The eyes are windows to more than just the soul.
Nutrient deficiencies show up as some of the most commonly diagnosed diseases of the eye. From cataracts to dry eyes, your body is giving you signals of missing minerals and vitamins through these prevalent eye problems. Help your eyes age gracefully and stay healthy naturally, avoid surgery and even blindness with these simple nutrition-based eye remedies.
Cataracts
Cataracts are one of the most common eye diseases and a leading cause of legal blindness. They are a clouding of the lens of the eye, caused by damage from free radicals that result in oxidation and aging in a process similar to hardening of the arteries. Smoking, diabetes, heart disease, excess alcohol consumption, prescription drugs, nutrient-deficient diet, and food allergies are all known causes of cataracts.
Lifestyle changes to prevent or manage cataracts include quitting smoking, eliminating sodas and other sugary drinks, reducing alcohol and caffeine intake, and increasing exercise. Eating right for your sight means a diet high in protein, Vitamin A, niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin. Helpful supplements include CoQ10, vitamin C, selenium, alpha-lipoic acid, and glutathione.
Dr. Robert Rowen created a simple eye drop formula that has been quite successful as a natural eye remedy to dissolve cataracts. Many countries around the world use vitamin and mineral eye drops and it’s high time we make them our go-to solution, too. It’s challenging to get nutrients into the eye, so give these drops a few months to start working their magic. This formulation is available by prescription through a compounding pharmacy:
- DMSO – 6.25%. DMSO is a natural, anti-inflammatory, sulfur-based solvent that carries the other nutrients into the deeper tissues in the eye, allowing for better absorption.
- Vitamin C – 1.25%. Cataracts have been called “scurvy of the eye” because research has shown that cataracts begin when the body becomes deficient in Vitamin C. The sclera of the eye especially relies on Vitamin C for good health. The Vitamin C used in this formula is sodium ascorbate.
- Glutathione – 1.25%. This potent antioxidant is paramount for eye health. Eyes with cataracts have been found to have less than 25 percent the amount of glutathione that a healthy, normal lens has and restoring optimal levels is essential for healthy eyes.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
AMD is the leading cause of vision loss over age 50, and researchers have found a strong link to nutrition in stopping its progression. AMD often goes unnoticed in its early stages; it’s not until the more severe symptoms show up, like central vision loss, objects becoming blurry or distorted, or straight lines looking wavy that people start to notice there’s a problem. For healthy aging of your eyes, researchers have found the following nutrients taken daily to be helpful in preventing and slowing the progression of AMD:
- Lutein – 10 mg
- Zeaxanthin – 2 mg
- Vitamin C – 500 mg (I recommend at least 2000 mg)
- Vitamin E – 400 mg
- Zinc – 40-80 mg
Floaters
Have you ever seen dark specks, strings, or even cobweb-looking objects drifting through your field of vision that seem to dart away quickly when you blink or move your eyes? These are floaters and are more common as we age. The vitreous fluid, which fills about 80 percent of the eye and creates its round shape, shrinks as we age and becomes somewhat stringy, casting shadows and creating floaters.
Floaters have been a personal issue of mine for a few years now, and I’ve found liquid MSM drops with vitamin C to be the best natural eye remedy for this common problem. Just one drop in each eye a few times daily is all it takes. MSM has been shown to repair damaged tissues in the eye while improving circulation, making them more permeable and allowing nutrients to pass through more easily. It also helps remove tissue particles and clear floaters. I use Dexterity Health brand, which you can find here.
Dry Eyes
Eyes thrive in moist conditions; so dry eyes are not just uncomfortable but also make the surface of the eye more prone to injury. Dry eyes commonly come from environmental conditions causing tears to evaporate faster, medications that cause you to produce fewer tears, too much screen time, or underlying health conditions. But it’s not just the amount of tears you produce that matters – it’s also the quality of those tears. If you are producing poor quality tears because of nutrient deficiencies, they will evaporate faster causing that gritty, dry feeling that irritates your eyes.
The best nutrients to restore good quality moisture to your eyes are Omega-3 fats and N-Acetyl Cysteine. Your body starts using Omega-3 fats for the health of your eyes and to develop vision even before you’re born, and your eyes continue to use these essential fats over your entire lifetime. Multiple studies have shown that a single daily dose of Omega-3 from supplements like UNI KEY Health’s Super-EPA increased the quality and quantity of tears and reduced the symptoms of dry eye in as little as three weeks. N-Acetyl Cysteine has been shown to protect the surface of the eye and protect against oxidative damage.
Eat right for your sight, get daily exercise to increase blood flow to your eyes, and get essential nutrients either through eye drops or supplements to encourage optimal eye health and sharp vision at any age.
