3 Common Supplements That Could Harm Your Eyes

Zinc. Vitamin C. Vitamin B3.

These 3 common supplements are vital for your health and general well-being. But when it comes to your eyes, these 3 popular supplements don't always help. In fact, they may be quietly working against you.

This might surprise you if you’re taking supplements for your eyes, especially when you expect the supplements to help, not harm.

In this article, we break down three common eye supplement ingredients that carry hidden risks and could be doing more harm than good to your eyes… and what to consider instead if you're serious about supporting long-term eye health.

1. Zinc: Helpful or Harmful? It Depends on Your Genes

Zinc is everywhere in eye and macula supplements, especially those based on the AREDS or AREDS2 formula for macula health support.

But here’s what most people don’t know: about 13-15% of the population carry a specific genetic variant (in the CFH gene) that makes them highly sensitive to zinc.

In these individuals, zinc supplementation may actually worsen macular health — the part of your eye responsible for detail, reading, and facial recognition.

A study published in Ophthalmology found that in those sensitive to zinc, the presence of zinc in the eye formula accelerated progression to advanced macular degeneration. This risk persists even when lower doses of zinc are used, such as those in standard Australian and NZ eye supplements.

Bottom line: If you’re not sure of your genetic profile, supplementing with zinc could worsen the health of your macula instead of helping.

2. Vitamin C: Antioxidant or Pro-Oxidant?

Vitamin C is often praised for its antioxidant power, and rightly so. This is why it is also a common ingredient in many vision supplements.

But at high doses, it can flip and act like the exact opposite. This means that in certain conditions, instead of being an antioxidant, vitamin C becomes a pro-oxidant — contributing to oxidative stress instead of reducing it.

In one major Swedish cohort study published in 2010, researchers found that women over 65 who took high-dose vitamin C had a 38% higher risk of cataract. The same was also true in men: men who took high-dose vitamin C supplements had a 21% higher risk of developing cataracts compared to those who didn’t take any supplements.

Bottom line: Vitamin C isn’t automatically “good” for your eyes, especially in mega doses.

3. Vitamin B3: Only One Form Is Safe for Eyes

Vitamin B3 has been gaining a lot of attention ever since a 2020 clinical trial reported on its ability to improve in inner retinal function in people with glaucoma. This has led to many people start taking vitamin B3 for their vision.

But there are different types of B3, and they are not all created equal. Most low-cost supplements use niacin, which in high doses has been linked to niacin-induced ocular side effects such as:

• Blurred or distorted vision
• Macular oedema (fluid swelling in the macula)
• Dry eyes and eyelid swelling

The ideal form of vitamin B3, the form that has been shown to be effective in reaching and protecting retinal ganglion cells, is nicotinamide. Nicotinamide helps to restore cellular energy and mitochondrial metabolism in the optic nerve cells, increasing their resilience and ability to withstand stress from pressure.

Bottom line: The wrong form of B3, niacin, can be potentially harmful. The right form, nicotinamide, supports the systems your vision depends on.

So What Eye Supplements Should You Take Instead?

Zinc, vitamin C, and niacin all have roles in general health. However, when it comes to your eyes, these are nutrients best obtained through a balanced diet.

That’s why Nutravision contains none of them. Instead, Nutravision focuses on ingredients that:

• Are not easily sourced from food
• Have been clinically studied for their impact on vision
• Support deeper systems like mitochondrial energy, circulation, and nerve function

Unlike generic eye supplements that load up on common vitamins you can get from a healthy diet, Nutravision delivers the following vision nutrients that are not so easily obtainable from food:

• Nicotinamide (not niacin) — for optic nerve support
• Saffron — contains rare carotenoids that help maintain healthy eye pressure
• Methylfolate + activated B12 — to reduce homocysteine and maintain nerve health
• Lutein + Zeaxanthin — in bioavailable forms for macular support
• Ginkgo biloba + Bilberry — to promote healthy microcirculation
• Vegan vitamin D3 — for immune support and cellular health

Every ingredient in Nutravision is chosen not because it’s trendy, but because it targets the parts of your vision that matter over the long-term.

The Smarter Way to Supplement Your Vision

If you're already eating well, you're likely getting enough zinc, vitamin C, and niacin B3 through food. But the real challenge? Supporting the parts of your visual system that diet alone can’t reach.

Nutravision is formulated to fill that gap, using practitioner-grade ingredients designed to support eye pressure balance, optic nerve health, and long-term visual performance.

Want to support your eyes with confidence?
Ditch the megadoses. Skip the guesswork.
Choose an all-in-one supplement that’s built on science, not trends or shortcuts.

👉 Discover Nutravision — where advanced formulation meets real eye health needs.

Nutravision is an award-winning, science-backed, practitioner-formulated eye supplement that has no zinc, no vitamin C and no niacin.