The 8 Best Supplements for Eye Health of 2024

Best Overall

Ocuvite Eye Vitamin and Mineral Supplement

Ocuvite’s Eye Vitamin & Mineral Supplement is widely available and contains key vitamins for eye health—vitamins A, C, E, and lutein. It also has zinc, selenium, and copper. Vitamins C, E, lutein, zinc, and copper are components of AREDS and AREDS2 supplements, which have been shown to reduce the advancement of AMD. Brian M. DeBroff, MD, FACS, chief of ophthalmology at Bridgeport Hospital, explains vitamin A is an important component of rhodopsin, a protein that helps the retina function in low light conditions. A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to night blindness or dry eye syndrome.

Selenium is thought to play a role in dry eye disease (DED) partly because in DED, there are fewer selenium-transport proteins in tears which could contribute to oxidative stress. So, selenium supplementation has the potential to improve symptoms of DED.

Krystal Dunham, MS, RDN, LD, recommends this supplement because it’s easy to find and affordable. Plus, there are variations of this product geared towards different age groups and eye conditions. For example, Ocuvite has a supplement for adults 50+ that also has vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and zeaxanthin. That may be a better option for those with AMD since it is closer to the AREDS/AREDS2 formula.

^{Key Specs:
Form: Vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, selenium, copper, lutein | Type: Tablet | Dose: One tablet | Servings Per Container: 240 | Third-Party Certified: No}

Best Vegetarian

NOW Supplements, Ocu Support with FloraGLO Lutein

NOW’s Ocu Support Clinical Strength Veg Capsules are another supplement recommended by Dunham. She recommends these because of their lutein and zeaxanthin content and the fact that they’re easy to swallow, don’t have an unpleasant aftertaste, and they’re third-party tested. 

Besides lutein and zeaxanthin, they include the antioxidants vitamins C and E, plus more ingredients with antioxidant properties—green tea extract, rutin powder, and bilberry extract. Dr. DeBroff says that free radicals resulting from oxidative damage are key factors in cataract development and macular degeneration, so antioxidants may help prevent these eye conditions, especially vitamins C and E. 

Similar to our best overall pick, Ocuvite’s Eye Vitamin & Mineral Supplement, this product also has selenium and zinc, which Dr. DeBroff says helps maintain the health of the retina, cell membranes, and protein structures of the eye. 

Finally, this supplement also has N-acetyl cysteine, which has evidence-backed benefits to eye health with topical use, but more research is necessary to support the benefits of taking it orally. Additionally, it is important to note that some of the herbal ingredients in this supplement may interact with certain medications and may not be suitable for all. 

^{Key Specs:
Form: Vitamins A, C, and E, riboflavin, zinc, selenium | Type: Capsule | Dose: Three capsules | Servings Per Container: 40 | Third-Party Certified: Yes}

Best Vitamin A

STS Spring Valley Vitamin A Supplement 2400 mcg

Vitamin A helps in the prevention of night blindness and dry eye disease, according to both Dunham and Dr. DeBroff. Additionally, Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, says that vitamin A is important for clear, healthy corneas. Eye health issues typically occur with vitamin A deficiencies, but vitamin A deficiencies are pretty rare in the U.S. However, those with gastrointestinal absorption issues or cystic fibrosis are at an increased risk for vitamin A deficiency and may benefit from supplementary vitamin A to protect their overall health, including eye health.

If you prefer to get in vitamin A through your diet, beef liver, eggs, milk, and fatty fish are good animal sources, per Dunham, while orange vegetables, such as carrots, winter squash, and sweet potatoes, are good sources of beta-carotene which our bodies convert into vitamin A.

We like Spring Valley’s Vitamin A supplement to correct a deficiency because it’s third-party tested, and the dose—2,400 micrograms—is below the tolerable upper limit (UL) for vitamin A of 3,000 micrograms. 

Note that this supplement is made with fish and gelatin, so it’s not a good fit for those with fish allergies or following a vegan diet.

^{Key Specs:
Form: Retinyl Palmitate | Type: Softgel | Dose: One softgel | Servings Per Container: 250 | Third-Party Certified: Yes}

Best Vitamin C

Nature Made Vitamin C 500 mg Dietary Supplement

The eyes contain some of the highest concentrations of vitamin C in the body. In fact, vitamin C is a key nutrient in the AREDS formula to help slow the progression of AMD. There’s also some research supporting the potential for vitamin C to reduce the risk of developing cataracts, although the overall research on this is still inconclusive. These benefits are largely because vitamin C is an antioxidant, so it helps neutralize harmful free radicals that cause oxidative stress to the eyes. 

If you incorporate certain foods in your diet, it’s fairly easy to meet your vitamin C needs through food alone. For example, ½ cup of sweet red peppers have 106% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin C, while ¾ cup of orange juice has 103% of the DV.

