by Jenny Perez, June 23rd 2023
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What Are Eye Supplements?

Natural Eye Supplement Ingredients* 

These natural eye supplement ingredients may provide eye and vision health support:

  • DHA is a type of Omega-3 fatty acid that is naturally concentrated in your retina, acting as a primary structural element of the eye. DHA supplementation during pregnancy is highly recommended to support retina development. Some studies associate lower incidences of macular degeneration with sufficient DHA consumption. 2, 3, 4,5, 6 *
  • Lutein and Zeaxanthin are carotenoid pigments and antioxidants that may help support the integrity and density of macular pigments. These nutrients may promote retinal health, photoreceptor health, and support the overall health of the macula. As an antioxidant, these phytonutrients may support a reduction in inflammation, help protect against free radicals, protect your eyes from the sun, and encourage sharper vision. 7, 8 *
  • Vitamin C and Vitamin E are key antioxidants that researchers believe have roles in helping protect your eyes from oxidative impacts. There is an assumption that cataracts may develop due to oxidation in the lens from exposure to the sun’s UV rays. Studies show that these essential nutrients, in conjunction with lutein and zeaxanthin may limit the potential for cataracts and provide support for the prevention of early age-related macular degeneration. 9, 10, 11 * 
  • Organic prickly pear, bilberry, carrot, turmeric, spinach, chlorella, and tomato offer a complex phytochemical profile that may offer full spectrum nutritional eye health support. * 

Just as natural food sources provide maximum nutrition, the same holds true for your supplement ingredients. Always read the label and do your research into where the company sources their supplement ingredients – natural is always best.

12 Facts About Your Eyes You Need to Know * 

The sense of sight is truly remarkable – your eyes literally open up the world to you, helping you make sense of color, light, speed, depth, and brightness. Even with these amazing capabilities, it’s easy to overlook how busy and active your eyes are in helping you make sense of the world around you. *

These 12 facts about your eyes illustrate the value of supporting your eye health (plus now you have some great trivia for your next games or quiz night): 12, 13 *

  1. Your eyes have their biggest growth spurt during your first two years of life, ultimately reaching their full size by adulthood. 
  2. There are 7 million cone cells in your retina working hard to help you see in full vibrant color. 
  3. There are 100 million rod cells actively working to help you see in the dark. 
  4. Your brain works with your eyes to interpret what you see, creating a broad spectrum of color, shape, texture, and contrast. 
  5. Your eyes can see 500 different shades of gray. 
  6. Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke have serious consequences for your eye health. 
  7. As you age you may experience dry eyes. Your ability to produce tears reduces with age. 
  8. 50% of your brain function is devoted to seeing.
  9. Your eyes are your most busy and active muscle. 
  10. The most common eye color is brown. 
  11. You can sunburn your eyes. 
  12. Newborn babies don’t shed tears when they cry. 

Common Eye Problems and Symptoms

Your eyes, like the rest of your muscles, organs, and body tissues experience wear-and-tear from aging, overuse, and exposure to screens and environmental factors. The more you know about eye health, the easier it is to proactively support your lifelong vision and eye health. *

If you experience any of these common eye problems and symptoms, contact your eye doctor: 14, 15 * 

  • Sudden blurriness, fuzziness, or distorted vision 
  • Puffiness or swelling around your eyelid or on your eye
  • Difficulty focusing on objects
  • Headaches or eye aches
  • Itchy, burning, or dry eyes
  • Seeing spots, halos, or glare
  • Double vision
  • Sensitivity to bright lights, sunlight, or overhead lights 
  • Limited or loss of peripheral vision
  • Dark floating spots, lines, waves, or flashers
  • Drooping eyelids, crossed eyes, or the inability to close an eye
  • Redness in your eye or eyelid 
  • Night blindness

Please note this is not a complete list of eye symptoms and problems – whenever you experience a change in vision, eye discomfort, or other symptom, contact your eye doctor. Eye symptoms and problems can be signs of serious underlying conditions and concerns. *

Natural Ways to Support Your Eye Health *

The great news is there are natural ways for you to support your eye health that have the extra benefit of trickling over into supporting your overall health and wellness.16,17,18,19 *

  • Eat for your eye health. Eating a vitamin and mineral rich diet of foods high in vitamins A, C, and E, lutein, zeaxanthin, DHA, and zinc helps your eye, heart, and brain health. Try to add foods like carrots, kale, kidney beans, lean red meat, broccoli, eggs, salmon, tuna, avocados, red bell peppers, carrots, and strawberries to your diet. 
  • Exercise and move your body. Daily activity such as walking, lifting weights, swimming, yoga, cycling, and playing sports does so much for supporting your physical and mental health. Carrying extra weight or stress places pressure on your entire body, including the tiny blood vessels in your eyes. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the tiny arteries in your eyes are weakened due to excess blood sugar, causing blood and fluid to leak into your eyes. 
  • Protect your eyes. Wearing sunglasses, protective eyewear, and wide-brimmed hats may help protect your eyes from excessive UV rays, environmental pollutants, debris, sports injuries, work-related hazards, chemicals, sharp objects, and more. Make sure your sunglasses do more than look good – look for sunglasses designed to block UVA and UVB radiation. Hint: this is also a good reason to wear the new hip floppy hats or buy an extra pair of sunglasses for your beach holiday. 
  • Do not smoke. Smoking increases your chances of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. 
  • Practice good eye hygiene. Always wash your hands before removing or inserting contact lenses. Follow the care recommendations for your contact lenses, do not wear daily lenses for multiple days, and remember to change your contact lenses after swimming or bathing. Bacteria and germs can accumulate on your contact lenses causing eye infections. 
  • Be aware of screen time. The more time you spend on your computers, smartphones, and mobile devices, the harder it is on your eyes. To ease eye strain, try to take a break from your screens every 20 minutes and look at an object 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds. We find it helps to have a sticky note on our monitor that says Remember 20-20-20. 
  • Eye supplements for extra support. There are times when it’s difficult to get all the nutrients you need or take breaks from your computer. Eye supplements may help bridge gaps and provide extra support for your vision and eye health. Always look for eye supplements free from non-organic materials, heavy metals, and other impurities. 
  • Get regular eye exams. Just like your annual physical, a regular eye exam is important for monitoring your eye health. Since signs and symptoms of glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and other eye conditions are often not obvious, a regular eye exam may help spot these concerns early. Often you don’t notice changes in your vision and may not realize you’re not seeing as clearly as you used to. A regular eye exam ensures your eyes are getting the extra support they need. 

