Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate)
For the body system: Eyes

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Table of Contents

Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 3

Vitamin C (as sodium ascorbate) is supported by some scientific evidence for its role in eye health, particularly in the prevention of age-related eye conditions. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant, and the eyes are especially susceptible to oxidative stress due to their exposure to light and high metabolic activity. Multiple observational studies have found that people with higher intakes of vitamin C have a lower risk of developing cataracts, a clouding of the lens that impairs vision. Additionally, the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), a large, randomized clinical trial, found that a combination of antioxidants including vitamin C (500 mg/day), vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc slowed the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in people at high risk of the disease, though vitamin C alone has not been proven definitively effective. The benefit appears to arise from vitamin C’s antioxidant properties, which help neutralize free radicals and protect ocular tissues from damage. However, there is less evidence that vitamin C supplementation benefits those who are not deficient or that it can prevent eye disease in the general population. Thus, while vitamin C is commonly included in eye health supplements and there is some scientific backing for its role in supporting the eyes, the evidence is moderate and strongest for its use as part of an antioxidant regimen in specific high-risk groups.

More about Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate)
More about Eyes

Products containing Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate)

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.