A balanced diet in Omega 3 and Omega 6, Zinc, Selenium, Magnesium and vitamins can prevent pathologies such as Dry Eye, Cataract, Glaucoma or the macular degeneration.
Nutrition and eye health
There is increasing evidence on the role of nutrition in the origin of various eye diseases. Scientific papers do not stop appearing that indicate the deficit of certain nutritional components such as omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D or Zinc and Selenium. In the same way, the excesses of omega 6 fatty acids from saturated fats, would be in the genesis and evolution of eye diseases such as Macular degeneration Associated with age, the Glaucoma or Cataract.
Population studies show that the eating habits of the Western world, among which Spain is found, have been drifting towards an incorrect diet that is added to a lack of physical exercise and an excess of Stress.
Bad habits and eye health
The main consequence is the increase in toxic factors, such as free radicals, which damage all body tissues, especially the most fragile ones, such as joints, the interior of blood vessels or the brain. This explains why in Western countries the incidence of diseases such as rheumatism and osteoarthritis, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes or neurodegenerative such as Alzheimer's.
It has been shown that some good nutritional habits makes us enjoy better visual health.
Nutrients and the eyes
The imbalance between omega 3 and omega 6 due to an incorrect diet triggers the activation of an inflammatory process that has a special consequence on the retina, a target organ, very sensitive to the increase in inflammatory cytokines.
This imbalance in the fats we eat is directly related to the appearance of the dreaded Macular Degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the western population over 60 years of age.
Vitamin D
We also know that the imbalance of omega 3 and omega 6 fats can be accompanied by disorders in the reabsorption of vitamin D, generally due to alterations in the intestinal flora or irritation of the intestinal mucosa due to intolerance to dairy products or gluten. A lack of vitamin D is often associated with a lack of fixation of calcium in the bones in women after the menopause, but we also know that it has other consequences for the eyes. Vitamin D deficiency activates the chain of inflammation and the proliferation of abnormal blood vessels, causing a more rapid evolution of the retinal diseases or glaucoma.
Vitamin A and E
The lack of vitamin A and E due to deficits in the diet or, most frequently, alterations in intestinal absorption, contributes to increasing the presence of retinal diseases, especially Macular Degeneration.
We are seeing more and more zinc and selenium deficiencies and it is related to the presence of alterations in the functionality of the thyroid glands and in ocular pathology, such as the presence of Dry Eye or the falls.
Vitamin B and C
The deficiency of vitamin B and C and of Magnesium, produces the reduction of the levels of Glutathione, the most powerful antioxidant that the organism has to control the harmful effect of tissue oxidation. We know that the decrease in glutathione is due to imbalances in the diet and population groups with low glutathione values have a higher incidence of retinal pathology and especially Glaucoma and Cataracts.
In a population like ours, the contribution of vitamins and trace elements is usually sufficient so that there are no diseases characterized by a lack of these elements and what we are seeing is that these deficiencies are due to intestinal absorption problems and in the majority of cases is a consequence of irritations of the intestinal mucosa and alteration in the bacterial flora, generally due to intolerances to certain foods. Perhaps the best known is dairy and gluten intolerance but there are many other elements that require individual investigation.
Cataracts and nutrition
One of the most frequent pathologies that affects the eyes are cataracts. We know that it is related to age, it is about the aging of the crystalline, it loses its transparency, becomes opaque and we see blurry, until we have to undergo surgery and replace it with an artificial lens. Studies on the loss of transparency of the crystalline lens are directly related to the oxidation of its tissues, due to the direct action of ultraviolet rays from the sun and low levels of glutathione. There are studies that show that you can delay the onset of cataracts and even stop its evolution if we manage to stop the oxidation of the crystalline lens by increasing the levels of vitamin C and glutathione, in addition to protecting the eyes with glasses with ultraviolet filters.
With this article we want to make the population aware that it is possible to prevent and control certain eye diseases such as dry eye, cataracts or glaucoma and macular degeneration, combining "classical" treatments with nutritional aspects and for this it is necessary to combine ophthalmologist with the nutritionist expert in ocular pathology.
En Area Oftalmológica Avanzada We know the importance of this combination and we have incorporated nutrition experts that allow us to help more and more patients.
