‘Top’ anti-inflammatory foods to tackle dry eye – expert
Eye health: Nutritionist reveals foods that protect your eyes
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Taking care of our eyes can be difficult. Some conditions, for example, are inherited and others are caused by factors such as our surroundings. However, there are ways to help protect your eyes – diet being one such way.
Eye care specialist and optometrist from Rohto Dry Aid, Francesca Marchetti, spoke with Express.co.uk to explain more.
She said: “Dry eye is a common condition that is increasing. It happens when you don’t produce enough tears or the consistency of the tear changes.
“This leads to inadequate lubrication of the tear film with inflammation and likely damage to the eye surface.
“Dry eye can lead to vision loss. Worryingly, few people have heard of it.”
Research commissioned by Rohto Dry Aid found that one in two people have never heard of dry eye syndrome.
And six in 10 in the same poll were unaware that watery, itchy, gritty or dry eyes for no apparent reason are the most common symptoms of dry eye syndrome.
Ms Marchetti continued: “When they became aware of this, 39 percent of the research respondents think they sometimes suffer from this, with 15 percent saying they often suffer with it.
“Dry eye has many causes including wind, cold, central heating, and diet.
“But the three main causes of dry eye are gender – such as being a woman and its hormonal impacts, including the menopause – excess use of computer, laptop and digital screens and wearing contact lenses.”
She shared what she considers three “top” ways to prevent dry eye through diet.
Oily fish
“Oily fish such as sardines, salmon, and tuna,” she said. “Oily fish provides omega- 3 fatty acids, which are known for their anti-inflammatory properties.
“A lack of omega-3 fatty acids relative to omega -6 fatty acids may impact dry eye. Omega-3s are activated in the tear film, and a metabolic deficiency in omega-3s can be a cause of chronic ocular surface inflammation.
“This chronic inflammation is a root cause of dry eye syndrome. Omega-3s can help reduce this inflammation, thus improving tear osmolarity and increasing tear stability. This helps improve the lipid layer in the tear film and prevents tear evaporation.”
Berries
Ms Marchetti said: “Consume a portion of berries each day. Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries) have significant anti-inflammatory activity due to the presence of antioxidant anthocyanins.
“People who consume berries have lower levels of inflammatory markers than people who do not eat berries.
“Maqui berries, a dark purple fruit native to Chile have been researched for benefit in dry eye with findings that they reduce inflammation and oxidative damage on the eye surface, improve tear production and tear quality.
“The benefit of maqui is again due to the presence of antioxidant anthocyanins.”
Vitamin D
She added: “Take a vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D is crucial for a properly functioning tear film. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to impaired tear film function.
“Vitamin D most likely protects the eye by helping decrease inflammation on the surface and improving tear secretions. In the UK we are all recommended by the government to take a vitamin D supplement (10 micrograms daily).
“A supplement is needed as so few foods contain vitamin D and whilst summer sunlight is a significant source of vitamin D production in the skin many of us do not expose our skins to sunlight in the summer.”
Common symptoms of dry eye include if your eyes are:
- Itchy
- Sore
- Gritty
- Red
- Blurry
- Sensitive to light
- More watery than normal.
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