Smbtechconsultants

News

The 8 Best Eye Health Supplements of 2024, According to Experts

by

Is a Supplement for Eye Health Beneficial?

If you have an eye disease, then it may be helpful to add supplements to your diet to promote eye health, particularly if you struggle to eat a well-rounded diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Other groups that may also benefit from adding a supplement for eye health include:

  • Older adults. Older adults are at higher risk of AMD, explains Dunham, so taking a supplement could help manage this disease. Dr. Rapaport and Dr. DeBroff specifically recommend an AREDS/AREDS2 supplement if you have AMD because these are specifically formulated to prevent the advancement of macular degeneration.
  • Those with eye-related health issues. If you have diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, glaucoma, or chronic dry eyes, you may also benefit from a supplement for eye health, says Dunham.
  • Those who smoke. Smoking puts you at higher risk for eye issues like macular degeneration and cataracts, so taking a supplement may help prevent these health issues.
  • Those who are exposed to excessive blue light or screen time. The research is still a bit mixed, but a 2018 study did find that blue light may cause damage to your cornea, crystal lens, and retina. Therefore, if you spend long hours in front of a screen, especially if you struggle to eat a balanced diet, you may benefit from adding a supplement to ensure your eyes have the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
  • Those with a nutrient deficiency. If you’re deficient in vitamin A or E, then supplementing these nutrients to reach normal levels is important for not just eye health but overall health. Furthermore, if you struggle to incorporate antioxidants and omega-3- or vitamin C-rich foods, you may want to add a supplement to your routine.

Who May Not Benefit From Supplements for Eye Health

Although eye health supplements are mostly considered safe, they may be unnecessary for certain populations. These include:

  • Individuals who consume a well-rounded diet. Supplements are meant to supplement your food intake, but if you meet your nutrient needs through food alone, then a supplement isn’t necessary.
  • Individuals without risk factors for eye disease. Those with healthy eyes and no specific risk factors for eye disease like smoking, diabetes, or old age may not need a supplement to maintain eye health.
  • Individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding. While pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s important to be more diligent about vetting supplements and ensuring what you take is safe and research-backed. There isn’t much research on eye health supplements in these populations, so it’s usually best to err on the side of caution. Plus, if you’re taking other supplements, you’ll want to be careful about overdoing it by adding one for eye health to the mix.

How We Select Supplements

Our team works hard to be transparent about why we recommend certain supplements; you can read more about our dietary supplement methodology here.

We support supplements that are evidence-based and rooted in science. We value certain product attributes that we find to be associated with the highest quality products. We prioritize products that are third-party tested and certified by one of three independent, third-party certifiers: USP, NSF, or ConsumerLab.com.

It’s important to note that the FDA does not review dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they go to market. Our team of experts has created a detailed, science-backed methodology to choose the supplements we recommend.

We interviewed the following experts to determine the best supplements for eye health:

  • Krystal Dunham, MS, RDN, LD, owner and operator of The Mother Road Dietitian
  • Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, founder of Real Nutrition NYC
  • Yuna Rapoport, MD, MPH, Board Certified Ophthalmologist at Manhattan Eye
  • Brian M. DeBroff, MD, FACS, chief of ophthalmology at Bridgeport Hospital, part of Yale New Haven Health

What to Look For in Supplements for Eye Health

Third-Party Testing

Supplements that are third-party tested are sent to a lab where they are tested to ensure they contain what they say they contain and are not contaminated with specific high-risk, common contaminants. However, it’s important to note:

  • Third-party testing does not test to see if a product is effective or safe for everyone, and it does not ensure the supplement will not interact with other supplements or medications.
  • Not all third-party testing is created equal. It is not uncommon for supplement companies to pay labs for certificates after conducting minimal to no testing.
  • The third-party certifications we can trust are ConsumerLab.com, NSF, and USP. However, these certifications are difficult to obtain and/or expensive for manufacturers, so many companies choose not to get their products tested by one of these three organizations.
  • Sometimes products tested by these three companies are more expensive to try to offset the cost they pay for certification.
  • Just because a supplement is not tested by one of these three companies, it does not mean it’s a bad product. We recommend doing some research on the reputability of the manufacturer and calling up the manufacturer and their testing lab to determine their protocols and decide if you feel comfortable consuming the supplement.

