Summary Vitamin C and Eye Health

Eye health and aging go hand in hand. This is due to the fact that the eyes are constantly exposed to the environment. It can be said that the eyes are the windows to the soul so to speak. This means that our eyes need to be properly maintained if we want to continue viewing the world in an enjoyable manner. One important factor that will contribute to eye health is the timely administration of eye drops as prescribed by a qualified physician.

Some people believe that high amounts of vitamin c can help them avoid eye problems. While there is a certain degree of truth to this, high amounts of vitamin c can actually lead to a decreased vision condition and/or serious eye disorders. Vitamin c has been proven to reduce the risks for cataracts and cataract surgery in controlled studies but it has also been found that excess vitamin c can increase the risks for cataract surgery and diabetic retinopathy. In controlled studies, high amounts of vitamin c resulted in increased risk for age-related macular degenerative eye disease (ARMD) and vision loss. High amounts of vitamin c have also been shown to be associated with the development of cataracts, a common disease among people over the age of sixty.

The benefits of vitamin e in eye health are well-documented. It plays an important role in maintaining eye health by increasing the stability of tears, preventing protein cross-linking, reducing inflammation, regulating the water supply to the eye, and assisting in the function of the macula, the part of the retina responsible for color vision. As an antioxidant, vitamin e can prevent the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, which can lead to the formation of cataracts and increase the risk for age-related eye diseases like glaucoma and macular degenerative eye disease. Because it is found in fatty acids, vitamin e can inhibit the formation of new blood vessels caused by high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, thus reducing the risk for cardiovascular diseases.