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 analysis of existing scientific literature.
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 (proanthocyanidins), L-methylfolate (activated folate), lutein, methylcobalamin (activated vitamin B12), nicotinamide (active vitamin B3), pyruvate, saffron, and zeaxanthin.
Here’s how the individual ingredients in Nutravision help those with glaucoma naturally:
- Bilberry & grape seed: 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 example:
This is a patient suffering from longstanding advanced glaucoma.
He required multiple surgical procedures and continuous use of eye drops to eventually control his eye pressures at 12 mmHg.
October 2021
His severe glaucoma meant that he only had 25% of his visual field remaining based on his field test result.
May 2023
Despite being very strict with using his eye drops, his visual field continued to deteriorate to only 15%. His glaucoma was getting worse even though his eye pressure remained low (12 mmHg).
At this rate, it is only a matter of time before he loses all his vision to glaucoma.
September 2023:
He wasn’t keen on yet another operation and that was when he started taking Nutravision. After nearly 4 months of Nutravision, the visual field defects from glaucoma not only stabilized, and had actually improved to 27%!
Was the patient happy? You bet. He had managed to improve his visual field result, reduce his risk of blindness, and avoid another potentially risky operation.
In summary:
Taking the best vitamins for glaucoma neuroprotection can significantly enhance visual function and lower the risk of blindness.
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 individual 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 natural botanical extracts for glaucoma
Bilberry and blackcurrant contain anthocyanin flavonoids that are both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. 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.
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 microcirculation to the optic nerve. The data from clinical trials show that ginkgo biloba is able to reduce the rate of visual field loss in individuals with low pressure 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. Studies suggest that the regular consumption of saffron extract 30 mg daily may reduce eye pressure by a further 2 mmHg in stable glaucoma patients.
d) Best naturally occuring molecules
Citicoline is a molecule that occurs naturally in the brain. It enhances communication between nerve cells, protects neural structures, and supports healthy brain activity. Due to its ability to protect nerve cells, citicoline has been studied extensively as an alternative treatment for a wide range of neurological conditions including dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease.
Research from Italy has reported slowing of glaucoma progression with daily supplementation of citicoline 500 mg daily, without any major or serious adverse effects.
See Related: Citicoline as a natural glaucoma treatment
Palmitoylethanolamide (or PEA) is an endocannabinoid that is naturally produced in our body and in the eye to reduce inflammation and pain. Its potential benefits have been studied for pain relief, stroke, multiple sclerosis, depression, and influenza.
It is naturally found in foods such as soybeans, egg yolk, milk, and peanut oil. When taken as an oral supplement at a dose of 600 mg daily, PEA has been able to help further reduce eye pressure in individuals already on eye drop therapy.
See Related: Palmitoylethanolamide as a glaucoma treatment
Final word on the best vitamins for glaucoma neuroprotection
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 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 optimal dose is 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.
Nutravision is available for purchase online; and delivery is available to most countries worldwide.
Remember:
If you take other medications, discuss with your eye specialist and 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 six best glaucoma supplements for your optic nerve
