Best Diet for Dry Eyes? 5 Dry Eye Diet Tips

Doctor Eye Health
29 Mar 202344:07
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this informative video, Dr. Joseph Allen, a certified Optometry doctor, shares his top five diet tips for managing dry eyes naturally. He emphasizes the importance of an anti-inflammatory diet, highlighting the benefits of fatty fish rich in Omega-3s, fruits and vegetables packed with antioxidants, and whole grains for fiber. Dr. Allen also discusses the role of hydration and the Mediterranean diet in reducing dry eye symptoms. The live stream includes a Q&A session addressing various eye health concerns, from the impact of stress on the eyes to home treatments for dry eyes and the latest in keratoconus treatments.

Takeaways
  • 🍽️ The best diet for dry eyes is anti-inflammatory, with the Whole 30 and Mediterranean diets being recommended by specialists.
  • 🐟 Consuming fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and herring can help with dry eyes due to their high omega-3 content, which reduces inflammation and improves tear production.
  • πŸ’§ Omega-3 supplements or algae-based omega-3s are alternatives for those who don't eat fish or prefer not to for various reasons.
  • πŸ₯¦ Incorporating fruits and vegetables, especially dark berries rich in anthocyanins, can provide antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits for eye health.
  • 🌰 Nuts and seeds are good sources of healthy fats, magnesium, and vitamin E, which can contribute to a diet that supports eye health.
  • 🌾 Whole grains are recommended over refined grains for their higher fiber content, which is linked to a healthier gut microbiome and potentially better eye health.
  • πŸ’§ Staying hydrated is crucial for overall health, including eye health, as dehydration can increase tear film osmolarity, leading to irritation.
  • πŸ€” While there's mixed opinion on animal-based diets for dry eyes, more research supports plant-based or Mediterranean diets for long-term eye health.
  • 🚫 Avoid putting contact lenses in your mouth as it can transfer harmful bacteria from your mouth to your eyes.
  • 🧴 For those with dry eyes, using a lubricating ointment or eyelid tape at night can help keep the eyes moist and reduce morning dryness.
  • πŸ•ΆοΈ Wearing sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats can protect the eyes from harmful UV rays, which is important for slowing down aging effects on the eyes.
Q & A
  • What is the focus of today's video?

    -Today's video focuses on discussing the best diet for dry eyes and sharing top five dry eye diet tips that can be incorporated into daily lifestyle to help resolve dry eye symptoms naturally.

  • Why is it important to talk to a doctor about dry eye symptoms?

    -It's important to discuss dry eye symptoms with a doctor because they can provide guidance on diet or lifestyle modifications, as well as recommend vitamins or nutraceuticals that could help manage dry eyes beyond just medications and treatments.

  • What is Dr. Joseph Allen's professional background?

    -Dr. Joseph Allen is a board-certified doctor of Optometry, a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, and a diplomate of the American Board of Optometry. He has a personal passion for eye care, particularly dry eyes, and has suffered from them since his late high school and early college years.

  • What is the Vicious Cycle of dry eye?

    -The Vicious Cycle of dry eye refers to a cycle where insufficient tear production or rapid tear film evaporation due to lack of oils leads to dryness, which in turn causes the eyelids to scratch the eye, resulting in ocular surface damage. The body's inflammatory response to heal this damage can disrupt the tear film and worsen the condition.

  • Which diets are most recommended for dry eyes?

    -The Whole 30 diet and the Mediterranean diet, particularly its plant-dominant side, are most recommended for dry eyes as they are supportive of anti-inflammatory diets.

  • Why are fatty fish beneficial for dry eyes?

    -Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and herring are beneficial for dry eyes because they are high in omega-3s, which are polyunsaturated fatty acids that have been found to reduce inflammation and improve the clarity of meibomian gland secretions, thus helping to prevent tear film evaporation.

  • What role do fruits and vegetables play in an anti-inflammatory diet?

    -Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants and anthocyanins, which help stabilize free radicals and have anti-inflammatory effects. They are essential components of an anti-inflammatory diet that can support dry eye management.

  • Why are nuts and seeds recommended as part of a diet for dry eyes?

    -Nuts and seeds are recommended because they contain healthy fats, including polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol and heart disease risk. They also provide magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, and fiber, which are beneficial for overall health and can contribute to reducing inflammation.

  • What is the significance of beans in a diet for dry eyes?

    -Beans are a good source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants, similar to blueberries. They are inexpensive and provide a high nutrient value, which can help boost the antioxidant content in the body, beneficial for managing dry eye symptoms.

  • Why are whole grains important in managing dry eye symptoms?

    -Whole grains are important because they contain higher amounts of fiber, which is beneficial for gut health and can help manage the microbiome. Research suggests that a healthy microbiome may be related to eye health, including conditions like dry eye disease.

