May 13, 2024

Vision Health

Vision Health

Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND

Vision or eye health is a topic that affects both men and women of all ages. However it can also be one of the most confusing topics. There are so many different options when it comes to keeping our vision up to par. Everything from glasses, contacts and even corrective eye surgery. But while these options may help to improve vision what can we do to help with our overall eye health? Is there anything that can help improve our eyesight naturally? These are just some of the questions I get asked almost daily when it comes to our eye health. I wanted to take the time to review not just general eye health but some of the most common concerns that people have when it comes to our eye health.

Let’s start with the basics, shall we? One of the best things you can do is get your eyes checked regularly. And part of that process is getting a dilated eye exam. I know getting a dilated eye exam can be scary but it really is one of the best ways to check our eye health. Dilation helps your eye doctor to check for eye problems such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and even macular degeneration. It is recommended to get a dilated eye exam every 1 – 2 years if you are over 60, African American and over 40, and/ or have a family history of glaucoma or are diabetic or have high blood pressure. Now what else happens during a routine eye exam? Well an eye exam usually includes a visual acuity test (this is the part where you look at the chart and read it) as well as a visual field test which checks our peripheral vision. There is also a test for eye muscle function where the doctor will have you follow an object with your eyes. The doctor will shine a small flashlight into your eye to check your pupils. Lastly the doctor will check your eye pressure very often by doing a tonometry test which is where the machine blows a quick puff of air onto your eye. (1)

It’s also important to acknowledge and try to reduce any of our risk factors for eye disease. For example there are certain chronic diseases that can increase the risk of eye conditions. For example diabetes and high blood pressure, being overweight/obese can all increase the risk of eye disease. Some things as we know tend to run in families. Thus knowing our family history is also important. There are also some life style choices that can help keep your eyes healthy. First it is important to quit smoking. Smoking can harm the optic nerve and even increase the risk of certain conditions such as macular degeneration and even cataracts. It is also important to be active. If you have any underlying conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure it is important to monitor and properly address them. It is also important to eat healthy foods such as greens and fish. (2)

But what supplements have studies looked at for eye health? Well let’s review a few, shall we?

Lutein has been studied quite a bit over the years and studies have found that it is very helpful for our eye health. (3) Please see Invite’s Lutein Plus, and our Macula Advanced!
Bilberry and Fish Oil are 2 amazing nutrients when it comes to our eye health! In fact a 3 month study found that a combination of these 2 nutrients was helpful for dry eye. (4) For these 2 amazing nutrients please see Invite’s Bilberry and Macula as well as our Fish and Krill oil!
L Carnosine has been studies in regards to cataracts and found to be helpful in reducing their formation. (5) Please see Invite’s L Carnosine Plus
Our product highlight will be on a fabulous product – Macula Advanced!