The most effective vitamin to improve eyesight

Vision is one of the most used senses. However, some eye diseases can lead to vision loss, according to Medline Plus, the US National Library of Medicine.

For this reason, it is essential to take care of your vision and a recommendation from the Urgent 24 portal is to consume vitamin A, an important ingredient for normal vision.

In fact, the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to clinical practice, education, and research, noted that, according to a major clinical trial, “People at increased risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration decreased their risk of 25% of having the condition when taking a specific combination of vitamins that included beta-carotene (vitamin A).”

Regarding vitamin A, it should be noted that there are two different types: the first is preformed vitamin A, which is found in beef, poultry, fish and dairy products; and the second type is provitamin A, which is found in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based products.

“The most common provitamin A carotenoid in food and dietary supplements is beta-carotene,” says the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Similarly, vitamin A is available in dietary supplements, usually as retinyl acetate or retinyl palmitate (preformed vitamin A), beta-carotene (provitamin A), or a combination of preformed vitamin A and provitamin A.

Also, most multivitamin and mineral supplements contain vitamin A, but dietary supplements containing only vitamin A are available.

Meanwhile, the amount of vitamin A needed depends on age and gender. The average daily amounts of vitamin A, expressed in micrograms (mcg) of retinol activity equivalents (RAEs), that are recommended for people of different ages, are as follows:

• From birth to 6 months: 400 mcg RAE.
• Babies from 7 to 12 months: 500 mcg RAE.
• Children from 1 to 3 years: 300 mcg RAE.
• Children from 4 to 8 years old: 400 mcg RAE.
• Children from 9 to 13 years old: 600 mcg RAE.
• Adolescent boys from 14 to 18 years old: 900 mcg RAE.
• Adolescent girls from 14 to 18 years old: 700 mcg RAE.
• Adult men: 900 mcg RAE.
• Adult women: 700 mcg RAE.
• Pregnant teens: 750 mcg RAE.
• Pregnant women: 770 mcg RAE.
• Breastfeeding adolescents: 1,200 mcg RAE.
• Breastfeeding women: 1,300 mcg RAE.

However, some people have greater trouble getting enough vitamin A:

• Premature babies, who often have low levels of vitamin A in their first year of life.
• Infants, young children, pregnant women and lactating women in developing countries.
• People with cystic fibrosis.

What happens if you don’t consume enough vitamin A?

According to the NIH, the most common symptom of vitamin A deficiency in young children and pregnant women is an eye disease called xerophthalmia. Xerophthalmia is the inability to see in dim light and, without treatment, can cause blindness.

It also indicated that a vitamin A deficiency that lasts for many years can lead to an increased risk of respiratory diseases such as pneumonia and infections such as measles and diarrhea.

It can also cause anemia (a disorder in which the red blood cells do not supply the body with enough oxygen) and, in severe cases, insufficient vitamin A intake can increase the risk of death.

Anyway, The information given above is in no way a substitute for medical advice and therefore the first thing to do is consult a health expert so that he or she can guide the process and indicate what is most appropriate for each person.

On the other hand, other ways to care for your eyesight are:

1. Have a healthy diet: Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens like spinach, cabbage, and kale, is also important to keeping your eyes healthy. Research has also shown that there are eye health benefits from eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, tuna, and grouper.

2. Quit smoking: if a person smokes, they are twice as likely to have age-related macular degeneration compared to a nonsmoker, and if a person smokes they are two to three times more likely to have cataracts than a nonsmoker.

3. Exercise regularly: exercise can help prevent or control diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. These diseases can lead to some eye or vision problems.

4. Wear sunglasses: Sun exposure can damage the eyes and increase the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the eyes with sunglasses that block 99 to 100% of UVA and UVB radiation.

5. Know the family medical history: Some eye diseases run in families, so it’s important to find out if anyone in the family has had them. This can help determine if you are at higher risk of developing one.

6. Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing diabetes. Diabetes puts you at greater risk of getting diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.

7. If contact lenses are worn, take steps to prevent eye infections: Wash your hands well before putting on or removing contact lenses. Follow the instructions on how to clean them correctly and replace them when necessary.

8. Give the eyes a break: If you spend time in front of a computer, you can forget, blink, which can tire your eyes. To reduce eye strain, you can try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look forward about twenty feet for 20 seconds.

Another recommendation is to perform exercises to improve eyesight, such as looking at an object that is far away for five or ten seconds and blinking again. This can be done twice a day.

Likewise, experts recommend covering one eye with the palm of the hand without generating pressure and with the uncovered eye seeing objects for a couple of minutes and then changing eyes. This can be done at the end of the day.