Dry eyes are among the most prevalent issues reported by our customers and patients. Women experiencing perimenopause and menopause frequently have dry eyes. However, it is increasingly observed across all age groups, largely attributable to prolonged use of digital devices such as computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. [1. Stapleton F, Alves M, Bunya VY, et al. TFOS DEWS II epidemiology report. Ocul Surf. 2017;15(3):334–365.] [2. LeBlanc AG, Gunnell KE, Prince SA, Saunders TJ, Barnes JD, Chaput J-P. The ubiquity of the screen: an overview of the risks and benefits of screen time in our modern world. Transl J Am Sports Med. 2017;2(17):104–113.] This extended screen time alters blinking patterns over time and exposes us to environmental pollutants, contributing to the development of dry eye symptoms and meibomian gland dysfunction. Continue reading “Dry Eyes, Computer Screens, and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)”
Category: Dry Eyes
Eye Studies Reveal Natural Eye Care Effectiveness
At Natural Eye Care, we view vision health from a whole-body perspective. Eye studies can reveal how to manage the visual system. However, the health of the eyes is connected to overall health. The visual system requires as much as 25% of the nutrients we take into our bodies. The brain needs even more. How we take care of ourselves goes a long way in helping to preserve healthy vision. Personal care includes emotional balance, and lifestyle considerations such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and targeted supplementation. Continue reading “Eye Studies Reveal Natural Eye Care Effectiveness”
How Your Gut Health Affects Your Eye Health
The digestive tract is filled with over 100 trillion microorganisms, many of which are needed for gut health — and good health.[1. Thursby E, Juge N. Introduction to the human gut microbiota. Biochem J. 2017;474(11):1823–1836] The gut flora, as they are called, has a similar function to that of other organs in the body.[2. O’Hara AM, Shanahan F. The gut flora as a forgotten organ. EMBO Rep. 2006;7(7):688–693] The intestinal microorganisms are their own environment. This environment aids the body’s immune system and helps keep you healthy.[3. Vrancken G, Gregory AC, Huys GRB, et al.. Synthetic ecology of the human gut microbiota. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2019;17(12):754–763]
The health of the eyes depends upon the health of these gut microorganisms. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and dry eye disease (DED) are impacted by inflammation in the gut. Continue reading “How Your Gut Health Affects Your Eye Health”
Blue Light & Your Vision (and more!)
We have written extensively about how excess exposure to blue light can, over time, negatively affect vision. Not only does it affect our vision and ability to fall asleep, but it can also harm skin health, and neural pathways in the brain are affected in various ways. Continue reading “Blue Light & Your Vision (and more!)”
Natural Support for Ocular Rosacea
1 in 10 Adults Get Ocular Rosacea
Ocular rosacea is an inflammation of the white of the eye caused by immune system weakness. It can also affect the cornea and usually develops only in the eyes. It appears in combination with the skin version of rosacea in 20% of facial rosacea patients.
Bird’s Eye View
Ocular rosacea makes the eyes and skin nearby red, itchy, or sore – and it can escalate to harming vision and the cornea.
Risk factors include already having rosacea on other parts of the face, fair skin, light-colored hair and eyes, and age.
Treatment can have side effects; therefore, Natural Eye Care recommends specific lifestyle and food choices to support
Be sure to consult with your doctor, dermatologist, or eye doctor if you have symptoms.
Vision Self-Empowerment in a New Age
What Harms Eyesight?
Our eyes are constantly exposed to the external environment with frequent excess exposure to UVA/UVB light. Natural exposure to the sun is exacerbated by blue light exposure from mobile phones, E-readers, handheld gaming electronics, TV, computer monitors, and fluorescent and LED lighting.
In addition to blue/UV light, our long hours on computers and mobile phones cause stress on our visual system. Physical and visual fatigue reduces the free flow of energy and circulation to the eyes, often accompanied by muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, and lower back.
