Vitamins are a key part of our diet, and you get a lot of different vitamins through foods like fruits and vegetables. Vitamins can help your body make new cells and build healthy bones, skin as well as hair. They can also effectively keep your eyes healthy by making sure that the retina is working perfectly and the eyeballs stay moist. Eye vitamins can also help avoid eye issues like dryness and irritation. All in all, there are some of the best vitamins for eyes that you might not be entirely aware of and so, we've compiled a list for you to learn all about them.
Importance of Eye Care
80% of what you perceive comes through your sense of sight, which means, your eyesight is one of the most vital senses of all. Hence, it only makes sense to protect your eyes to reduce any eye issues like vision loss or blindness and cataracts or glaucoma. A healthy brain function also needs healthy eyesight. Your brain is the most important organ of your body that allows you to live complex lives. Your optic nerve connects your eyes and your brain and so, it is regarded as a healthy co-dependent relationship. That's the major reason why it's necessary to keep your eyes healthy, to ultimately help keep your brain healthy which improves your quality of life. All in all, when you maintain good vision, it contributes to better driving skills, improves learning and comprehension and improved athletic ability.
Vitamins Good for Eyes
There is a whole list of the best vitamins for the eyes, and here are some for different issues related to the eyes.
1. Vitamin E:
Vitamin E is one of the vitamins for good eyesight as it aids in delaying the onset of age-related macular degeneration and reducing the chances of developing cataracts (1). When you consume foods rich in vitamin E, it helps better than relying on supplements. Some foods good for the eyes that are packed with vitamin E are peanuts and peanut butter, avocado, mango, asparagus, almonds, wheat germ oil, red bell pepper, pumpkin, sunflower and soybean oil, spinach, etc.
2. B Vitamin:
B-complex vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, biotin and choline are popular for reducing inflammation and thus lowering issues related to vascular involving the retina of the eyes (2). Foods like legumes, yoghurt, pork, sunflower seeds, eggs, milk, leafy veggies, chicken and turkey have vitamins for eyesight that will bring you great results in just a few weeks.
3. Vitamin D:
One of the vitamins for good eyesight is vitamin D, which is also highly important for promoting bone health. Vitamin D is absorbed into the body with the help of natural sunlight. It is quite a crucial vitamin for cell regulation, the organ system and the eyes. When you have a deficiency of vitamin D, it can end up giving you issues like diabetes that can greatly affect your vision and the overall health of your eyes (3). Foods good for eyes that are loaded with vitamin D are egg yolk, cereal and oatmeal, orange juice, cow's milk, mushrooms, salmon, cod liver oil, canned Tuna, herrings and sardines and soy milk. You can read more about vitamin D sources here.
4. Vitamin A:
If you're looking for vitamins for eye floaters, you can rely on foods rich in vitamin A. This vitamin for dry eye can decrease the chances of inflammation thus protecting your eye's outer surface and improving the function of your immune system. Some vitamin A foods for the eyes are broccoli, skim milk, carrots, fish, eggs, orange and yellow veggies and fruits, spinach and other leafy greens.
5. Vitamin C:
Another great vitamin that drastically decreases visual comfort caused by eye floaters is vitamin C. This vitamin can also effectively help decrease the chance of cataract growth by 64% if taken regularly through natural foods or supplements (4). Vitamin C is one of the best vitamins for the eyes that you can find in foods like oranges, cantaloupe, mango, kiwifruit, watermelon, cabbage, leafy greens, spinach, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, papaya, pineapple, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, green and red peppers. You can also find out more vitamin C sources here.
6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
Other than the vitamin for dry eye, omega-3 fatty acids can also assist with the same as they help reduce inflammation in your eyes and increase tear production which makes it beneficial for dry eye patients. Foods good for eyes that are rich in omega-3 are chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, salmon, tuna and mackerel.
7. Lutein and Zeaxanthin:
Both of these belong to the carotenoid family, a group of compounds that are synthesized by plants. You can find both these carotenoids in the macula and retina of your eyes, where their main job is to help filter potentially harmful blue light and ultimately shield your eyes from damage. A diet that is rich in fruit and vegetables will naturally provide you with good amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin. You can rely on cooked spinach, kale and collard greens for these carotenoids.
Foods Good for Eyes:
1. Carrots:
Carrots are rich in vitamin A which is crucial for healthy eyes. It is one of the eye vitamins that, if low, can lead to dry eyes, corneal scarring and vision loss (5).
2. Kale:
This dark green leafy vegetable along with spinach and broccoli contains antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein that protect your retina from blue light damage (6).
3. Red Peppers:
Red and orange fruits and vegetables like red peppers, oranges, strawberries and kiwi have the best eye vitamins like vitamin C that helps prevent the development of cataracts (7).
4. Salmon:
Fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, especially salmon aid in promoting the visual health of the retina of your eyes and also help prevent dry eyes. You will be able to get the most omega-3s through salmon, sardines and herring along with tuna, halibut and flounder too (8).
5. Oysters:
Oysters are packed with zinc which can slow down the progression of age-related macular degeneration. You can also find zinc in other foods like whole grains, peanuts, eggs and turkey (9).
Other than consuming foods that are rich in eye vitamins, you can also try the Saffola Fittify The Perfekt Gummies For Eye Health. These gummies are rich in nutrients like vitamins C and E and further help promote good eyesight and vision. Simply pop these gummies each day and take a step ahead towards a healthier and happier life.
Conclusion:
Out of all the vitamins, there are certain vitamins good for the eyes along with other nutrients that may help avoid or slow the progression of many eye conditions. Even supplements can be beneficial if you miss out on getting eye vitamins through natural foods. However, it's always better to eat a nutrient-rich diet full of fruits and vegetables, protein, whole grains and healthy fats. Natural foods will mostly give you all the nutrients needed for good eye health along with keeping your overall health up-to-date.
FAQs:
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How can I improve my eye health?
Here are some ways that can improve your eye health:
- Consume foods that have the best vitamins for the eyes
- Quit smoking
- Wear sunglasses
- Use safety eyewear
- Take regular breaks from computer screens
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Visit your eye doctor every few months.
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Is it ok to take eye vitamins?
Taking eye vitamins as prescribed by the doctor can help reduce the risk of vision loss from advanced age-related macular degeneration in some cases. Eye vitamins like vitamin C (500 mg), vitamin E (400 IU) and beta-carotene (15 mg) along with zinc (8 mg) will help.
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What causes poor eyesight?
Some of the usual causes of low vision are diabetes, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. Low vision also results from cancer of the eye, brain injury, albinism or inherited disorders of the eye.
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At what age should I take eye vitamins?
Your eye health usually starts to deteriorate after the age of 50s and 60s. It won't cause total blindness in most cases but can make the activities of regular life more complicated. That's when you should consider taking eye vitamins after consulting an eye expert. However, relying on natural foods that are rich in vitamins for good eyesight is always a better option.
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Can eye exercises improve vision?
Eye exercises won't eliminate most eye-related issues like farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism and age-related lens stiffening. But eye exercises will help strengthen the eye muscles.
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Can eye ageing be reversed?
No, eye ageing cannot be reversed. Unfortunately, there are no treatments, as of now, for age-related loss of colour perception as well.
