Question: I have noticed that my vision has become less clear lately, especially when I am doing crossword puzzles. Are there any vitamins that could improve my vision or protect me from further vision loss?
Answer: First, make sure your doctor properly diagnosis the problem.
Recently, nutrients have been linked to eye health and vision. Age-related macular degeneration or AMD for short, is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older. The macula is the part of the eye that allows us to see fine details such as small crossword puzzles. Two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, are found in the human eye in high concentrations. Epidemiological studies offer some evidence that an increased intake of lutein and zeaxanthin within the diet is linked with a lowered risk for age-related macular degeneration. More recently, clinical trials have clearly showed that supplementation with lutein and/or zeaxanthin increased macular pigmentation, which may protect against age-related macular degeneration.
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Foods that are high in lutein and zeaxanthin include broccoli, corn, squash and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. Then again, any colorful fruit and vegetable contains a large amount of antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin which may protect the eyes from AMD. The dotFIT Superior Antioxidant includes these two antioxidants and more. You can read more about this product
here.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are concentrated in the fovea, the central region of the retina, in a spot known as the macula lutea, or yellow spot. The macula helps produce the sharp central vision needed for activities like reading, sewing and driving. Both compounds serve as blue light and near-ultraviolet radiation filters, protecting underlying ocular tissues from light damage. Both lutein and zeaxanthin effectively quench free radicals during the photosensitized reaction, which may contribute to the health maintenance of eye tissues.