Vitamin A is an important nutrient for eye health. There are two
types of carotenoids that are important for maintaining eye health,
carotenes and xanthophylls.
types of carotenoids that are important for maintaining eye health,
carotenes and xanthophylls.
Vitamin A Benefits for Vision
Carotene is a main dietary source of vitamin A which is one of the
essential nutrients to maintain healthy vision. Vitamin A is the molecule
that
transmits the signal of stimulation from light in our eyes to the
brain, allowing us to see both during the day and at night.
essential nutrients to maintain healthy vision. Vitamin A is the molecule
that
transmits the signal of stimulation from light in our eyes to the
brain, allowing us to see both during the day and at night.
Therefore vitamin A deficiency can cause night vision problems.
Vitamins A is also essential for maintaining the health of the cornea and
the conjunctiva.
Vitamins A is also essential for maintaining the health of the cornea and
the conjunctiva.
The cornea is the clear windshield of our eyes and the conjunctiva is the
layer of clear skin that overlies the white part of our eyes, the
sclera.
layer of clear skin that overlies the white part of our eyes, the
sclera.
Vitamin A deficiency can lead to scarring on both the cornea and the
conjunctiva and can cause severe dry eye disease and blindness due to this
scarring.
conjunctiva and can cause severe dry eye disease and blindness due to this
scarring.
Dietary source of Vitamin A
The dietary source of vitamin A can be divided into two groups:
- Preformed vitamin A
- Provitamin A carotenoids
Preformed vitamin A is found in foods of animal origin such as
milk, yogurt, liver, and fish.
milk, yogurt, liver, and fish.
While Provitamin A is found in
vegetable sources such as
carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and spinach.
vegetable sources such as
carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and spinach.
Dosage:
The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin A is 700 micrograms per day in
females and 900 micrograms per day in males.
females and 900 micrograms per day in males.
Should you take vitamin A supplements?
If you live in the U.S. or other developed countries, vitamin A is not
common due to abundant sources of vitamin A in our diet.
common due to abundant sources of vitamin A in our diet.
But people can still suffer from vitamin A deficiency if they have
diseases that affect digestion or absorption such as
inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s disease, liver disease like
cirrhosis, or if they have certain dietary restrictions.
diseases that affect digestion or absorption such as
inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s disease, liver disease like
cirrhosis, or if they have certain dietary restrictions.
In those cases, daily vitamin A supplements may be recommended. To learn
more about vitamin A supplements and eye health as well as potential
vitamin A toxicity that can be caused by taking too much vitamin A
from supplements.
more about vitamin A supplements and eye health as well as potential
vitamin A toxicity that can be caused by taking too much vitamin A
from supplements.
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