Taking an Eye Health Vitamin
Antioxidants make up the majority of eye health vitamins on the market today. You will find Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, selenium, lutein and zeaxanthin as key eye health vitamin ingredients. You are able to obtain them from foods as well eye health vitamin supplements.
Diets high in antioxidants can help to prevent ocular disorders such as cataracts, macular degeneration and complications from diabetes which affect vision. Antioxidants also help to lower high blood pressure and prevent heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Antioxidants help to prevent oxidative damage to your body. As the cells in your body use oxygen, byproducts called free radicals are formed. Free radicals cause the oxidative damage, and antioxidants attach to and capture the free radicals.
When choosing an eye health vitamin supplement, remember these tips:
- Buying a multivitamin or specially formulated eye health vitamin may be less expensive than purchasing each vitamin or nutrient separately.
- Check the expiration date of the bottle. Be sure the expiration date hasn’t passed and is far enough in the future for you to finish the bottle.
- Look at the serving size. Some supplements require one tablet or capsule, others require several.
- Make sure the seal is intact on the bottle.
- Read the label for any ingredients you may be allergic to, such as dairy, wheat, corn or soy.
Your eye health vitamin should contain most of the following elements:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B complex (includes Vitamin B1 [thiamine] Vitamin B2 [riboflavin], Vitamin B3 [niacin or nicotinamide], Vitamin B5 [pantothenic acid], Vitamin B6 [pyridoxine, pyridoxal or pyridoxamine], Vitamin B7 [biotin), Vitamin B9 [folic acid], Vitamin B12 [cyanocobalamin]
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Lutein
- Zeaxanthin
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Bioflavonoids