Macular degeneration is a progressive eye disease in which the macula of the eye becomes damaged and eyesight declines. Over time, macular degeneration can progress to vision loss.
If you or a loved one is dealing with macular degeneration, you will likely want to try all routes to preserve your eyesight for as long as possible. One such regimen addition that people way consider is vitamin and mineral supplementation for eye health. But, just how well can eye vitamins help with macular degeneration?
In this article, we will review if eye vitamins can help with macular degeneration, discuss what types of macular degeneration are better suited to supplementation, and the specific vitamins and minerals that are the most recommended.
Some studies show that certain supplements may help with some types of macular degeneration. This may mean that the progression of the disease is slower than it may have been otherwise.
The most comprehensive studies are the AREDS and AREDS2 studies. These specifically looked into age-related eye diseases and how supplementation may or may not help.
What the studies found is that certain vitamins and minerals did help people slow the progression of eye diseases, including some types of macular degeneration. Although, it is noted that other types of macular degeneration may not respond as well to supplementation, and that severe cases that have already progressed quite a bit may not respond to supplementation.
Some types and stages of macular degeneration are the best suited to supplementation to help slow the progression. Macular degeneration is divided into two types, dry macular degeneration and wet macular degeneration. Approximately 80% of cases of macular degeneration are considered dry type, while the remaining 20% or so is wet type macular degeneration. The wet type is considered more severe and progressed, while the dry type is generally considered less severe. However, it’s important to note that the dry type of macular degeneration can turn into the wet type at any time.
According to the AREDS studies, dry macular degeneration responded well to certain eye supplements, while the wet macular degeneration did not. It was also discovered that the progression of the disease can help determine whether supplements are a good fit for you. Mild to moderate macular degeneration tends to respond better to eye supplements as compared to more severe and progressed cases.
Speak with your healthcare team and ophthalmologist to help you decide if eye supplements are a good fit for you. While it is normally dry macular degeneration that is the best fit for supplements, your provider may still suggest eye supplements for wet macular degeneration as well. This may be due to one eye being in a less progressed stage than the other.
If you want to give eye supplements a try for macular degeneration, certain vitamin, mineral, and plant extract ingredients are more commonly cited for their eye benefits. Below, we will cover the most well-studied and recommended eye supplement active ingredients to aid in certain cases of macular degeneration.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin are considered carotenoid molecules. They are found in foods or certain supplements and are so closely tied with eye health, that they are sometimes referred to as “eye vitamins”. In the eyes, they function to help protect from blue light damage and help protect against oxidative stress.
These carotenoids can be found in healthy foods like dark leafy greens, and vibrant fruits and veggies like bell peppers and carrots. If you want to get your carotenoids in through foods, try to eat a range of colorful fruits, veggies, and leafy greens every day.
If this isn't feasible for you, some people prefer to take lutein and zeaxanthin in supplement form.
Dosage suggestion: The American Ophthalmology Association recommends supplements containing 10 mg Lutein and 2 mg Zeaxanthin daily for macular degeneration.
Vitamins C and E help with many necessary processes throughout the body, and are a must for overall health. In the eyes, they are protective against free radicals, which they can help mop up. Both Vitamin C and Vitamin E are strong antioxidants, helping to clear free radicals and prevent a certain amount of oxidative damage to cells. Since oxidative damage is thought to be a partial contributor to the progression of macular degeneration, keeping it in check is a good thing for your eyes.
In your diet, Vitamin C can be found in fruits and vegetables like bell peppers, oranges, kiwis, and broccoli, among others. Good sources of dietary Vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, and peanut butter.
Food is generally considered the best source of nutrients for your body for these vitamins. But, if you are having trouble hitting your Vitamin C and Vitamin E targets through diet, supplements may be an option.
Dosage suggestion: The recommended daily supplement dosage suggestion from the American Ophthalmology Association is 500 mg of Vitamin C and 400 IU of Vitamin E.
Zinc is another recommended supplement for eye health. The role that it plays to help keep your eyes healthy is an indirect one. It plays a role in the storage and transport of Vitamin A, which directly works to help you see colors, see in the dark, and protect your retina. Without adequate zinc, your body may have Vitamin A stored in your liver, but may not have the capability to get it up to your eyes to do its vision work.
This trace mineral can also be consumed through your diet. It’s plentiful in foods such as oysters, beef, blue crab, fortified breakfast cereals, and pumpkin seeds. If these foods don’t tend to appear in your regular diet, you can opt for supplements to meet your Zinc quota.
Dosage suggestion: The American Ophthalmology Association recommends supplementing with 80 mg of Zinc (as zinc oxide) daily for macular degeneration support.
There are a few different eye vitamins on the market that tend to contain most or all of these supplements together in one convenient form.
A good choice is the Eyemazing eye gummy from Zen Nutrients. This supplement contains highly bioavailable forms of Lutein and Zeaxanthin, as well as Vitamin C, D, and E, with Zinc. As a comprehensive formula, this eye gummy also includes an eye health postbiotic shown to protect against eye strain and blue light damage, among other ingredients.
A combination formula like the one mentioned above may be a good option if you want to take all of the supplements recommended here, but don’t want to purchase 3 to 5 different products.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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