Diet and regular eye exams are effective ways of protecting against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and slowing its progress. Learn which vitamins and minerals work together to protect your vision.

Zinc, Vitamin E and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin can reduce your risk for macular degeneration. You can find these antioxidants in leafy green vegetables, nuts and vegetable oils.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is vital to healthy eyesight in dim lighting conditions. It protects the cornea (the clear outer layer) of the eye from becoming dry, as well as helping the body produce enough rhodopsin for dark vision, making night blindness less likely. Furthermore, studies suggest it could lower age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the leading causes of vision loss among older adults.

Diets rich in Vitamin A may help lower the risk of cataracts. Vitamin A also supports cell differentiation and proliferation, intercellular signaling and immune function. Vitamin A can be found both as preformed (retinol and retinyl palmitate) from meat products such as cheese and milk and as provitamin A or beta-carotene from fruits and vegetables; both forms must then be converted by our bodies into retinal and retinoic acid for biological processes to function optimally.

Omega-3 fatty acids, considered good fats that protect retina and reduce inflammation in the body, can also play an integral part of eye health. You can find omega-3s in seafood like shrimp, salmon and halibut as well as flaxseed, chia seeds soy nuts.

Other nutrients known to boost eye health and vision improvement include Vitamin C, E and macular carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin (macular carotenoids), according to research. Studies show these substances decrease susceptibility to cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Citrus fruits such as citrus fruit kiwis strawberries; while E can be found in vegetable oils like safflower or corn oil almonds wheat germ sweet potatoes fortified cereals as well as leafy green vegetables such as kale spinach mustard greens collards plus eggs.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B is an invaluable eye health nutrient with numerous advantages for eye health. This vitamin can reduce chronic inflammation and prevent elevated homocysteine levels in the blood. Furthermore, vitamin B aids the body in absorbing fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K which is crucial to eye health. Vitamin C provides another antioxidant which prevents oxidation damage to eyes and can be found in citrus fruits, vegetables as well as green vegetables, berries and peppers – great sources!

Vitamin E is an eye-health nutrient known to protect against oxidation and the formation of cataracts, while also protecting retinal health and helping prevent macular degeneration. You can find Vitamin E in vegetable oils (safflower and corn oil) nuts and leafy green vegetables (spinach and kale).

Carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin are found in the central macula and retina of the eye, acting as powerful antioxidants to lower risk of age-related macular degeneration, according to the AOA. These essential nutrients form part of our natural defense system for protecting the eyes; typically derived through diet rich in yellow, orange and dark-green vegetables and fruits or supplements such as lutein/zeaxanthin supplements – they’re even found in fish like sardines/ tuna!

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and is known to protect eyes from oxidative damage. It aids collagen formation and can improve absorption of other vitamins and minerals. Studies suggest it can even lower risk for cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, kiwis, strawberries, red and green peppers, tomatoes and leafy vegetables – but studies do not support these claims.

Vitamin A is vital to eye health. It forms part of light-sensitive cells (rods) found within our retina that allow us to see in dim or dark environments, helping prevent dry eye as well as decreasing risks like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. For optimal nutrition, obtain enough Vitamin A through diet including eggs, calf’s liver, butter, fish and meat products, milk carrots apricots sweet potatoes leafy greens or multivitamin supplements.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are essential vitamins for the eyes. As powerful antioxidants found in both the macula and retina of your eye, these two minerals help reduce risk for macular degeneration, cataracts, AMD progression, as well as its progression. Main sources include spinach, kale, Swiss chard collard greens as well as eggs fatty fish such as salmon tuna as well as vegetable oils like safflower oil.

Studies have demonstrated that taking multiple vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, E, beta-carotene, zinc, and Omega-3 fatty acids together can significantly slow the progression of macular degeneration; this is particularly evident among those with intermediate to advanced AMD.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that protects cells against free radical damage. Studies have demonstrated its efficacy at lowering cataract risks and delaying macular degeneration progression. Vitamin E can be found in various food products like sunflower seeds, peanuts, pecans and walnuts as well as wheat germ, spinach collard greens broccoli red peppers olive and safflower oils as sources.

Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) revealed that those who took daily nutritional supplements containing both Vitamin E and beta-carotene experienced reduced risks of advanced macular degeneration. Eventually, this formula became an over-the-counter product; however studies conducted solely with Vitamin E have had mixed results.

Researchers believe vitamin E helps increase levels of T lymphocytes or T cells, which have been found to protect against autoimmune conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes, according to the NIH. Other researchers suspect it could reduce inflammation associated with macular degeneration by providing more antioxidant protection from free radical damage in eyesight.

Other essential nutrients for eye health include lutein and zeaxanthin found in the central macula of your retina as well as Omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation and improve blood circulation in the eye. You can get these essential vitamins either through eating healthfully or taking multivitamins with eye health supplements as recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). High dose vitamin E supplements have been linked with an increase risk of heart failure and prostate cancer; therefore it’s best to consult your physician prior to beginning new vitamins or supplements.

Lutein

Lutein is an anti-oxidant carotenoid with multiple benefits for eye health and can help prevent age-related macular degeneration, which causes blurry vision that makes reading, driving or recognising faces difficult. Furthermore, research indicates it helps improve measures of cardiovascular wellbeing.

Current research on lutein has focused mainly on observational studies analyzing diet, intake and serum concentrations of this antioxidant pigment. There have been some intervention trials conducted examining its impact on macular pigment optical density (MPOD), but results can vary widely depending on who participates. To analyze all available data on this matter, researchers searched PubMed, Cochrane Library China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database for any trials investigating MPOD among age-related macular degeneration patients – they identified nine such trials in these databases that had taken place and reviewed them all thoroughly.

These findings suggest that an increased intake of lutein and zeaxanthin may lower the risk of intermediate AMD progression. Results are similar to those observed for overall progression to advanced AMD; however, association may be less robust in this subsample. This finding is in line with evidence showing the benefits of lutein and zeaxanthin as antioxidants and filters that block blue light that can damage retinas. These findings were most evident among women under 75 years who consumed steady amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin. Excluding women with unstable diets or who had comorbidities that increased the risk of diet change resulted in lower estimates of associations, though results remained protective. These results support the hypothesis that increasing intakes of lutein, zeaxanthin and other carotenoids could decrease progression to intermediate AMD.