Eye strain, blurry vision, dry eye, floaters, eye irritation – there are many ways that ageing may impact your eye health.
Thankfully, there are safeguards you can put in place to help maintain your eye health over the long-term as you grow older. One of the most effective? Ensuring you’re ingesting the key vitamins that protect and support your vision ecosystem.
In this journal post, you’ll learn about the five best vitamins for eye health and some of the pitfalls to avoid.
Why Do You Need Eye Health Vitamins?
After decades of research at Harvard University, George Wald received a Nobel Prize for discovering that vitamin A was fundamental to the retina.
For [the scientist], there is always the further horizon. Science goes from question to question; big questions, and little, tentative answers. The questions as they age grow ever broader, the answers are seen to be more limited. George Wald, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
His 1940s breakthrough revealed the importance of vitamins for vision. Yet, many people still struggle with declining eye health.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), a staggering majority - over half of the population - battles with at least one chronic eye condition.
Alarmingly, the incidence of eye health problems escalates with age, and studies show that 1 in 7 people over 40 show preliminary signs of macular degeneration, an irreversible eye disease causing blurred vision. What's more, half of the population over 50 will develop cataracts and more than 300,000 Australians suffer from glaucoma.
Even more troubling is that the current ageing population wasn’t exposed to harmful blue light as extensively as the younger generations are. The evidence reveals that blue light from screens may increase the risk of cataracts, negatively impact the retina, and worsen inflammation. In addition, it can contribute to dry, irritable eyes, which now affect over 77% of the population.
The consequences of diminished eye health extend far beyond visual impairment. Those with poor vision often experience a severe decline in quality of life due to a loss of mobility and independence, which heightens the risk of falls, fractures, and social isolation.
In this context, nurturing the entire vision ecosystem is necessary to counteract the surge of age-related eye health decline.
Biohacking Your Vision: Diet vs. Supplementation
Many people consider a healthy diet a cure-all, but it’s only the first step towards long-term wellness. That’s because it's difficult to intake every vitamin for eye health in sufficient doses from food alone.
Consider for instance, lutein, a carotenoid that is crucial for eye protection. Lutein is naturally present in eggs, broccoli, and leafy greens. The ideal dosage to support vision and macular health is 10mg a day.
However, the food containing the highest amount of lutein is egg yolk. With each egg yolk only containing 1 mg of lutein, you would have to consume 10 eggs every single day to hit that target. Consequently, the average person isn’t absorbing enough lutein from their diet.
Moreover, food preparation destroys some nutrients even when vitamins are abundant in raw food. Simply boiling legumes will reduce the amount of vitamin B3 by 30%.
So, how can you ensure you ingest all the necessary vitamins for eye health?
The answer lies in supplementation - a strategic addition to your health regimen that delivers vitamins in exact quantities directly to your system. Supplements add a second layer of security that promotes the longevity of your eyes.
The Myth of Multivitamins for Eye Health
Your first thought may be to combine a healthy diet with a multivitamin that “does it all”.
While vitamins A, C and E, as well as zinc are crucial for healthy eyes, they are readily obtainable from a balanced diet. Supplementation for these in the form of multivitamins is often unnecessary and in some instances, may even lead to unwanted adverse effects.
Vitamin A
Few things beat vitamin A for eye health, but the type (retinol) available in most multivitamins may not be optimal for the eyes. In addition, long-term supplementation may cause toxicity.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C acts as a natural sunblock, infusing the eye with UV protection. Deficiency in vitamin C is uncommon in the Western world due to consistent access to vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables.
Despite its prevalence in multivitamins, there is little need to supplement this vitamin because a single orange provides over 75% of the daily requirement.
In addition, studies suggest that supplementing vitamin C in a single tablet or multivitamin may actually increase the risk of developing age-related cataracts by up to 38%.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E helps cut the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. However, the dangers of consuming high doses (over 300 mg daily), may lead to serious health issues and cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, a diverse diet rich in nuts and seeds can meet the daily recommended intake. For example, one serving of sunflower seeds provides 49% of the recommended daily dose.
Zinc
You can derive zinc from oysters, red meat, and poultry. For example, a 100-gram serving of ground beef nearly meets half of the daily zinc requirement. However, care is needed as this supplement causes toxicity in large doses.
