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Ideally we should obtain our vitamins from the food we eat. However, in today’s world farming practices and nutrient depleted soil causes fruits and vegetables to contain much less vitamins and minerals compared to when they all used to be organic. Organic produce that you can buy these days usually contain more vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus than the non-organic produce. Additionally, organic produce has less harmful nitrates and other residues that come from the use of pesticides.

Sure, organic produce can help you get more vitamins and minerals, but not everyone has easy access to organic food and even if they do they do not always have the money to afford to buy organic food for the entire family. Hence why vitamin supplements can be a useful or necessary way to get missing nutrients.

Below are the best 6 vitamins, herbs, and phyonutrients for relieving sore dry eyes and maintain good vision.

1. Bilberry – This herb helps with gastrointestinal and eye health. It contains a type of flavanoid called anthocyanosides. These are antioxidants that aid in improving the flow of blood in the eye’s capillaries. This allows the eyes to more quickly adjust to changes in light and thus improving sharpness of vision.

When Bilberry is taken with Vitamin E it is also able to stop the progression of cataracts. It can also help treat diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

2. Vitamin A – Vitamin A helps with night vision and has potential to help prevent cataract.

3. Grapeseed – This helps with peripheral circulation in the eyes as well as strengthening capillaries.

4. Eyebright – This is a good home remedy for the eyes. When using eyebright start by steeping it in hot water. Then remove the herb and cool the liquid. You can keep the infusion on hand in your fridge or quickly cool freshly eyebright infused water in the freezer for a little while. When it is cool you can use it as an eye bath or a compress. Eyebright is good for sore eyes, as it is an anti-inflammatory as well as soothing.

5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Taking 3 to 6 grams of high quality Omega 3 oils daily have been shown to reduce the risk of dry eye symptoms. This has been proven by Harvard Medical school research.

6. Lutein – This is a type of plant nutrient known as carotenoids. The more well-known forms of carotenoids are beta carotene and alpha carotene. Carotenoids are what give fruits and vegetables their colors. The more bright a fruit or vegetable is the more carotenoids it probably contains.

The body converts lutein, beta, and alpha carotene into Vitami A. In the macula of the eye, lutein exists in very high concentrations. Taking lutein helps avoid macular degeneration, which is a major issue for those over age 40. If not controlled, macular degeneration can cause blindness. Lutein is believed to act as an antioxidant to help in preventing macular degeneration.

Additional remedies for dry eyes include using chamomile tea bags and iced milk. Chamomile tea bags can help decrease redness and swelling around the eye when placed on the eyes after the tea bags have cooled. Iced milk can help with sore eyes when used as a compress. To use ice milk soak cotton, wool, or gauze pads in the milk. The coldness of the milk helps narrow blood vessels while the fat in the milk soothes dry skin.