Eye strain, blurry vision, dry eye, floaters, eye irritation, eye pressure – there are many ways that ageing may impact your eye health. 

Thankfully, there are safeguards you can put in place to help maintain your eye health over the long-term as you grow older. One of the most effective? Ensuring you’re ingesting the key vitamins that protect and support your vision ecosystem.

In this journal post, you’ll learn about the five best vitamins for eye health and some of the pitfalls to avoid.

Why Do You Need Eye Health Vitamins?

After decades of research at Harvard University, George Wald received a Nobel Prize for discovering that vitamin A was fundamental to the retina.

His 1940s breakthrough revealed the importance of vitamins for vision. Yet, many people still struggle with declining eye health. 

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), a staggering majority - over half of the population - battles with at least one chronic eye condition.

Alarmingly, the incidence of eye health problems escalates with age, and studies show that 1 in 7 people over 40 show preliminary signs of macular degeneration, an irreversible eye disease causing blurred vision. What's more, half of the population over 50 will develop cataracts and more than 300,000 Australians suffer from glaucoma. 

Even more troubling is that the current ageing population wasn’t exposed to harmful blue light as extensively as the younger generations are. The evidence reveals that blue light from screens may increase the risk of cataracts, negatively impact the retina, and worsen inflammation. In addition, it can contribute to dry, irritable eyes, which now affect over 77% of the population. 

The consequences of diminished eye health extend far beyond visual impairment. Those with poor vision often experience a severe decline in quality of life due to a loss of mobility and independence, which heightens the risk of falls, fractures, and social isolation.

In this context, nurturing the entire vision ecosystem is necessary to counteract the surge of age-related eye health decline.

Biohacking Your Vision: Diet vs. Supplementation

Many people consider a healthy diet a cure-all, but it’s only the first step towards long-term wellness. That’s because it'sdifficult to intake every vitamin for eye health in sufficient doses from food alone. 

Consider for instance, lutein, a carotenoid that is crucial for eye protection. Lutein is naturally present in eggs, broccoli, and leafy greens. The ideal dosage to support vision and macular health is 10mg a day.

However, the food containing the highest amount of lutein is egg yolk. With each egg yolk only containing 1 mg of lutein, you would have to consume 10 eggs every single day to hit that target. Consequently, the average person isn’t absorbing enough lutein from their diet. 

Moreover, food preparation destroys some nutrients even when vitamins are abundant in raw food. Simply boiling legumes will reduce the amount of vitamin B3 by 30%. 

So, how can you ensure you ingest all the necessary vitamins for eye health?

The answer lies in supplementation - a strategic addition to your health regimen that delivers vitamins in exact quantities directly to your system. Supplements add a second layer of security that promotes the longevity of your eyes.

The Myth of Multivitamins for Eye Health

Your first thought may be to combine a healthy diet with a multivitamin that “does it all”.

While vitamins A, C and E, as well as zinc are crucial for healthy eyes, they are readily obtainable from a balanced diet. Supplementation for these in the form of multivitamins is often unnecessary and in some instances, may even lead to unwanted adverse effects.

For example:

• Vitamin A: Few things beat vitamin A for eye health, but the type (retinol) available in most multivitamins may not be optimal for the eyes. In addition, long-term supplementation may cause toxicity.
• Vitamin C: Despite its prevalence in multivitamins, there is little need to supplement this vitamin because a single orange provides over 75% of the daily requirement. Furthermore, studies suggest that supplementing vitamin C in a single tablet or multivitamin may actually increase the risk of developing age-related cataracts by up to 38%.
• Vitamin E: Is important for eye health, but the consuming high doses (over 300 mg daily), may lead to serious health issues and cannot be overstated. Fortunately, a diverse diet rich in nuts and seeds can meet the daily recommended intake. For example, one serving of sunflower seeds provides 49% of the recommended daily dose.
• Zinc: You can derive zinc from oysters, red meat, and poultry. For example, a 100-gram serving of ground beef nearly meets half of the daily zinc requirement. However, care is needed as this trace mineral can cause toxicity in large doses. Zinc may also worsen macula health in individuals who are sensitive to zinc. 

The Five Best Vitamin Supplements for Eye Health

Yet there are some transformative vitamins that you will need to supplement with to support your eyes long-term. Make no mistake about it – these are the vitamins that will make the biggest impact on your eye health as you age. 

We analysed over 100 studies to identify these five game-changing vitamins that our eyes thrive on. These compounds combine to target not just the eyes but the entire eye-nerve-brain vision ecosystem, from the cornea to the retina and optic nerve, all the way to the brain.

While nutrients like vitamins A, C, E, and zinc are certainly beneficial for eye health, most people can get enough of these from eating a healthy and balanced diet.

