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What Vitamins Are Essential for Eye Sight?

Vitamins play a critical role in overall eye health and many vitamins work together to protect the eyes from age related eye diseases. Taking supplements can help, but it's always best to get as much nutrition as possible from whole foods such as fruits and vegetables.

  1. Vitamin E

    • Vitamin E is an essential nutrient for eye sight. This vitamin helps to protect the eyes from developing macular degeneration, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The University also says that macular degeneration is one of the major causes of blindness in people over age 55. The recommended daily dose of vitamin E is 400 IU. You can also get adequate levels of vitamin E by eating blueberries, olives, almonds, mustard greens, collard greens, spinach and papaya.

    Beta-carotene

    • Get 15 mg per day of beta carotene to prevent macular degeneration, recommends the University of Maryland Medical Center. This vitamin is a pigment found in plants and vegetables. The body converts beta-carotene into retinol which is the most potent form of vitamin A.This nutrient is found in carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, kale, squash and dark leafy green vegetables.

    Lutein

    • Lutein is a carotenoid that maintains eye health by preventing macular degeneration and cataracts, according to Natural News. This nutrient is also found in carrots and many other vegetables that also contain beta-carotene and other vitamins essential for eye sight. Eat salads with dark leafy green vegetables, carrots, radishes and tomatoes to get a good daily dose of lutein. This nutrient is also found in pigmented fruits such as blueberries and raspberries.

    Vitamin C

    • Vitamin C is another vitamin that helps keep your eyes healthy. This nutrient helps by preventing free radical damage that can affect the eyes. It works with vitamin E and A to provide overall protection for the body by enhancing the immune system and protecting tissues and cells. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends taking 500 mg of vitamin C per day to prevent macular degeneration. Vitamin C is also found in foods such as carrots, oranges, pineapple, papaya and blueberries.

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