Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) has been investigated for its potential role in supporting eye health, particularly in the context of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. The scientific rationale is based on Vitamin E's antioxidant properties, which may help protect retinal cells from oxidative stress—a factor implicated in the development of several eye diseases. The most notable study, the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), examined high-dose antioxidant supplements, including Vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and zinc, for their effect on AMD progression. The findings indicated that the combination reduced the risk of advanced AMD in people with intermediate or advanced disease in one eye. However, it is important to note that Vitamin E alone has not been conclusively shown to prevent or treat poor eyesight or eye disease. Subsequent studies, including AREDS2, refined the supplement formula but did not find additional benefit from Vitamin E alone or in other combinations.

Overall, while Vitamin E is often included in eye health supplements due to its antioxidant effects, the evidence supporting its use specifically for improving or preserving eyesight is modest and largely limited to slowing AMD progression as part of a multi-nutrient formula. There is little evidence that Vitamin E supplementation alone improves vision or prevents common causes of poor eyesight. Therefore, the evidence level for Vitamin E in supporting eyesight is rated as 2/5.