But the five vitamins below are different. They’re harder to obtain in therapeutic doses through food alone, and they play a far more targeted role in protecting long-term vision. These are the nutrients that go beyond surface-level support—they help safeguard the deeper structures of your visual system as you age.

1. Methylfolate (Activated Folate)

Many traditional multivitamins contain vitamin B9 in an inefficient form - folic acid - which requires a 3-step process before your body can use it.

Unlike folic acid, methylfolate (or levomefolic acid) is a bioactive form of vitamin B9 that’s hyper-absorbable and requires no conversion before it can be used by the body. Supplementation of methylfolate is useful because the body's capacity to absorb folate diminishes with age.

This is especially important for the 20-40% of the population with an MTHFR mutation as they struggle to convert common forms of B vitamins.

Folate is essential for DNA and cell repair, and plays critical roles in red blood cell production, nervous system function, and brain health. 

How does methylfolate specifically aid your vision? By supporting optic nerve function and reducing levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can damage blood vessels in the eye and brain.

2. Methylcobalamin (Activated Vitamin B12)

Methylcobalamin, the bioactive form of vitamin B12, is essential for DNA synthesis, nerve health, and brain function. It is a crucial vitamin for eye health as it supports the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibres. 

Since B12 absorption decreases with age, supplementation becomes increasingly important to maintain adequate levels in your body.

While various forms of B12 are available, many supplements contain cyanocobalamin, a less efficiently absorbed variant that scientists worry may lead to cyanide buildup in the body with long-term use. Methylcobalamin, however, is favoured for its high safety profile and easy absorption.

3. Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3)

Vitamin B3 is one of the most crucial vitamins for eye vision. Niacin is the most common form of vitamin B3, but it can cause uncomfortable side effects like skin flushing. 

Nicotinamide is another form of B3 that surpasses its counterpart because it doesn’t cause as many side effects as niacin. It’s an advanced vitamin that’s recognised by the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines. 

Another benefit of nicotinamide is that it’s easily converted into NAD+. NAD+, also known as the anti-ageing coenzyme, is present throughout the body and promotes healthy mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of our cells.

This is especially important for retinal ganglion cells, which transmit signals from the retina to the brain. Australian researchers have discovered the potential of nicotinamide to improve the function of retinal ganglion cells.

As NAD+ levels decline by around 50% with age, nicotinamide supplementation becomes key for preserving eye health and function.

4. Vitamin D3 (Colecalciferol)

Vitamin D3, also known as colecalciferol, plays a vital role in immune regulation, bone strength, and cellular function—but its importance for eye health is often overlooked. Research suggests that vitamin D3 helps modulate inflammation and may protect against a range of degenerative eye conditions by supporting the health of retinal cells and maintaining optimal immune function within the eye.

As we age, vitamin D levels tend to decline—especially in individuals who spend limited time in the sun or live in regions with low sunlight exposure. This makes supplementation particularly important for older adults who may be at higher risk of both systemic and ocular inflammation.

While some multivitamins contain vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), D3 is the superior and more bioavailable form. Vitamin D3 is better absorbed and more effectively raises blood levels of vitamin D, making it the preferred choice for maintaining long-term health.

5. Lutein & Zeaxanthin

Lutein and zeaxanthin are the pigments that give marigold flowers, paprika and goji berries their bright colouring. 

Although by definition they are strictly not vitamins, they are also much more than simple colourants; these carotenoids are among the best antioxidants for the eye, brain and skin. 

These powerhouse nutrients help filter harmful high-energy UV and blue light, thus reducing light-induced free radical damage to the eye, retina and macula. 

Studies have shown that an increased intake of supplementary lutein and zeaxanthin can make a big difference to macula and eye health over the long term.

Nutravision: The Comprehensive Vitamin for Eye Health

The evidence so far suggests that supplementing with these five vitamins will benefit eye health and mitigate the impact of ageing.

You could supplement with these vitamins individually. But why not supplement with an industry leading eye health multivitamin that combines them all in one powerful formula?

Build according to the NP-10 System™, Nutravision is a pioneering, science-based supplement tailored for 360-degree eye support and maintenance of the eye-nerve-brain vision ecosystem. It does so by incorporating all the best vitamins for eye health - methylfolate (Quatrefolic®), methylcobalamin, nicotinamide, vitamin D3, lutein and zeaxanthin (and more!) - in one convenient, transformative capsule.

For those committed to a healthy lifestyle and seeking to incorporate a convenient eye health solution into their wellness strategy, Nutravision is the ideal step forward. 

Nutravision goes beyond traditional treatments and eye drops to protect and support optic nerve function, macula health and long-term vision — so you can maintain independence, quality of life, and confidence in your vision for years to come.

Begin your eye health journey today with Nutravision - because your eyes deserve the very best care.