Did you know that as part of proactive glaucoma care, there are vitamins and natural botanical extracts that can enhance neuroprotection and complement your existing glaucoma treatment?

In my clinical experience, glaucoma treatment should not be limited to only eye pressure reduction. Neuroprotection also plays an equally essential role in glaucoma treatment.

In this post, I list 9 of the best vitamins for glaucoma neuroprotection based on my in-depth analysis of existing scientific literature from over the past 30 years.

a) Overall Best Vitamin Formula for Glaucoma: Nutravision Australia

(Disclaimer: I am part of the team of leading Australian clinicians, scientists and naturopaths that formulated and developed Nutravision)

In my admittedly biased opinion, Nutravision sits atop the list of the best vitamins for glaucoma currently available globally.

It combines many of the individual vitamins and nutrients for glaucoma (or its equivalent alternative) listed below and more.

The ingredients in the formula are bilberry (anthocyanins), ginkgo biloba, grape seed (procyanidins), L-methylfolate (activated folate), lutein, methylcobalamin (activated vitamin B12), nicotinamide (active vitamin B3), pyruvate, saffron, and zeaxanthin.

It is exciting to see so many compounds for aiding the prevention and treatment of glaucoma all combined into one convenient capsule.

Associate Professor Zhichao Wu, Head of Clinical Biomarkers Research

Here’s a brief summary of how the individual natural plant extracts and vitamins in Nutravision help those with glaucoma (as well as links to the relevant scientific papers):

• Bilberry anthocyanins & grape seed procyanidins: Clinically found to reduce eye pressure, increase ocular blood flow, and improve visual field test outcomes in glaucoma patients.
• Ginkgo biloba: Improves ocular microcirculation, enhances cognitive function, and either improves pre-existing visual field loss or slows the progression of visual field damage in low pressure glaucoma.
• L-methylfolate & methylcobalamin (vitamin B12): Both are essential for optic nerve function, and help reduce plasma homocysteine levels and limit visual field deterioration in low pressure glaucoma.
• Lutein & zeaxanthin: In addition to protecting the retina against harmful UV and blue light, lutein and zeaxanthin also increase macular pigment optical density and contrast sensitivity in eyes with glaucoma.
• Nicotinamide (vitamin B3) & pyruvate: Important as support against mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired glucose metabolism in retinal ganglion cells. A recent clinical trial found that nicotinamide combined with pyruvate was able to improve visual function in moderate glaucoma after only 2 months.
• Saffron: Modulates the stress response of the body, and decreases eye pressure in stable glaucoma patients

Individually, each of these 10 powerful nutrients and vitamins already confers their own unique, clinically proven benefits on glaucoma (and also macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease).

But when taken together, such as in Nutravision, what you get is virtually the most potent, synergistic and comprehensive natural neuroprotection for glaucoma the world has ever seen.

Case Study

The case below is a patient of mine who had been suffering from longstanding advanced glaucoma. He had already undergone laser and surgery for his glaucoma, and together with eye drops, his eye pressures eventually reduced to 12 mmHg (normal pressure is between 8 mmHg to 21 mmHg).

October 2021

His severe glaucoma meant that he only had 25% of his visual field remaining.

May 2023

Despite being strict with using his eye drops, his peripheral vision continued to worsen. In only a matter of 14 months, his visual field test result had further deteriorated to only 15%.

This was despite his eye pressure remaining consistent at 12 mmHg. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he loses all his vision to glaucoma.

He wasn’t keen on another operation, and to be honest, neither was I. So with no other option, I started him on Nutravision.

September 2023

After nearly 4 months of taking Nutravision alongside his usual glaucoma drops, the decline in peripheral vision had not only stabilized, but the visual field test result had actually improved to 27%!

Was the patient happy? You bet. So was his wife who was worried sick about his deteriorating vision.

As for me, I was delighted with the outcome. The patient had managed to improve his visual field result, reduce his risk of blindness, and avoid a potentially risky operation.

In Summary

Neuroprotection is essential to safeguard against sight loss from glaucoma. The case example above showed that by consistently taking Nutravision, the patient was able to improve the health of his retinal ganglion cells and managed to regain some of the vision that he had lost.

It has been highly rewarding to witness the impact Nutravision has had on glaucoma patients and their visual fields.

Annie Huang, BBiomed, MOrth
Orthoptist

Please note that individual responses to glaucoma neuroprotection supplements will vary, and not everyone will experience similar results from taking Nutravision or other vitamin formulas.

Nutravision is available for purchase online delivery is available to most countries worldwide.

b) Best Vitamins for Glaucoma

Vitamin B3 (nicotinamide) is important for mitochondrial health as it helps to replenish NAD+ levels in the retinal ganglion cells that make up our optic nerve.

