Eye-Friendly Vitamins

Research shows that many diseases - including cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, inflammatory joint disease, and degenerative conditions of the nervous system - are caused by a process called oxidation. Unstable and highly reactive molecules in the body called free radicals mediate this process. Oxidation by free radicals also appears to be involved in the development of certain eye diseases, including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).1



Because oxidation by free radicals appears to cause a wide variety of diseases, researchers are focusing on the possible protective role of antioxidant vitamins and other micronutrients. Antioxidants are radical-scavenging agents that destroy free radicals and protect the body from harmful oxidative processes.



Examples of antioxidants include:

* Vitamin C

* Vitamin E

* Coenzyme Q

* Beta-carotene

* Carotenoids

* Alpha-lipoic acid

* Zinc