  • What is the role of hydration in managing dry eyes?

    -Staying well-hydrated is important as dehydration can lead to higher tear film osmolarity, which means a higher salt content in the tear film causing irritation. Drinking enough water can help maintain the health of the tear film and reduce dry eye symptoms.

Outlines
00:00
πŸ˜€ Introduction to the Dry Eye Diet and Lifestyle Tips

Dr. Joseph Allen, a board-certified doctor of Optometry, introduces the topic of the best diet for dry eyes. He shares his personal experience with dry eyes and his passion for nutrition as a means of preventing disease. The video aims to educate viewers on dietary changes that can help alleviate dry eye symptoms naturally and touches on the importance of an anti-inflammatory diet. Dr. Allen also discusses the vicious cycle of dry eye, which includes tear film issues, eye surface damage, and inflammation, and how diet can play a role in managing these aspects.

05:01
🍽️ The Impact of Diet on Dry Eye and Recommended Foods

The paragraph delves into how diet can contribute to inflammation and the importance of an anti-inflammatory diet for managing dry eyes. It highlights two recommended diets by dry eye specialists: the Whole 30 and the Mediterranean diet, with a focus on the latter's plant-dominant side. The benefits of consuming fatty fish, which are rich in Omega-3s, are discussed, including their role in reducing inflammation and improving tear production and quality. The American Heart Association's recommendation of three to six ounces of fatty fish twice a week is also mentioned.

10:02
🐟 Omega-3s, Fruits, and Vegetables for Eye Health

This section discusses alternative sources of Omega-3s for those who do not consume fish, such as algae-based supplements. The importance of incorporating fruits and vegetables into the diet for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties is emphasized. Dark berries and fruits are highlighted for their anthocyanins content, which contributes to an anti-inflammatory effect. The benefits of green leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds for eye health are also covered, including their role in providing essential nutrients like lutein, zeaxanthin, and healthy fats.

15:02
🌾 The Role of Beans, Whole Grains, and Hydration in Dry Eye Management

The paragraph focuses on the benefits of beans and whole grains in a diet aimed at managing dry eyes. Beans are noted for their fiber, protein, and antioxidant content, while whole grains are recommended for their higher fiber content, which supports gut health and may have implications for eye health. The importance of hydration is also stressed, as dehydration can increase tear film osmolarity, leading to eye irritation. Recommendations for daily water intake are provided, along with tips for maintaining proper hydration.

20:04
πŸ’§ Additional Tips for Dry Eye Relief and Upcoming Q&A Session

Dr. Allen offers a bonus tip on the importance of hydration for dry eye symptoms and provides guidelines for daily water intake. He then transitions into a Q&A session, encouraging viewers to submit their questions about dry eyes and related topics. The paragraph also mentions the benefits of channel membership and the upcoming discussion on various questions, including medical advice disclaimers and the importance of personalized medical advice from local healthcare practitioners.

25:05
πŸ‘“ Addressing观众 Questions on Dry Eye Treatments and Eye Health

The paragraph consists of Dr. Allen addressing various audience questions related to dry eye treatments and eye health. Topics covered include meibomian gland probing, corneal erosions after PRK, IPL as a treatment for dry eyes, and the impact of diet on eye health. Dr. Allen also discusses home treatments for dry eyes, the benefits of a healthy diet, and the potential risks associated with high-fat or animal-based diets for long-term eye health.

30:07
🚫 Avoiding Harmful Practices and the Effects of Stress on the Eyes

Dr. Allen advises against certain practices such as putting contact lenses in the mouth and emphasizes the importance of proper eyelid hygiene. He discusses how stress can affect the eyes, mentioning conditions like central serous chorioretinopathy and the potential for stress to exacerbate eye symptoms. The importance of seeking professional mental health support is also highlighted.

35:07
πŸ›Œ Solutions for Dry Eyes upon Waking and the Cost of Eye Seals

The paragraph provides advice on dealing with dry eyes upon waking up, suggesting the use of lubricating ointments, eyelid tape, or sleep masks. It also touches on the cost of eye seals and their potential value in managing dry eye symptoms. Dr. Allen encourages viewers to consult with local doctors for personalized advice.

40:08
πŸ‘οΈβ€πŸ—¨οΈ Understanding Retinal Vein and Artery Occlusions

Dr. Allen explains the differences between retinal vein and artery occlusions in terms of causes, symptoms, and treatments. He discusses the potential need for injections, laser treatments, or medications to manage these conditions and the importance of regular check-ups with an eye doctor. The paragraph also highlights the connection between these occlusions and stroke-like symptoms, emphasizing the seriousness of these conditions.

