Vitamin A eye drops are made to help the body absorb vitamin A through the eyes and to help a range of eye problems. The eyes naturally have vitamin A in the tear film, but a diet lacking in this nutrient may lead to this film disappearing, which causes dryness and many other problems. Beyond helping dry eyes, the drops also help treat a number of eye conditions. While the extra vitamin A will be welcomed by most bodies and is normally very healthy, some people can get too much, which can cause even worse problems than a deficiency.
Eyes naturally have vitamin A, which is why these eye drops can be so beneficial — they add the extra vitamins to the eyes if a person does not get enough in his diet. Vitamin A can be found in the tear film and helps produce mucus for tears, which keeps out diseases. This means that using eye drops with vitamin A may protect a person's eyes from toxins, free radicals, and allergens.
The supplement that gives this product its boost can be different forms of vitamin A, or it may be beta-carotene. For many people, it will not matter if beta-carotene is used, because even though it is a precursor to vitamin A and not the vitamin itself, the body can easily convert it. If the user has an underactive thyroid, however, he or she will be unable to convert the beta-carotene and should look for eye drops made with retinol instead.
While eye drops are primarily supposed to stop eye dryness, they may also be able to treat a few other problems. The tear film requires vitamin A, so these drops are able to help with blurred vision. They can help heal or treat eye problems such as cataracts, conjunctivitis, and glaucoma.
In very rare instances, users can actually become sick from vitamin A eye drops because of vitamin A toxicity. This can cause liver problems, reduced bone density, and central nervous system disorders. Unless the user has trouble processing vitamin A, this only occurs if the drops are used in conjunction with powerful vitamin A supplements over an extended amount of time.