Vitamin D is also critical for eye health. From improving tear function to reducing the risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma, vitamin D has a positive effect on eyesight in many ways.
Can vitamin D deficiency affect eyesight? Dry eyes could be a sign of vitamin D deficiency. When the eyes become dry as a result of low vitamin D levels, it may also become more difficult to produce tears. The eyes might feel gritty, sore or itchy and vision could become blurred.
"Taking some vitamin D is OK for an aging population," says Sporny, "but too much vitamin D can cause damage to blood vessels, eye tissue and kidneys."
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include:
Fatigue. Not sleeping well. Bone pain or achiness. Depression or feelings of sadness.
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones). Severe vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases: In children, it can cause rickets. Rickets is a rare disease that causes the bones to become soft and bend.
Disturbed or blurred vision can also occur as a result of a Vitamin B12 deficiency. This happens when the deficiency causes damage to the optic nerve that leads to your eyes.
Without enough vitamin A, your eyes cannot produce enough moisture to keep them properly lubricated. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children worldwide. An estimated 250,000 to 500,000 children become blind every year because of vitamin A deficiency.
There's no set time of day that's best to take vitamin D supplements. Some people say taking vitamin D supplements at night is an insomnia risk. There's no research to confirm this, but you might want to take your supplement earlier in the day if you think it's screwing with your sleep.
Vitamin E. Together with vitamins A and C, vitamin E strengthens the tissues and cells in the body, including those in the eyes, which is why it is one of the best vitamins for blurry vision. This fat-soluble antioxidant also helps to prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.
According to various studies, vitamin D supplements may help by reducing inflammation on the eye's surface, and improving the efficiency of lubricating eye drops. Research showed that taking oral vitamin D supplements improved tear quality and reduce dry eye symptoms.
Severe visual loss and legal blindness, which may be caused by the induced hyperexcitability and toxicity of the NMDA receptors, have been observed in Mg-deficient (Mg-D) patients (12).
Vitamin A deficiency, which usually occurs in developing countries, can cause an increase in dry eye. By adding foods rich in Vitamin A, like carrots, pumpkins, apricots, spinach, tomatoes, dairy products and liver, you can prevent the development of this condition.
Vitamin B12 supports and promotes eye health
Vitamin B12 can help maintain and promote healthy eyesight. As we get older, many of us suffer from macular degeneration (loss of eyesight). In a study on 5 000 women over the age of 40, sufficient vitamin B12 intake was linked to 34-41% lowered risk of macular degeneration.
In general, the two main causes of vitamin D deficiency are: Not getting enough vitamin D in your diet and/or through sunlight. Your body isn't properly absorbing or using vitamin D.
Therefore, conditions that affect the gut and digestion, like celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, and cystic fibrosis, can reduce vitamin D absorption.
Use the CVS Health At Home Vitamin D Test Kit to get accurate and comprehensive results in the privacy and comfort of your own home. Simply collect your blood sample using this convenient kit, mail it to the lab, and receive your results through a secure online portal in just a few days.
“Adding an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement can make improvements in just three to four months time. Vitamin D with a strength of 1000-2000 international units daily is the recommended dose for most adults,” Dr. Ropte says. Most multivitamins contain vitamin D, so extra supplementation isn't always necessary.
Growing evidence has demonstrated that vitamin D has a role in sleep regulation [12]. Specifically, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of sleep disorders and is associated with sleep difficulties, shorter sleep duration, and nocturnal awakenings in children and adults [13,14,15].