Mechanisms of vitamin and mineral absorption and their potential for eye fatigue relief

Overuse of the eyes is prone to visual fatigue, which mainly manifests itself in conditions such as eye dryness, blurred vision as well as eye pain, and eye soreness. Visual fatigue occurs mainly due to various adverse damages arising on the retina, such as oxidative stress, inflammatory damage, and apoptosis. Also, aging of the eye is one of the causes of visual fatigue. Data shows that the number of people suffering from visual fatigue is increasing year by year and involves a wide range of people, especially those who use computers for long periods of time, read and study, and use sophisticated instruments related to ophthalmology (e.g., microscopes). Current research has confirmed that, while changing one's bad eye habits, supplementing with appropriate nutrients or foods can significantly reduce visual fatigue, such as lutein, zeaxanthin, anthocyanins, taurine, and other foods. The study shows that vitamins and minerals, as essential nutrients and antioxidants, are involved in various physiological processes in the body and are of great importance and necessity for eye health. However, the frequency of vitamins and minerals applied to the development of functional foods for the relief of visual fatigue is currently low. Therefore, this paper provides a detailed overview of the absorption mechanisms of vitamins and minerals in the human body and reviews the potential role of vitamins and minerals applied to the function of relieving visual fatigue. It also suggests the shortcomings of the current research on vitamins and minerals and hopes to provide some references and inspirations for the research and development of functional foods in which vitamins and minerals are applied to assist in the alleviation of visual fatigue.