Top Supplements for Eye Health

Apr 28, 2023

For most of us, our eye health isn’t something we think about daily. We go about our days taking in the sights of life, not stopping to think what it would be like to lose the gift of sight.

However, there are supplements you can take to protect your eyes from everyday dangers, like UV light and macular degeneration.

Keep reading to learn what you can do to maintain your eye health.

Zinc

Zinc is essential for eye health and important for the immune system, brain, and many other body parts. Infants need enough zinc to develop correctly, and deficiency in this vital nutrient can lead to severe infection.

It just so happens that you have high zinc levels in your macula (a part of your retina). The zinc in your macula works with vitamin A to create melanin, a pigment that protects your eye.

Research shows that zinc deficiency makes seeing in the dark more difficult. Some evidence suggests that zinc supplementation, combined with antioxidant vitamins, slows the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is the negative change in eyesight as you grow older.

One study showed that when scientists gave older adults with early macular degeneration zinc supplements, their macular degeneration slowed. They maintained their visual sharpness better than those in the placebo group.

The recommended daily dose of zinc for men is 11mg and 8mg for women. However, if you are deficient, you may need to take more to boost your levels into a healthy range. Do not take more than 40mg of elemental zinc in one day to avoid toxicity.

Try Zinc Gluconate 50 mg – 250 Count. Each 50 mg tablet contains 7 mg of elemental zinc.

Zeaxanthin and Lutein

You can find these potent antioxidants in the lens, retina, and macula. These two are the only dietary carotenoids found in the retina. Carotenoids are responsible for the vibrant colors you can find in many plants, such as bright orange and yellow.

Concentrated in the macula region, scientists refer to these carotenoids as macular pigments. Research suggests that zeaxanthin and lutein may:

Suppress inflammation
Defend against free radicals and oxidative stress
Improve your visual contrast sensitivity
Protect eye tissue from UV light damage
Enhance the sharpness of your vision
Reduce glare impairment
Protect your eyes from blue light
Reduce cell loss and death related to eye disease
Protect against nearsightedness.

Diets rich in these antioxidants may also help protect your eyes against age-related diseases.

One study found that those who ate a diet rich in zeaxanthin were half as likely to get cataracts.

Another study showed that supplementation of both zeaxanthin and lutein could slow the progression of AMD.

More research is needed to develop more specific measurements for different conditions. However, it’s estimated that most people get 1 to 3mg of these antioxidants through their diet. Research supports the notion that you will need more than that to treat conditions like cataracts or AMD.

One way to include more of these antioxidants in your diet is to try the supplement Lutein Eye Care 60 Count, which also contains zeaxanthin and bilberry.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C promotes blood vessel health throughout the body; this includes the capillaries in your retina.

One study shows that vitamin C may reduce an individual’s risk of the progression of their cataracts by a third! The antioxidant properties of vitamin C lead scientists to believe in its ability to inhibit cataract progression.

It’s important to point out that current research has determined that vitamin C supplementation can only slow the progression of cataracts. It cannot completely stop an individual from developing cataracts in the first place.

To slow the progression of cataracts, scientists recommend you take at least 300mg of vitamin C a day.

For AMD prevention, research shows individuals should take a dose of 500mg a day to reduce risk.

You must use a high-quality supplement. You need a supplement that will be as effective as possible. Some formulations are not effective enough to act as a treatment for the conditions mentioned above.

The vitamin C supplements we carry include:

Vitamin E

Just like vitamin C, vitamin E is also a potent antioxidant.

While vitamin E exists in different forms, alpha-tocopherol vitamin E is the form that best suits our health needs.

Vitamin E’s primary function in the human body seems to be neutralizing oxidation. Oxidation is when chemical substances are altered by the addition of oxygen and can cause vital molecules in our cells to be damaged.

Because vitamin E combats oxidation, researchers believe it plays a crucial role in protecting certain parts of the eye that are susceptible to oxidative stress and damage. For example, scientists believe cataracts form due to oxidation in the eye lens caused mainly by UV rays.

The recommended daily dose of vitamin E is 22.5 IU a day. However, you may need more to protect your eyes from oxidative damage. The safe upper limit of daily vitamin E intake is 1,500 IU.

Vitamin E can thin your blood. So, if you are already on a blood-thinning medication, speak with your doctor before starting a vitamin E regimen.

Copper

Research clarifies that copper deficiency leads to neuropathy, this includes optic neuropathy.

Optic neuropathy means that damage has been done to the optic nerve, a vital nerve located at the back of the eye that transfers information to your brain, allowing you to see.

It is suggested that those suffering from ocular neuropathy supplement with at least 4mg of elemental copper daily for 12 months to see benefits in the treatment.

Copper supplementation cannot reverse ocular neuropathy. However, it can help manage the symptoms. These include:

Seeing flashing lights when you move your eyes
Colors appear less vivid than normal
The loss of vision in one eye, either fully or partially, can develop over hours or days and takes several weeks to improve
Pain in the face and eye socket
A loss of peripheral vision
Pain inside the eyes

Protect Your Eyes

As we mentioned in this blog, there are several supplements you can use to help protect your eyes against things like age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

It can be harder to control how the body deteriorates as we get older. Don’t sit idly by while you know there’s something you can do to help your body function the way it’s supposed to.

If you are concerned about your eye health, talk to your doctor about trying supplements for eye health.

Shop With WellRabbit Today!

When you shop at WellRabbit, you’re not just shopping but investing. You’re investing in your health.

By prioritizing your health, you give yourself a shot at living a long and happy life. Now, you get to live a life full of experiences that wouldn’t have been possible without you taking the initiative to put your health first.

We believe in the power of our high-quality supplements, and you should too! Take the first step today by investing in our products, and know that with WellRabbit, you’ll never walk alone.

At WellRabbit, we offer a variety of supplements to support eye health. We recommend checking out American Plus Visifort 100 Count, an MDRC supplement that provides the four antioxidants recommended by the American Optometric Association for healthy lenses, including lutein and zeaxanthin.

Browse additional MDRC supplements for eye health at wellrabbit.com.

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