VITAMINS AND THE EYE

Some points from this supplementary article in Review of Optometry.

Vitamin A: The blue Mountains Eye study found that elevated beta carotene intake was assoicated with an increased risk of macular degeneration.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): Deficiency can cause red eye, photosensitivty, and dry eye.

Vitamin B7 (biotin): deficiency can lead to dry scalp, dandruff, or hair loss.

Vitamin B9 (folate): unmetabolized folic acid can accelerate cardiovascular and ophthalmic vascular disease. 

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin): Provides relief for patients with pernicious anemia, megaloblastic anemia, and sickle cell anemia.

Vitamin C:Assists in collagen fomation and wound healing, including that of the cornea.  Deficiency results in slow healing, frequent infections, low platelets, retinal microaneurysms, and cataracts.

Vitamin D: Crucial for patients facing uveitis/ retinitis, MS, herpes simplex and zoster, neovacularization jin AMD, and patients at risk for diabetes. 

Vitamin E: Increases tear production, retard cataract formation, reduce propensity for diabetic retinopathy.

Magnesium: Deficiency has been linked to retinopathy, acephalgic migraines, twitching eyelids, and glaucoma.

Selenium: Helps protect patients against AMD