Form

You can find supplements for eye health in a variety of forms, including pills, liquids, and gummies. Pills are usually the easiest to find and convenient, liquid makes it easy to adjust the dose, and gummies are easy to take if you struggle with swallowing pills.

Many supplements for eye health include multiple nutrients, like AREDS/AREDS2 supplements for AMD. However, you can typically find single-nutrient supplements with key vitamins and nutrients for eye health—omega-3s, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins A, C, and E.

Ingredients & Potential Interactions

It is essential to carefully read the ingredient list and nutrition facts panel of a supplement to know which ingredients and how much of each ingredient is included relative to the recommended daily value of that ingredient. Please bring the supplement label to a healthcare provider to review the different ingredients contained in the supplement and any potential interactions between these ingredients and other supplements and medications you are taking.

There are some specific ingredients to be mindful of when it comes to supplements for eye health. If you are following a vegan diet, then check the label on pills and gummy supplements because they often contain gelatin. Furthermore, omega-3 supplements are typically made with fish oil and aren’t vegan.

Some eye health supplements have added herbal ingredients that may interact with certain medications or cause allergic reactions in some people. These herbal additives may not be backed by research. In general, it’s best to avoid supplements with herbal ingredients if they don’t specify the amounts or if there isn’t research to support their benefits.

Certain medications can interact with nutrients important for eye health, so if you are taking a prescription medication, supplementation should not be started until consulting with your healthcare provider. Namely, Vitamin E affects blood clotting, so taking a vitamin E supplement can be dangerous if you are also taking an anticoagulant drug like Warfarin. Taking a vitamin A supplement while also taking a prescription drug with synthetic retinoids like acitretin or bexarotene can cause vitamin A toxicity. Again, it’s best to consult with your healthcare provider before starting a new supplement.

Dosage

Each eye health nutrient has a different recommended dosage that can vary based on your age, sex, and whether you’re pregnant or lactating. The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) or daily adequate intakes (AIs) for key nutrients for eye health for adults are below.

  • Vitamin A
  • Men: 900 micrograms RAE
  • Women: 700 micrograms RAE
  • Pregnancy: 770 micrograms RAE
  • Lactation: 1,300 micrograms RAE
  • Vitamin C
  • Men: 90 milligrams (add 35 milligrams if you smoke)
  • Women: 75 milligrams (add 35 milligrams if you smoke)
  • Pregnancy: 85 milligrams
  • Lactation: 120 milligrams
  • Vitamin E
  • Men, women, and pregnancy: 15 milligrams
  • Lactation: 19 milligrams
  • Lutein: no formal recommendation, but studies suggest 10 milligrams
  • Zeaxanthin: no formal recommendation, but studies suggest 2 milligrams
  • Omega 3 fatty acids: no established overall recommendation

How Much is Too Much?

Each nutrient for eye health has a different tolerable upper intake level (UL). Unless a healthcare professional recommends you take a higher dose than the UL to treat a nutrient deficiency, you are at increased risk for adverse effects or toxicity if you exceed this amount.

Lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids don’t have officially established ULs.

Here are the ULs for key nutrients for eye health:

  • Vitamin A: 3,000 micrograms (10,000 IU)
  • Vitamin C: 2,000 milligrams
  • Vitamin E: 1,000 milligrams
  • Lutein: no established upper limit, but studies suggest up to 20 milligrams per day is safe
  • Zeaxanthin: no established upper limit
  • Omega 3: no established upper limit, but studies suggest long-term intake of 5 grams per day is safe

Why Trust Verywell Health

Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN is a registered dietitian, freelance health and nutrition writer, and the founder of Nourishing Narratives LLC. In her work as a dietitian, she prioritizes recommending high-quality supplements backed by research and not taking a one-size-fits-all approach to health.