Vitamins For Eye Health

To maintain proper eyesight, a nutritious and balanced diet is essential. And when we are talking about diet for the eyes, vitamins are the most important. Doctors recommend vitamins for enhancement of eyesight. A diet rich in vitamins help us to prevent many eye diseases. In fact, proper intake of vitamins may even help to reduce deterioration and improve the vision that occurs due to aging. Substances like omega-3 fatty acids have been identified as helping in vision development right from when we are in the womb. It can also protect the eyes from macular degeneration. Antioxidants are beneficial to counter oxidation effect on eye tissues.

Vitamins are rich in antioxidants and other compounds. Oxidation causes cataracts thus hampering vision. The body counters this effect by using antioxidants present in Vitamins C, E, A and carotenoid. The red and yellow pigments called carotenoid are present in plants and animals. It helps in converting beta-carotene into Vitamin A and fights cataracts by absorbing blue light. Other carotenoids like zeaxanthin and lutein are also beneficial.

Vitamin A is found in green, orange and yellow vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, corn, and also in egg yolks and liver. It helps to fight night blindness and cataracts and improves night vision. If the night blindness deficiency is not corrected, it can lead to xerophthalmia. Eyes become dry, eyelids get swollen and corneal ulcers occur. Smokers and drinkers should take in extra Vitamin A supplements as tobacco and alcohol decrease the Vitamin A content in the body. However, beta-carotene supplements increase smokers' incidence of lung cancer.

Vitamin C is found in green, leafy vegetables and citrus fruits like broccoli, potatoes, peppers, oranges, berries, strawberries. It reduces the pressure in glaucoma patients' eyes, delays macular degeneration and reduces cataract risk. Our body can neither create Vitamin C nor store it for long in the body. Almost any food that has Vitamin C also contains bioflavonoid. Not only it helps the eyes, it also helps the body to absorb Vitamin C. Cherries, grapes and plums are rich in bioflavonoid.

Sunflower seeds and nuts like almonds, hazelnuts etc are the main sources of Vitamin E. Studies show the vitamin helps to prevent cataracts. Many eye doctors suggest their patients to take a multivitamin rich in Vitamin E along with a balanced diet. Minerals like selenium helps the body to absorb Vitamin E. Brazil nuts, yeast and sea foods like oysters are rich in selenium.

Ideally, it is best to get our daily doses of vitamins from our everyday fruits and vegetables. However, due to nutrient depletion in soil and use of pesticides, fruits and vegetables often have less vitamin content. Cooking, heat and light also lead to the lowering of vitamin content. Try to buy foods that are marked as organic. They have the required vitamin content needed by our bodies. Salads are rich in vitamin because uncooked vegetables and fruits are used to make it. Vitamin supplements help to counter the reduction in our daily dosage of nutrients. Multivitamins that are specifically for the eye should be taken. But before starting on any supplement, it is best to take the opinion of a doctor.