Can Vitamins Help Vision?

Posted by: Caster Eye Center in Uncategorized

The answer is a big yes, maybe, or not really, depending on who you are.

The strongest yes is for people suffering from very poor nutrition, who are generally people not in the United States, but rather in third world countries. Vitamin A deficiency is common in those suffering from malnutrition; the first vision problems are night blindness. Vitamin A is common in green leafy vegetables, carrots (yes, what your mother told you is true), sweet potatoes, fruit, dairy products and liver. In the United States, even those who have a relatively poor diet generally get enough of these foods to supply the small amounts of Vitamin A that are necessary to preserve eyesight. For those suffering from Vitamin A deficiency, such as hundreds of thousands of children in developing countries, even small amounts of these foods or other forms of Vitamin A can be truly vision saving.

In the United States, the most important vision saving role of vitamins is in individuals who have macular degeneration. This condition is unfortunately common as we get older. Certain vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A and zinc, have been shown to decrease the progression of macular degeneration in many people. If you have macular degeneration, you should take one of the many over-the-counter vitamin and mineral combinations specifically designed for eye health.