What to Look for in an Eye Health Supplement?

At a time when eating healthy, sleeping well, and giving your eyes enough rest can be a challenge, an eye health supplement may seem like a smart choice. But while there’s no shortage of food supplements for vision, not all products are natural or use science-backed ingredients.

Today, we take a closer look at food supplements for good eyesight. From capsules and soft gels to gummies, we examine what separates the best eye supplements from the rest.

So, what makes a good eye health supplement?

The Nutrients Your Eyes Need

Your eyes are constantly exposed to pollution, UV damage, and oxidative damage resulting from natural cellular processes. This creates free radicals that can damage eye cells.

While not immediately noticeable, oxidative damage can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and other eye conditions. What’s more, as we age, the tear glands produce fewer tears, increasing the risk of dry eye disease.

A poor diet can undermine eye health by depriving your body of vitamins and nutrients that your eye cells need to function normally. For example, vitamin A and vision are closely associated.

Vitamin A deficiency can cause vision loss and blindness. While uncommon in the Western world, this deficiency may still occur because of a restrictive diet or poor absorption of nutrients in the body.

The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, both antioxidants, also play a crucial role in vision. They occur in the macula, the part of the retina responsible for the sharpest vision.

These antioxidants have a protective effect on the eyes that helps with dry eye disease and other eye conditions. What’s more, when they occur in a high concentration in the eyes, they can improve vision in dim light.

Meanwhile, vitamin E, vitamin C and macular degeneration have been associated in a 2019 study, alongside zinc and selenium. Together, these nutrients have a beneficial antioxidant effect and ward off other eye diseases as well.

Vitamin D also deserves a mention. There’s a connection between vitamin D and the eyes. Low vitamin D levels have been associated with dry eye disease, keratoconus, and vision side effects after post-refractive surgery.

Types of Eye Health Supplements

Eye health supplements come in many different forms and can vary a lot in terms of the ingredients they contain. Let’s take a closer look at the different types of supplements for vision.

Active Ingredients

Some focus on one or two essential eye health nutrients, providing for example only lutein and zeaxanthin. Other supplements provide a host of nutrients that support eye health.

At first glance it may seem that a supplement which provides more nutrients is better. But it’s important to consider whether you may not be already getting those nutrients from food or regular vitamin supplements.

For comparison, it’s often easier to get vitamins A, C, and E through your diet than the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. The latter occur in high concentrations in leafy greens and eggs, which not everyone may eat.

Some eye health supplements also contain antioxidants proven to support eye health, like anthocyanins from bilberries or blueberries. If you’re not eating enough of the right fruits and vegetables, these supplements can be a smart choice.

Natural or Artificial

Vision supplements can also be categorized according to whether they are made from plants and natural extracts or synthesized in a lab.

Natural supplements are suitable for all diets and less likely to have side effects. They may also contain active ingredients not found in lab-made supplements. To boot, they are free from artificial colorings and flavorings.

With that in mind, natural supplements can be more expensive and have a limited shelf life beyond which their potency decreases. How you store them may also affect the power of their active ingredients.

Form

Capsules, soft gels, gummies, liquid, or powder? These are only some of the forms that eye health supplements take. Capsules and soft gels are usually the easiest to take and may ensure better nutrient intake than other forms of delivery.

Supplements in the form of gummies add taste and texture to the regular experience of taking a capsule. They can taste deliciously. However, they may also contain sugar, flavorings, and other artificial ingredients, so pay attention to the label.

Liquid or powder eye health supplements are less common. They are more difficult to take and may require special storage conditions.

Vegan Friendly or Not

In general, the ingredients that go into eye health supplements are vegetarian friendly. One exception to this may be supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil or fish liver, and which may be marketed for treating dry eye disease.

If you’re vegan, you’re probably wary of capsules made from gelatin, an animal product. The good news is that many eye health supplement manufacturers are sensitive to the needs of vegetarians and use vegetable-based (or vegan-friendly) capsules.

Subscription-Based

Some eye health supplements are available on a subscription that can save you money if you order them regularly. Your eyes need a steady supply of nutrients, and natural eye health supplements are generally safe to take over a long period.

Another advantage of a subscription-based supplement is that you know it’s going to be there. Other supplements may disappear off the shelf.

How to Choose the Best Eye Supplements for You

A good approach to choosing the right eye supplement for you starts with understanding your needs and any eye health problems you may be facing. If you have a specific eye condition, asking an eye doctor to recommend you a supplement is a good idea.

For common eye conditions like dry eye disease, a well-rounded natural supplement that provides antioxidants, vitamins, and other nutrients can be an inspired choice. Look for a natural product free from additives and without added sugar.

SightC Natural Dry Eye Supplement is a superfood blend that brings together goji berries, turmeric, and other ingredients to soothe dry eye symptoms and support eye health in the digital age. Available in the form of vegetarian capsules, it’s easy to take at home and on the go.

Meanwhile, Blueberry Gummies provide anthocyanins and other antioxidants from freeze-dried Canadian blueberries. Sweetened with monk fruit, these gummies are a delicious treat that boosts eye health.

Keep your eyes happy with SightC and Blueberry Gummies.