know about your sugar

from http://www.attentionineducation.com/nutrition-and-rest-research/

Dry Eyes

Dry Eyes

The eye depends on the flow of tears to provide constant moisture and lubrication to maintain vision and comfort. Tears are a combination of water, for moisture; oils, for lubrication; mucus, for even spreading; and antibodies and special proteins, for resistance to infection. These components are secreted by special glands located around the eye. When there is an imbalance in this tear system, a person may experience dry eyes.

When tears do not adequately lubricate the eye, a person may experience:

• Pain
• Light sensitivity
• A gritty sensation
• A feeling of a foreign body or sand in the eye
• Itching
• Redness
• Blurring of vision

Sometimes, a person with a dry eye will have excess tears running down the cheeks, which may seem confusing. This happens when the eye isn't getting enough lubrication. The eye sends a distress signal through the nervous system for more lubrication. In response, the eye is flooded with tears to try to compensate for the underlying dryness. However, these tears are mostly water and do not have the lubricating qualities or the rich composition of normal tears. They will wash debris away, but they will not coat the eye surface properly.

What Causes Dry Eyes?

In addition to an imbalance in the tear-flow system of the eye, dry eyes can be caused by situations that dry out the tear film. This can be due to dry air from air conditioning, heat, or other environmental conditions. Other conditions that may cause dry eyes are:

• The natural aging process, especially menopause
• Side effects of certain drugs such as antihistamines and birth control pills
• Diseases that affect the ability to make tears, such as Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and collagen vascular diseases
• Structural problems with the eyelids that don't allow them to close properly

How Are Dry Eyes Treated?

Though dry eyes cannot be cured, there are a number of steps that can be taken to treat them. You should discuss treatment options with an eye care specialist. Treatments for dry eyes may include:

• Artificial tear drops and ointments. The use of artificial teardrops is the primary treatment for dry eye. Artificial teardrops are available over the counter. No one drop works for everyone, so you might have to experiment to find the drop that works for you. If you have chronic dry eye, it is important to use the drops even when your eyes feel fine, to keep them lubricated. If your eyes dry out while you sleep, you can use a thicker lubricant, such as an ointment, at night.
• Temporary punctal occlusion. Sometimes it is necessary to close the ducts that drain tears out of the eye. This may be done temporarily with a dissolving plug that is inserted into the tear drain of the lower eyelid to determine whether permanent plugs can provide an adequate supply of tears.
• Non-dissolving punctal plugs and punctal occlusion by cautery (application of heat to tear exit duct). If temporary plugging of the tear drains works well, then longer-lasting plugs or cautery may be used. These measures increase the tear level by blocking the “drainpipe” through which tears normally exit the eye and enter the nose. The plugs can be easily removed. Rarely, the plugs may come out spontaneously or migrate down the tear drain. Many patients with particularly bothersome dry eyes find that the plugs or surgical occlusion (cautery) improve comfort and reduce the need for artificial tears.
• Lipiflow. Lipiflow is a medical device that uses heat and pressure on the eyelids to unclog blocked glands. These glands produce oil as part of the tear film. The oil lubricates the eye and prevents the tears from evaporating.    
• Restasis. The FDA approved the prescription eye drop Restasis for the treatment of chronic dry eye. It is currently the only prescription eye drop that helps your eyes increase their own tear production with continued use.
• Other medications and nutrition. Other medications, including steroid eyedrops, can be used for short periods of time as an adjunct to other long-term measures. There is growing evidence that increasing the oral intake of fish oil and omega-3 via diet or supplement is very helpful to those suffering with dry eye.

 source from http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/eye-health-dry-eyes

WebMD Medical Reference

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Reviewed by Alan Kozarsky, MD on November 12, 2013

© 2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

 

How To Choose Eye and Vision Supplements?

 

How to Choose Eye & Vision Supplements?

By Shereen Jegtvig, Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS), with contributions and review by Gary Heiting, OD

Eye supplements are nutritional products that contain vitamins and other nutrients that research has shown to be beneficial for maintaining eye health and good vision.
As their name suggests, eye supplements are designed to add to, not replace, nutrients you get from a healthful diet. Taking dietary supplements cannot completely make up for serious nutritional shortcomings of a poor diet and too much junk food, which are associated with many serious health problems including vision loss.

What is a "Healthy Diet" for Good Vision?

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture, a healthful diet:

• Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
• Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts.
• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and added sugars.

But it's common knowledge that most Americans don't eat enough fruits, vegetables and other nutrient-rich foods, opting instead for high-calorie, low-nutrient alternatives that can be harmful to the body, including the eyes.
Taking a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement can help fill in the nutritional gaps in a less-than-optimal diet and may help protect you from degenerative diseases, including eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts.