However, if you’re looking for a vitamin C supplement, Nature Made’s Vitamin C is USP-verified and affordably priced. We also like that it contains 500 milligrams of vitamin C, the same dose used in the researched-backed AREDS formula. Plus, it contains far less than the tolerable upper limit (UL) of 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C, making it a safe choice.

^{Key Specs:
Form: Ascorbic Acid | Type: Tablet | Dose: One tablet | Servings Per Container: 100 | Third-Party Certified: Yes}

Best Vitamin E

Kirkland Signature Vitamin E 180 mg

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, so it protects against damage from free radicals linked with various eye diseases, including cataracts and macular degeneration, per Dr. DeBroff. While some research shows that there’s potential for vitamin E supplementation to prevent glaucoma and cataracts—two common eye health issues amongst older adults—the overall body of research on this topic is inconclusive. That said, vitamin E is another vitamin included in AREDS and AREDS2 supplements to prevent the progression of AMD. The dose in these supplements is the same dose as our top pick for vitamin E—400 IUs. 

Vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and leafy, green vegetables. Vitamin E deficiency is rare among Americans, and symptoms of deficiency are uncommon. However, since vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, people with fat-malabsorption disorders are at higher risk of deficiency. 

If you’re in the market for a supplement, we recommend Kirkland Signature’s Vitamin E 180 mg. This supplement is affordable and third-party tested. It’s also well below the UL for vitamin E, and as mentioned above, the dose is the same as in AREDS/AREDS2 supplements. 

This supplement is gluten-free; however, it contains gelatin so those following a strict vegan diet may not want to take this supplement.

^{Key Specs:
Form: d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate | Type: Softgel | Dose: One softgel | Servings Per Container: 500 | Third-Party Certified: Yes}

Best Omega-3s

Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Lemon Flavor 16 oz

Omega-3s are a type of polyunsaturated fat widely touted for their anti-inflammatory benefits. There is mixed evidence that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may reduce symptoms of dry eye disease and computer vision syndrome—eye strain from computer use.  Dunham explains that DHA—an omega-3 fatty acid—is abundant in the retina of your eyes, and Shapiro says that consuming more omega-3s may help prevent inflammation and lubricate the eyes. 

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in foods like flaxseed oil, canola oil, chia seeds, walnuts, and fatty fish. There are recommendations for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA, which most Americans get enough of, but no recommendations for adequate intakes of EPA or DHA. 

If you’re looking for an omega-3 fatty acid supplement, we recommend Nordic Naturals’ Omega-3 Liquid supplement. Shapiro recommends this brand because of their well-sourced omega-3 supplements. Their fish oil is from sustainably sourced, wild-caught sardines and anchovies, which are low-mercury fish. Since this is a liquid supplement, it’s easier to adjust the dose to meet your needs. One teaspoon contains 1560 milligrams of omega-3s from EPA and DHA, but you can easily take more or less as needed. 

You can also rest assured that this supplement is third-party tested for purity and potency, including heavy metal testing. It comes in lemon flavor, which helps offset the fish oil taste. Since it’s sourced from fish, it isn’t suitable for those with a seafood allergy or who otherwise don’t consume fish products. 

^{Key Specs:
Form: EPA, DHA | Type: Liquid | Dose: One teaspoon | Servings Per Container: 96 | Third-Party Certified: Yes}

Best Antioxidants

Twinlab TWL Ocuguard Plus Caps 60

Twinlab’s Ocuguard Plus is another expert-recommended supplement for eye health. Shapiro likes it specifically because its antioxidant profile is tailored to promote eye health. It contains vitamins C and E, plus lutein and zeaxanthin. 

Antioxidants can be obtained through a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. They’re also found in some teas. Supplementation with antioxidants hasn’t been shown to prevent cataracts, but combined with zinc, it may help prevent the progression of AMD. This supplement also has citrus bioflavonoids, quercetin, rutin, bilberry fruit extract, and l-glutathione—additional antioxidants that can help prevent oxidative stress. 

Besides antioxidants, it also has vitamin A, a nutrient known to prevent night blindness, and vitamin D. A 2022 systematic review found links between vitamin D and myopia, AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and dry eye syndrome. Vitamin D deficiency is relatively common compared to other nutrients; a 2023 systematic review found that globally, 15.7% of people’s vitamin D levels were below 30 nmol/L—a common cutoff for deficiency. Supplementation can help correct low vitamin D levels.

^{Key Specs:
Form: Vitamins A, C, D, and E, riboflavin, zinc, selenium, chromium, citrus bioflavonoids complex, taurine, quercetin dihydrate, rutin, lutein, bilberry fruit extract, l-glutathione, zeaxanthin isomers | Type: Capsule | Dose: Two capsules | Servings Per Container: 30 | Third-Party Certified: No}