Eyesight Essentials: The Best Eye Vitamins & Supplements for Blurry Vision

Have you been thinking that things don’t seem as clear as they used to? Maybe the menu at your favourite restaurant is a bit more out of focus, or the road signs are a bit harder to read on your way to work.

Blurry vision becomes more common with age and digital screen overexposure, but it doesn't mean that there's nothing else we can do to reduce its impact beyond updating our spectacle prescription.

In this article, we explore some of the best vitamins and supplements to help with blurry vision and support eye health.

What Are The Best Eye Vitamins & Supplements for Blurry Vision?

There are many vitamin supplements for eye health. If you look up their ingredients, many contain vitamins A, C, and E as well as omega-3 fatty acids. These are important for your vision but can be obtained fairly easily from your everyday diet. 

Instead, we’ve pinpointed some of the best eye vitamins and nutrients for blurry vision that are not so readily sourced through diet. In this article, we uncover five of these exceptional vision vitamins and delve into why they are so special.

Bilberry

Bilberry fruits are the European cousins of blueberries, and are commonly used to make jams and pies - but did you know that they are also widely used as a traditional remedy for eye problems, poor circulation, and blood sugar control in diabetes?

What makes this berry so phenomenal is that it contains naturally producing chemicals known as anthocyanins, which give their fleshy goodness a deep red colour. Anthocyanins are plant pigments that have powerful antioxidant properties and are believed to be the key bioactive responsible for the numerous health benefits of bilberry. 

Bilberry, with its higher anthocyanin content compared to other types of berries, is reported to help lower blood glucose, have anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering effects, promote antioxidant defence, and lower oxidative stress.

This makes bilberry, or Vaccinium myrtillus L in the scientific world, highly sought after as a natural health-boosting supplement.

Here are 4 key reasons why bilberry is widely considered to be one of the best sources of vitamin nutrients for blurry vision:

1. The super antioxidants help to reduce the oxidative stress on the focusing muscles in your eyes. This soothes tired eyes and supports the focusing abilities of our eyes, including for reading.
2. These antioxidants also support the production of tears in our eyes, improving ocular lubrication and lessening the irritating effects of dry eyes on comfort and vision.
3. Anthocyanins do more than just battle oxidative stress - they also contribute to the regeneration of rhodopsin, a crucial protein molecule in our rod photoreceptor cells, which amplifies our retina's ability to capture light and movement. This is why bilberry is widely taken to help improve blurry vision in low light and at night. It was reported that during World War II, British fighter pilots ate bilberry jam at teatime to improve their night vision and increase their nighttime bombing accuracy!
4. Bilberry also enhances blood circulation to the eye and optic nerve, with improved peripheral vision documented in one study and beneficial effects for retinal function in another.

In short, bilberry has a very impressive list of benefits for eye health, cementing its position as one of the best supplements for blurred vision, particularly when used with other eye vitamins.

Lutein & Zeaxanthin

Lutein and zeaxanthin are types of carotenoids, which are naturally occurring pigments synthesised by plants and microorganisms. These compounds give fruits and vegetables their vibrant yellow, orange, and red hues.

What you may not know is that they also happen to be two of the best nutrients for your eyes, through the absorption of harmful ultraviolet and blue light and consequent reduction of free radical oxidative damage to the eye and macula.

Found in high concentrations in the lens and macula of your eye, lutein and zeaanthin work best when they’re together and play a crucial role in maintaining your visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, photostress recovery, and visual processing speed.

Researchers have confirmed that higher intake of these two carotenoid pigments reduces glare disability and visual discomfort, and delivers significant benefits for macular health.

There are also studies that show including lutein and zeaxanthin in your diet helps with skin hydration and elasticity. Just imagine having glowing skin and less noticeable wrinkles to go with your healthier vision! 

Saffron 

If you’re handy in the kitchen, you’ve probably heard of saffron. Also known as 'Red Gold', the labour-intensive methods used to extract the delicate stigma strands of saffron from the flower make this spice worth more than its weight in actual gold.

Its medicinal properties are legendary, being used to treat menstrual cramps, digestive issues, headaches, and even depression. In ancient Egyptian times, Cleopatra used it in her famous beauty routines as it was believed to reduce redness and puffiness around the eyes.

Saffron’s amazing healing abilities come from a potent combination of carotenoids, including crocin and crocetin, bioactive antioxidants known as lepticrosalides, and anti-inflammatory properties. These particular compounds, only found in saffron, provide valuable support for vision, especially with increasing age.

Here’s how saffron earns its gold standard as an exceptional eye health vitamin supplement for blurry vision:

1. In those in whom eye pressure reduction is crucial for vision, saffron has been identified as being able to significantly assist with eye pressure control.
2. Research has shown that carotenoids in saffron, including crocin and safranal, are able to reduce oxidative stress at the retina and support macular function. 
3. Saffron also helps to strengthen the blood vessels in the retina, reducing fluid leakage and supporting retinal health.

We’ve only just begun to uncover saffron’s healing potential, including ongoing research looking at potential benefits for brain health. But it’s clear that saffron delivers key advantages when it comes to addressing some of the underlying reasons for blurry vision.

Methylcobalamin (bioavailable form of vitamin B12)