A world first Australian clinical trial reported that nicotinamide 3,000 mg daily can protect the optic nerve against glaucoma damage when taken over six-weeks. A separate trial found that nicotinamide combined with pyruvate improved visual function in moderate glaucoma after only 2 months.

Currently, a randomized, clinical trial evaluating the long term benefit of high-dose nicotinamide (Insolar by Blackmores) at a dose of 3,000mg daily is underway in Melbourne. If you would like to participate in this trial, please contact the Centre for Eye Research Australia for more details.

See Related: Natural glaucoma treatment with vitamin B3 (nicotinamide)

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. It is important for DNA regulation, lowering homocysteine levels, maintenance of the myelin sheath that protects our nerves, and helps with the transmission of messages across our nervous system.

Methylcobalamin is activated vitamin B12, meaning that it is the most highly absorbed and bioavailable form of vitamin B12 compared to others such as cyanocobalamin. Research from Japan found that 1,500 micrograms (or 1.5 mg) oral methylcobalamin daily for 4 years could decrease visual field deterioration in low pressure glaucoma.

c) Best Botanical Extracts for Glaucoma

Bilberry and blackcurrant contain anthocyanin flavonoids that are possess powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

Studies conducted in South Korea and Japan have shown that both bilberry and blackcurrant extract could help to slow visual field deterioration in glaucoma, particularly normal tension glaucoma.

When combined with powerful procyanidin antioxidants sourced from maritime pine bark or grape seed, bilberry anthocyanins are also able to contribute to lowering eye pressure in those with high eye pressure.

See Related: Mirtogenol (bilberry & maritime pine bark) as a natural glaucoma treatment

Ginkgo biloba is a popular natural herb used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The beneficial effects of ginkgo in glaucoma are due to its antioxidant properties and ability to enhance blood flow to the optic nerve.

The data from clinical trials show that ginkgo biloba increases blood microcirculation to the cells around the optic nerve head and reduces the rate of visual field loss in individuals with glaucoma.

Note that there is some concern regarding bleeding with ginkgo biloba, but the most rigorous evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses have confirmed that ginkgo biloba does not increase bleeding risk.

See Related: Ginkgo biloba as a natural glaucoma treatment

Saffron, renowned for its vibrant color and rich flavor, also offers promising benefits for glaucoma neuroprotection. Rich in antioxidants such as crocin and crocetin, saffron helps protect the optic nerve from oxidative stress, a key factor in the progression of glaucoma.

Results from a randomized clinical trial suggest that the regular consumption of saffron extract 30 mg daily can reduce eye pressure by an additional 2 mmHg in individuals with stable glaucoma.

Beyond its benefits for glaucoma, saffron is also able to improve macular function for those with age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular oedema, two leading causes of vision loss worldwide.

Final Word on the Best Vitamins for Glaucoma

There is no one single vitamin or antioxidant that can do everything, which is why in my clinical opinion, I consider Nutravision to be overall the best vitamin for glaucoma.

I recommend Nutravision to my all glaucoma patients for neuroprotection, as an essential part of their proactive glaucoma care alongside their conventional therapies.

The 3 main reasons for this high recommendation?

• Superior efficacy. Nutravision already contains all the key vitamins and botanicals to safeguard vision against glaucoma. It is the only eye supplement formula in the world that tackles all the ten biocellular mechanisms of eye aging contributing to glaucoma.
• Convenience. With Nutravision, the dose is one to two capsules daily with food. To take the ingredients separately means taking 8 to 10(!) pills and tablets every day.
• Reassurance. Nutravision uses practitioner grade, quality assured ingredients at clinical doses. There is no guesswork; all the hard yards have been done, and all one has to do is to take the capsules daily.

The science behind Nutravision supports protection for the eyes, particularly for glaucoma and AMD.

Associate Professor Heather Connor, BSc(Hons), MBA(HCM), PhD, MCOptom
Head of Optometric Clinical Placements

Nutravision is available for purchase online; and delivery is available to most countries worldwide.

Remember

If you take other medications, discuss with your family doctor first to avoid adverse drug interactions and unwanted side effects.

Please note that this list of best vitamins for glaucoma must not replace any existing treatments prescribed by your eye specialist. Rather, these vitamins should be taken in addition to and complementary to your existing glaucoma treatment.

Finally, please do not always expect to see a stabilization or improvement in your visual field. Individual results will vary, and not everyone will achieve spectacular results when taking Nutravision or the other vitamins for glaucoma neuroprotection.

See Related: The four best glaucoma supplements for your optic nerve