Never take your eye health for granted. Your eye and vision health are just as important as your immune, digestive and heart health. Remember, your body is a complex and integrated system, with the health of each part contributing to your overall health and wellness. *

We want you to be seeing clearly and easily for your entire life. There is so much to see and experience out there – so take good care of your eyes so they can keep showing off the world’s brilliance to you. Remember – seeing is believing. *

Consult your healthcare team before making changes to your nutrition, exercise, or supplements. Discuss all supplements, including the vitamins and minerals you take or plan to take, as these may interact differently with underlying health conditions and medication. Always follow the suggested use instructions and read the warnings on the supplement product label before consumption.

References

  1. Your Eyes: A Window to Your Health: Cleveland Clinic (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/your-eyes-a-window-to-your-health/
  2. 17 Science-Based Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Healthline (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/17-health-benefits-of-omega-3
  3. Calder PC. Docosahexaenoic Acid. Ann Nutr Metab. 2016;69 Suppl 1:7-21. doi: 10.1159/000448262. Epub 2016 Nov 15. PMID: 27842299. (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27842299/
  4. Lafuente M, Rodríguez González-Herrero ME, Romeo Villadóniga S, Domingo JC. Antioxidant Activity and Neuroprotective Role of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Supplementation in Eye Diseases That Can Lead to Blindness: A Narrative Review. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Mar 5;10(3):386. doi: 10.3390/antiox10030386. PMID: 33807538; PMCID: PMC8000043. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8000043/
  5. Jiang H, Shi X, Fan Y, Wang D, Li B, Zhou J, Pei C, Ma L. Dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish intake and risk of age-related macular degeneration. Clin Nutr. 2021 Dec;40(12):5662-5673. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.10.005. Epub 2021 Oct 12. PMID: 34749130. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34749130/
  6. Swanson D, Block R, Mousa SA. Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: health benefits throughout life. Adv Nutr. 2012 Jan;3(1):1-7. doi: 10.3945/an.111.000893. Epub 2012 Jan 5. PMID: 22332096; PMCID: PMC3262608. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3262608/
  7. Can Lutein Benefit Your Vision and Eye Health?: Healthline (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.healthline.com/health/lutein-for-eyes
  8. Buscemi S, Corleo D, Di Pace F, Petroni ML, Satriano A, Marchesini G. The Effect of Lutein on Eye and Extra-Eye Health. Nutrients. 2018 Sep 18;10(9):1321. doi: 10.3390/nu10091321. PMID: 30231532; PMCID: PMC6164534. (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164534/ 
  9. Rasmussen HM, Johnson EJ. Nutrients for the aging eye. Clin Interv Aging. 2013;8:741-8. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S45399. Epub 2013 Jun 19. PMID: 23818772; PMCID: PMC3693724. (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3693724/ 
  10. Khoo HE, Ng HS, Yap WS, Goh HJH, Yim HS. Nutrients for Prevention of Macular Degeneration and Eye-Related Diseases. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Apr 2;8(4):85. doi: 10.3390/antiox8040085. PMID: 30986936; PMCID: PMC6523787. (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523787/ 
  11. Vitamin E and Vision: Webmd.com (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/vitamin-e-vision
  12. 15 Fascinating Facts About Your Eyes: Cleveland Clinic (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/15-fascinating-facts-about-your-eyes-infographic-2/
  13. Fun Eye Facts: Canadian Association of Optometrists (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://opto.ca/eye-health-library/fun-eye-facts
  14. 8 ‘Do Not Ignore’ Warning Signs of Serious Eye Problems: Optometrists Network (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.optometrists.org/general-practice-optometry/guide-to-eye-health/8-do-not-ignore-warning-signs-of-serious-eye-problems/
  15. Warning Signs of a Serious Eye Problem: Harvard Health (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/warning-signs-of-a-serious-eye-problem
  16. 36 Fabulous Foods to Boost Eye Health: American Academy of Ophthalmology (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/fabulous-foods-your-eyes
  17. 10 Ways to Improve Your Eyesight: Healthline (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-improve-eyesight
  18. How Stress Affects Your Vision: The American Institute of Stress (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.stress.org/how-stress-affects-your-vision
  19. How to Keep Your Eyes Healthy: WebMD (Accessed June 19, 2023) https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/good-eyesight

Jenny Perez is an herbal educator, researcher, and writer who has been immersed in the field of nutrition and botanical medicine for more than 20 years. Jenny has created curriculum, content, and educational materials for Quantum Nutrition Labs, Premier Research Labs, the American Botanical Council, and Bastyr University’s Botanical Medicine Department where she was Adjunct Faculty, Herb Garden Manager, and Director of the Holistic Landscape Design certificate program.