Zinc plays a crucial role in eye health, yet it's often overlooked in favor of more well-known nutrients.
The eye naturally contains a high concentration of zinc, particularly in the retina and choroid.
The retina enables central and peripheral vision, color perception, and initial image processing.
The choroid, a layer of blood vessels beneath the retina, nourishes the outer retinal layers, regulates eye temperature, absorbs excess light, and removes metabolic waste.
Research has demonstrated zinc's significant impact on vision, especially in relation to Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
A landmark study involving 151 people with dry AMD found that those treated with 80 mg of zinc daily experienced significantly less visual loss compared to the placebo group after 12-24 months of follow-up.
This finding was further supported by the well-known Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS), which suggested that zinc, along with other nutrients, might suppress retinal degeneration.
Zinc's benefits for dry AMD may be attributed to its role in "autophagy" - the removal and recycling of damaged cellular components.
Additionally, zinc plays a vital role in forming visual pigments in the retina, further underlining its importance in maintaining overall eye health and function.
Zinc can be found in high concentrations in a variety of foods including oysters, lean meats like beef and pork, poultry, seafood such as crab and lobster, pumpkin seeds, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and fortified cereals.