The combination of the above and the effects of a poor diet, lack of essential nutrients, chronic stress, and health conditions such as chronic inflammatory conditions can result in progressive and sometimes irreversible vision loss. Sight loss may include pathologies such as cataracts, ocular atrophy, corneal opacity, age-related macular degeneration, uncorrected refractive error, posterior capsular opacification, uveitis, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, undetermined disease, and other disorders involving oxidative stress and inflammation. Continue reading “Vision Self-Empowerment in a New Age”
All About Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The standard Western diet, with many processed foods, white grains, fats, sugars, preservatives, and flavorings lacks essential nutrients to support the retina. These non-beneficial components aggravate inflammation in the body – an underlying, and sometimes a direct cause of illness, premature aging, and cellular degeneration.
Essential nutrients include a wide range of amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and vitamin-like nutrients. Among them, a star component of good health and good vision, are the omega-3 fatty acids.
Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Meso-Zeaxanthin – An Update
Your Eyes Benefit from Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Meso-zeaxanthin
Lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin are potent antioxidants found in green leafy vegetables, eggs, corn and even chocolate. They have a profound effect on preserving healthy vision, brain function, the immune and cardiovascular systems.
New research is focusing less on the well-established understanding of local benefit from nutrients, e.g. lutein for macular degeneration or cataract, and more on its systemic benefits affecting the immune system, the brain and cognitive function, the eye, cancer, and cardiovascular health.[1. Buscemi S, Corleo D, Di Pace F, Petroni ML, Satriano A, Marchesini G. The Effect of Lutein on Eye and Extra-Eye Health. Nutrients. 2018 Sep 18;10(9):1321.] In addition, new research is focused on the “why” of the benefit of these carotenoids.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of vision loss and blindness. Our retina is abundantly supplied with oxygen but repeated or prolonged exposure to light, especially UV and blue light, decreases long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (such as omega-3s) in the retina, increases certain molecular bonds (lipid conjugated dienes), and degrades the photoreceptors and retina.[2. Johra FT, Bepari AK, Bristy AT, Reza HM. (2020). A Mechanistic Review of β-Carotene, Lutein, and Zeaxanthin in Eye Health and Disease. Antioxidants (Basel). Oct 26;9(11):1046.]
Accumulated exposure to UV and blue light can cause accumulation of free radicals, oxidative stress, accelerate vision loss, and hasten breakdown of photoreceptor cells which are essential for vision. Continue reading “Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Meso-Zeaxanthin – An Update”
Blinking – Key for Dry Eyes, Tired Eyes
Did you know that blinking helps prevent dry eyes?
The most frequent complaint to eye doctors is dry eyes, known as aqueous insufficiency, meibomian gland dysfunction, or dry eye syndrome. Twenty-five percent of patients who visit ophthalmic clinics report symptoms of dry eye, making it a growing public health problem and one of the most common conditions seen by eye care practitioners.[1. O’Brien, P.D., Collum, L.M. (2004). Dry eye: diagnosis and current treatment strategies. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 4:314–319.]
As we age we are more likely to experience dry eye: 2.7% in people aged 18-34, but 18.6% over 75 years old. Women are twice as likely to suffer from dry eye as men. [2. Farrand KF, Fridman M, Stillman IÖ, Schaumberg DA. (2017). Prevalence of Diagnosed Dry Eye Disease in the United States Among Adults Aged 18 Years and Older. Am J Ophthalmol. 2017; 182:90.] Continue reading “Blinking – Key for Dry Eyes, Tired Eyes”
Homeopathy and the Eyes
Looking at the eyes from a holistic, integrated perspective gives us the best opportunity to maintain our whole body, eye, and brain health. Whole body means the relationship between the mind, body, emotions, and spirit. This perspective has been the good health foundation for thousands of years in Chinese and ayurvedic medicine, as well as more recent holistic practices such as homeopathy and functional medicine. Continue reading “Homeopathy and the Eyes”