vitamin B complex and is known as vitamin B3. It contributes to the conversion of food into energy and also acts as a super antioxidant. 

According to studies, vitamin  B3  is a great source to prevent risk of glaucoma. This condition is associated with damage of your optic nerve leading to loss of vision. Another observational study had been suggested that people taking niacin in insufficient amounts are more likely to develop glaucoma. The study included Korean people because the drug is insufficient in Niacin. 

In addition, several studies involving different animals have suggested that sufficient supply of niacin prevents risk of glaucoma. However, more research is needed to verify the association of niacin and prevention of glaucoma. Rich sources of niacin include legumes, mushrooms, peanuts, beef, fish, poultry.

Zeaxanthin and Lutein

The carotenoid family is a well known group of beneficial plant compounds that are synthesized by plants and afterwards extracted  from them. These two carotenoids are naturally found in your macula and retina. They normally filter the harmful blue light wavelengths to protect your eyes from any irritation. 

According to studies, both of these carotenoids also help slow down the progression of AMD and prevent cataracts. In addition, a controlled experiment has concluded that people taking supplements containing lutein and zeaxanthin for a minimum 12 to 18 months regularly were found with improved vision. Although there’s no specific details about its safe amount, according to an estimate around  15 mg of lutein per day and 15 mg zeaxanthine per day for one year continuously can help improve your eyesight without any side effects. If you are not interested in supplementation, you can take enough of these two carotenoids from your diet. Add a large quantity of fruits and vegetables to your daily diet. This will help fulfill the required amount of lutein and zeaxanthine on your body especially for your eye health. Vegetables rich in these two carotenoids include kale, spinach and collard greens. 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Polyunsaturated fats are also known as omega-3 fatty acids. Your retina has high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids but there it is called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The cell membrane of your retina needs this compound for best nutrition. Omega-3 fatty acids also have potential to prevent diabetic retinopathy with help of its anti-inflammatory properties. Several studies have reviewed the beneficial effects of omega-3 for eye health and they concluded as a whole that people who took a diet high in oily fish like the traditional Mediterranean diet usually develop resistance against diabetic retinopathy. Although more authentic re-searchable proofs are needed to verify the conclusions, it is a fact that incorporating these fatty acids can help improve your eye health.

Moreover, people with dry eye disease are often recommended to use omega-3 fatty acids as a remedy for their condition. Because dry eye condition causes lack of tears which leads to occasional blurry vision. Taking omega-3 fatty acids as supplements can help produce more tears to diminish dryness in eyes. Foods enriched with omega-3 fatty acids include nuts, fish, chia seeds, and flaxseeds. Certain types of cooking oils like olive oil and canola oil also have higher concentration of fatty acids required for eye health.

Conclusion

Several eye conditions can be created by using certain vitamins, carotenoids and other nutrients. You can also add some supplements to your daily diet plan so that you can improve your eye health and vision. If you are taking a diet that is deficient in specific types of vitamins or nutrients, supplements are essential for you. 

Taking a diet rich in healthy fats, proteins, carbs like whole grains, fruits and vegetables can help you fulfill the required amounts of nutrients that are essential for improved eye health. However, all these nutrients are also important for maintaining overall health.