AREDS and AREDS2 - Eye Supplements and Age-Related Eye Disease

Two of the most influential studies of the benefits of eye supplements are the AREDS and AREDS2 studies sponsored by the National Eye Institute. (AREDS is an acronym for “Age-Related Eye Disease Study.”)
Each of these multicenter U.S. clinical trials enrolled several thousand participants and had a follow-up period of at least five years.
AREDS The original AREDS study investigated the effect of use of a daily multivitamin supplement on the development and progression of AMD and cataracts in a population of approximately 3,600 participants, ages 55 to 80.
Most of the study participants already had early or intermediate AMD at the time of enrollment, and the average follow-up period of the study was 6.5 years.
The multivitamin supplement contained beta-carotene (15 mg), vitamin C (250 mg), vitamin E (400 IU), zinc (80 mg) and copper (2 mg).
Results of the original AREDS were published in 2001 and showed that the antioxidant multivitamin used in the study reduced the risk of AMD progression to advanced stages among people at high risk of vision loss from macular degeneration by about 25 percent.
Also, in the same high-risk group that included participants with intermediate AMD, or advanced AMD in one eye but not the other, the daily multivitamin reduced the risk of vision loss caused by advanced AMD by about 19 percent.
For study participants who had either no AMD or only early AMD, the multivitamin provided no apparent vision benefits. Also, the daily eye supplement had no significant effect on the development or progression of cataract among study participants.
AREDS2 AREDS2 was designed to investigate the effect of modifications of the original AREDS supplement formula on the development and progression of AMD and cataracts.
In particular, lutein and zeaxanthin — plant pigments (carotenoids) that other research suggests may have eye benefits — and omega-3 fatty acids were evaluated.
Also, AREDS2 researchers wanted to evaluate a modification of the original AREDS multivitamin formulation because some research has linked beta-carotene supplementation to increased risk of lung cancer in smokers and previous smokers, and because of concerns about minor side effects such as stomach upset caused by the high amount of zinc in the original AREDS formula among some people.
Results of the AREDS2 study were published in May 2013. Participants in the study who took an AREDS formulation that included lutein and zeaxanthin but no beta-carotene, had an 18 percent lower risk of developing advanced AMD over the five years of the study, compared with participants who took the original AREDS formulation with beta-carotene.
Also, AREDS2 participants with low dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin at the start of the study were up to 25 percent less likely to develop advanced AMD when taking a daily multivitamin that included 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin, compared with participants with similar dietary intake who did not take a supplement containing lutein and zeaxanthin during the study.
None of the modified AREDS supplement formulations used in AREDS2 — including those containing 1,000 mg omega-3 fatty acids (350 mg DHA and 650 mg EPA) — prevented or reduced the risk of cataracts.

A diet containing plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you enjoy a lifetime of good vision.

Recommended Ingredients in Vision Supplements

As research continues on the benefits of vision supplements in reducing the risk of eye problems (and perhaps in improving visual acuity in healthy eyes), it seems wise to supplement your diet with a daily eye supplement that contains many, if not all, of the following ingredients.
Most of these vitamins and nutrients may play a key role in reducing inflammation and oxidative changes associated with the development of degenerative diseases, including chronic and age-related eye problems:

Eye supplements can help fill in nutritional gaps in a less-than-perfect diet.

• Vitamin A and beta-carotene. Vitamin A (and its precursor, beta-carotene) is necessary for night vision, wound healing and proper functioning of the immune system. Though supplemental beta-carotene has been associated with greater risk of certain cancers among smokers and previous smokers, obtaining a healthy amount of beta-carotene from natural food sources does not appear to elevate this risk.
• Vitamin B complex (including vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 folic acid, biotin and choline). B complex vitamins may help reduce chronic inflammation and prevent elevated homocysteine levels in the blood, which have been associated with vascular problems affecting the retina. B vitamins also may play a role in reducing the risk of macular degeneration and in the treatment of uveitis, a common cause of blindness.
• Vitamin C. Some studies have found vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, is associated with reduced risk of cataracts.
• Vitamin D. Recent literature suggests vitamin D deficiency is widespread, especially during winter months in cold climates. Research suggests vitamin D is associated with a lower risk of macular degeneration.
• Vitamin E. Another component of AREDS and AREDS2 supplements, vitamin E has been associated with reduced risk of cataracts in other studies.
• Lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids and macular pigments may reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
• Phytochemical antioxidants. Plant extracts, such as those from ginkgo biloba and bilberry, contain phytochemicals, which appear to provide protection from oxidative stress in the entire body, including the eyes.
• Omega-3 essential fatty acids. These essential nutrients may reduce the risk of dry eyes and may have other eye health benefits as well.
• Bioflavonoids. Found in many fruits and vegetables, bioflavonoids appear to help the body absorb vitamin C for higher antioxidant efficiency.

Source from http://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/supplements.htm