If you’re like most Americans, you’ve been conditioned to expect your vision to deteriorate at some point. And while it’s possible for your eyes to change with age, vision loss is not an inevitable part of getting older.
Most age-related eye damage is completely preventable and even reversible. Moreover, our bodies have evolved to do this already.
You see, every retinal receptor cell in your eye discards between 6% and 7% of lipid membranes each day. Then they’re reconstructed using the lipids taken from the food you eat.
Essentially, you have a completely new retina every two weeks – thanks to good nutrition. If you’re not nearly blind now, that means you’ve been getting enough good nutrition to support this process.
Because if you didn’t, you could experience total vision loss in just 14 days!
That’s why proper nutrition is so important. You can protect the vision you enjoyed in your youth with the right amount.
And the best nutrient you can “feed” your eyes is DHA…
A study published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science found that DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, helped prevent age-related vision loss in lab mice.1 Not long after, a corneal specialist and clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School went on to say the finding was good news for humans as well.2
When you break down the biology, it’s easy to see why.
You see, 93% of the content in your eyes is made from DHA. And this isn’t the only study showing that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can be a life-changer for your vision.
In a separate study using an animal model, researchers determined that higher intakes of DHA and EPA – another important omega-3 acid – were able to protect against blindness due to abnormal blood vessel growth in the eye.
Abnormal blood vessel growth is a major contributor to retinopathy, the leading cause of preventable blindness. It affects about 4 million patients in the United States alone, along with 40,000 premature infants.
In the study, scientists fed one group of mice a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, similar to a traditional Japanese diet. They fed the other group a diet emphasizing omega-6 fatty acids, comparable to a standard Western diet.
When the results came in, the omega-3 group saw a 40% to 50% decrease in pathological vessel growth, resulting in better-protected eye health. Researchers noted vessels regrew more quickly and effectively in the omega-3 group.3
In another review, researchers concluded that DHA is so powerful that eating oily fish just once a week slashes the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration in half.4 AMD is a major cause of blindness and poor vision in older adults.
I recommend DHA to every patient I see in my clinic. Get at least 600 mg of DHA, as well as 60 mg of EPA, in a combination of calamari and krill oil.
Krill are shrimp-like animals that don’t live long enough to absorb large amounts of toxins — so they don’t get contaminated. And their omega-3s are stored in phospholipid form instead of triglyceride. This helps it pass through cell membranes better.
And calamari has one of the highest concentrations of DHA in any food.
For better absorption, add in some astaxanthin. Astaxanthin also helps the oils permeate your tissues where it’s needed, including crossing the blood-brain barrier where the DHA can benefit you.
And always take omega-3 fatty acids with a meal. This allows the fats to be properly digested.
Prevent vision loss no matter your age
DHA is key to keeping your eyes in good health. But it’s not the only vision-saver I recommend. Here are two more ways to boost your vision:
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- Use the best combo for knocking out AMD. Two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin go hand in hand to prevent and treat AMD. They are the most potent combination of carotenoids we know of. Lutein and zeaxanthin are naturally present in the retina and highly concentrated in the macula. People with higher concentrations of these two carotenoids in the retina tend not to develop AMD. They increase the density of macular pigment. The higher the density, the more protected your eye is. A recent issue of the Journal of Nutrition published a study that compared levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in the eye and the macular pigment density. A lutein/zeaxanthin supplement successfully increased macular pigment density. Take 20 mg of lutein and 10 mg of zeaxanthin daily to increase pigment density.
- Try tocopherols for better eye health. Tocopherols are another mixture of potent eye protectors. Tocopherols (types of vitamin E) are powerful free radical destroyers. JAMA published a study that proved that increased intake of these nutrients lowered the risk of AMD. The best way to get tocopherols is as a mix. There are four types of tocopherols. Look for supplements that say, “mixed tocopherols.” I recommend 400 IU of mixed tocopherols a day.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
References:
1. Dornstauder B, et al. “Dietary docosahexaenoic acid supplementation prevents age-related functional losses and A2E accumulation in the retina.” Invest Ophthalmol. 2012;53:2256-2265.
2. “Omega-3 for Your Eyes.” Harvard Health. 1 Aug. 2012. www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/omega-3-for-your-eyes#:~:text=A%20new%20study%20published%20in. Accessed 18 July 2022.
3. Connor K, et al. “Increased dietary intake of [omega 3] polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces pathological retinal angiogenesis.” Nat Med. 2007;13:868-873.
4. Augood C, et al. “Oily fish consumption, dietary docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid intake, and associations with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.” Am J of Clin Nutr. 2008;88(2):398-406.