Disclaimer: This content has been produced purely for informational and educational purposes only and is never intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical guidelines including diagnosis, advice, and treatment.  

Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants available in foods. It plays an essential role in a whole variety of bodily functions ranging from the metabolism of protein to the synthesis of certain neurotransmitters to the formation of collagen. But is there any benefit of taking vitamin C for the eyes? Let’s find it out together. 

In this article, we’ll find out whether there is any benefit of taking vitamin C for eyes according to scientific evidence. But before we get into how vitamin C can help with the eyes and vision, it’s worth having a basic understanding of exactly what vitamin C is and what it does in the body. So, let’s get started. 

Table of contents 

• What is vitamin C?
• What does vitamin C do in the body?  
• Benefits of vitamin C for eyes 
• How to use vitamin C supplements 
• Precautions and side effects 
• Final words 

What is vitamin C? 

Vitamin C or otherwise referred to as ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that is arguably considered an essential nutrient for humans as the human body isn’t capable to produce vitamin C on its own and must get it through dietary sources of supplements. 

There are tons of food sources that contain considerable amounts of vitamin C, making it easier for us to incorporate it into our regular diet regimen. Some common good sources include: 

• Citrus fruits 
• Dark leafy greens 
• Kiwi 
• Strawberries 
• Apples 
• Oranges 
• Papaya 
• Green and red peppers
• Broccoli 

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA ) of vitamin C for people over 19 years is 75 milligrams for women and 90 milligrams for men per day, which is easily achievable by simply following a well-balanced diet. 

However, people who find it difficult to incorporate various fruits and vegetables into their regular diets may consider taking vitamin C supplements that are available in several forms including powders, pills, and capsules.    

What does vitamin C do in the body?

Vitamin C plays a lot of functions in the body. It serves as a potent antioxidant in the body, meaning it plays a vital role in protecting the body and its organs from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable oxygen-containing molecules that cause harmful chain reactions and damage cells, tissues, and even organs. 

Vitamin C plays a key role in strengthening the immune system and keeping the body well functioning. It also plays a vital role in assisting the production of collagen, the most abundant protein widely found throughout the connective tissues, bones, and skin. It also helps the human body to absorb iron properly. 

Deficiency or low levels of vitamin C have been linked to various health risks including scurvy, anemia, and a weakened immune system that may show up in various symptoms such as bleeding gums, dry skin, slowed healing time, and frequent nosebleeds.  

Benefits of vitamin C for eyes 

Vitamin C is important for overall eye health and vision. The use of vitamin C for the eyes can help in many different ways. Let’s have a look at some common eye benefits of vitamin C: 

It helps protect the eyes from free radicals - as a powerful antioxidant vitamin C hugely helps neutralize free radicals and protect the eyes from free radical damage. 

It helps prevent cataracts - multiple studies suggest that vitamin C can help reduce the risk of developing cataracts.  

It helps prevent and manage macular degeneration - research suggests that vitamin C is effective in preventing and slowing down the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Vitamin C showed promising results in people with AMD, especially in the later stages of the disease. 

It helps with eye collagen - collagen gives structure to the eyes, especially in the sclera and cornea. Vitamin C is essential for collagen formation and thereby can hugely support eye structure. 

It promotes eye circulation - vitamin C is highly effective in promoting the health of blood vessels and therefore, can help promote the health of delicate capillaries of the retina as well as eye circulation. 

How to use vitamin C supplements 

The exact recommended dosage of vitamin C supplements depends on the specific health needs and widely varies from person to person. Therefore, it’s best to work with a healthcare provider who is well-versed in the field of natural medicine to find out what doses and methods of use would be suitable for your specific health needs. 

In general, a supplementary dose of vitamin C ranging from 500 mg to 1000 mg per day is most often recommended by clinicians.

Precautions and side effects 

Vitamin C is generally considered safe and well-tolerable. As a water-soluble vitamin, excess vitamin C gets removed by the excretory system from the body. This is the reason why the intake of vitamin C in excess amounts doesn’t always mean more benefits, rather it increases some risks of adverse effects.

Overdoses of vitamin C have been linked to various health issues, such as: 

• Abdominal cramps
• Nausea 
• Insomnia 
• Diarrhea 
• Vomiting 
• Bloating 
• Headache 
• Heartburn
• Skin flushing

In order to avoid adverse effects, it’s a good idea to work with a professional natural health expert to determine your best dose and safety profile. 

Final words 

Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble soluble vitamin with impressive health benefits ranging from boosting the immune system to improving iron absorption to increasing antioxidant levels. There are also several potential benefits of vitamin C for the eyes including protecting the eyes from free radical damage, preventing eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration and cataract, supporting eye structure through helping the formation of collagen, and promoting the health of eye capillaries. 

Although, vitamin C has been linked to a range of health benefits, supplementing with excess amounts may harm more than help. Therefore, it’s best to work with a healthcare provider to determine your best dose.

Here you can see Vorst’s pure and natural Vitamin C 500 mg Tablets  

Here you can see Vorst’s Vitamin C Chewable Orange Flavour Tablets  

resources:

1. https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/lasik/vitamins-for-your-eye-health#:~:text=Vitamin%20C,of%20age%2Drelated%20macular%20degeneration.
2. https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-your-eyes/diet-and-nutrition?sso=y
3. https://www.rebuildyourvision.com/blog/food-for-your-eyes/all-about-vitamin-c/
4. https://plano.co/consumption-of-vitamin-c-is-good-for-our-eyes/
5. https://myvision.org/education/foods-high-in-vitamin-c/
6. https://www.nvisioncenters.com/diet-and-eye-health/vitamin-c/
7. https://www.avogel.co.uk/health/eyes/why-vitamin-c-is-important-for-your-eyesight/
8. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eye-vitamins#vitamin-c
9. https://www.clearvuehealth.com/c/vitaminc-vision/
10. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326758#b-vitamins
11. https://coopervision.com/eye-health-and-vision/eye-vitamins-vision
12. https://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/vitamin_c.htm
13. https://jamaicahospital.org/newsletter/did-you-know-vitamin-c-helps-protect-your-vision-from-the-leading-cause-of-blindness/