The Five Best Vitamins for Eye Health
Yet there are some transformative vitamins that you will need to supplement with to protect your eyes long-term. Make no mistake about it – these are the vitamins that will make the biggest impact on your eye health as you age.
We analysed over 70 studies to identify the five game-changing vitamins that our eyes thrive on. These compounds combine to target not just the eyes but the entire vision ecosystem, from the cornea to the retina and all the way to the brain.
L-Methylfolate
Many traditional multivitamins contain vitamin B9 in an inefficient form - folic acid - which requires a 3-step process before your body can use it.
Unlike folic acid, L-methylfolate (or levomefolic acid) is a bioactive form of vitamin B9 that’s hyper-absorbable and requires no conversion before it can be used by the body. Supplementation of L-methylfolate is useful because the body's capacity to absorb folate diminishes with age.
This essential vitamin benefits the body by supporting red blood cell production and the central nervous system.
How does L-methylfolate aid your vision? By supporting optic nerve function and reducing levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can damage blood vessels in the eye and is linked with glaucoma (specifically pseudoexfoliative glaucoma).
Pro tip: Quatrefolic® is a breakthrough vitamin compound in this field. It’s a patented form of L-methyfolate combined with the amino acid glucosamine, which guarantees absorption by supplying folate in the most bioavailable form possible.
This is especially important for the 20-40% of the population with an MTHFR mutation as they struggle to convert common forms of B vitamins.
Methylcobalamin
Methylcobalamin, the bioactive form of vitamin B12, is essential for DNA synthesis, nerve health, and brain function. It is a crucial vitamin for eye health as it supports the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibres.
Since B12 absorption decreases with age, supplementation becomes increasingly important to maintain adequate levels in your body.
While various forms of B12 are available, many supplements contain cyanocobalamin, a less efficiently absorbed variant that scientists worry may lead to cyanide buildup in the body with long-term use. Methylcobalamin, however, is favoured for its high safety profile and easy absorption.
Nicotinamide
Vitamin B3 is one of the most crucial vitamins for eye vision. Niacin is the most common form of vitamin B3, but it can cause uncomfortable side effects like skin flushing.
Nicotinamide is another form of B3 that surpasses its counterpart because it doesn’t cause as many side effects as niacin. It’s an advanced vitamin that’s recognised by the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines.
Another benefit of nicotinamide is that it’s easily converted into NAD+. NAD+, also known as the anti-ageing coenzyme, is present throughout the body and promotes healthy mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of our cells.
This is especially important for retinal ganglion cells, which transmit signals from the retina to the brain. Australian researchers have discovered the potential of nicotinamide to improve the function of retinal ganglion cells in individuals diagnosed with glaucoma.
As NAD+ levels decline by around 50% with age, nicotinamide supplementation becomes key for preserving eye health and function.
Lutein & Zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin are the pigments that give marigold flowers, paprika and goji berries their bright colouring.
Although by definition they are strictly not vitamins, they are also much more than simple colourants; these carotenoids are among the best antioxidants for the eye, brain and skin.
These powerhouse nutrients help filter harmful high-energy UV and blue light, safeguarding the retina and the macula - the part of the eye responsible for clear, sharp vision - from light-induced damage.
Studies have shown that an increased intake of supplementary lutein and zeaxanthin can significantly reduce the risk of chronic eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration.
Nutravision: The Comprehensive Vitamin for Eye Health
The evidence so far suggests that supplementing with these five vitamins will benefit eye health and mitigate the impact of ageing.
You could supplement with these vitamins individually. But why not supplement with an industry leading eye health multivitamin that combines them all in one powerful formula?
Nutravision is a pioneering, science-based supplement tailored for 360-degree eye protection and longevity of the entire vision ecosystem. It does so by incorporating all the best vitamins for eye health - L-methylfolate (Quatrefolic®), methylcobalamin, nicotinamide, lutein and zeaxanthin (and more!) - in one convenient, transformative capsule.
For those committed to a healthy lifestyle and seeking to incorporate a convenient eye health solution into their wellness strategy, Nutravision is the ideal step forward.
It is fantastic that we can be proactive in helping maintain our eye health in such an easy way by taking Nutravision. Trying to get all of the many nutrients required by diet alone would be difficult and expensive. Debra G, Senior Lead Orthoptist
Ready to revolutionise your eye health and secure a clear future for your vision?
Begin your eye health journey with Nutravision now.