πŸ†• New Developments in Keratoconus Treatment and Closing Remarks

The final paragraph discusses new treatments for keratoconus, including advancements in corneal cross-linking and refractive surgery. Dr. Allen expresses gratitude to the viewers for their engagement and questions, promising more informative videos in the future, particularly on the topic of Omega-3s and dry eyes.

Mindmap
Passionate about lifestyle changes for disease prevention
Suffered from dry eyes since late high school
Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry
Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry
Board-certified doctor of Optometry
Therapeutic support recommended
Stress can cause central serous retinopathy
Avoid placing lenses in the mouth to prevent bacterial infection
Emphasis on diet
Warm compresses
Artificial tears
Concerns of scar formation and gland damage
Recommended daily fluid intake varies by individual
Dehydration increases tear film osmolarity
Beneficial for gut health and may impact ocular health
Higher fiber content
High in fiber, protein, and antioxidants
Contain ALA, a precursor to Omega-3s
Source of healthy fats
Anthocyanins in dark berries have anti-inflammatory effects
High in antioxidants
Recommended servings: 3-6 ounces twice a week
Improves meibomian gland secretions
Reduces inflammation
Rich in Omega-3s
Mediterranean diet (especially plant-dominant side)
Whole 30 diet
High fat, salt, and refined carbohydrates
Highly processed foods
Recommended by dry eye specialists and literature
Reducing inflammation
Inflammatory response
Ocular surface damage
Tear film evaporates quickly
Insufficient tear production
Fluctuating vision
Sensitivity
Watering eyes
Reflex tearing
Redness
Discomfort
Live discussion on dry eye experiences and treatments
Interest in Nutrition
Personal Experience
Dr. Joseph Allen
Medical advice disclaimer
Upcoming videos on specific topics
Continued education on Omega-3s and dry eye management
Stress Management
Contact Lens Hygiene
Home Treatments
Meibomian Gland Probing
Hydration
Whole Grains
Beans
Nuts and Seeds
Fruits and Vegetables
Fatty Fish
Recommended Diets
Common Dietary Issues
Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Treatment Focus
Vicious Cycle of Dry Eye
Symptoms
Audience Interaction
Host Introduction
Conclusion and Next Steps
Additional Considerations
Dry Eye Diet Tips
Diet and Dry Eye
Dry Eye Overview
Introduction
Dry Eye Management and Nutrition
Alert
Keywords
πŸ’‘Dry Eyes
Dry eyes refer to a condition where the eyes do not produce enough tears for comfort and lubrication, leading to symptoms like redness, itching, and a feeling of discomfort. In the video, Dr. Joseph Allen discusses the importance of diet and lifestyle modifications to alleviate symptoms of dry eyes, emphasizing the role of an anti-inflammatory diet.
πŸ’‘Anti-Inflammatory Diet
An anti-inflammatory diet is a type of eating plan that emphasizes foods known to reduce inflammation in the body. The video suggests that such a diet is beneficial for individuals with dry eyes, as it can help decrease the inflammatory response that exacerbates dry eye symptoms. Dr. Allen mentions the Whole 30 and Mediterranean diets as examples.
πŸ’‘Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that are essential for human health but cannot be produced by the body, so they must be obtained through diet. In the context of the video, omega-3s, found in fatty fish like salmon, are highlighted for their role in reducing inflammation and improving tear film stability, which is crucial for dry eye management.
πŸ’‘Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is a common eye condition that affects the glands in the eyelids responsible for producing oil to lubricate the eye. Dr. Allen explains that omega-3s can improve the clarity of secretions from these glands, which can be beneficial for those with dry eyes and MGD.
πŸ’‘Anthocyanins
Anthocyanins are a type of antioxidant pigment found in dark-colored berries and fruits. They are known for their anti-inflammatory effects. In the video, Dr. Allen suggests that consuming fruits and vegetables rich in anthocyanins, such as blueberries, can be part of an anti-inflammatory diet beneficial for dry eyes.
πŸ’‘Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are highlighted in the video as a good dietary source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are beneficial for heart health and can also contribute to an anti-inflammatory diet. They also contain magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, and fiber, which are all beneficial for overall health.
πŸ’‘Beans
Beans are mentioned as an overlooked source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants similar to blueberries. They are a cost-effective and nutritious addition to the diet that can help with inflammation reduction, which is important for managing dry eye symptoms.
πŸ’‘Whole Grains
Whole grains are recommended in the video for their high fiber content, which is important for gut health and can indirectly affect eye health. Fiber helps with weight management and reducing inflammatory biomarkers, which is beneficial for those with dry eye conditions.
πŸ’‘Hydration
Proper hydration is emphasized as an important aspect of overall health and specifically for dry eye management. Dehydration can lead to higher tear film osmolarity, which causes irritation. The video suggests that drinking enough water can help maintain a healthy tear film and reduce dry eye discomfort.
πŸ’‘C-reactive Protein (CRP)
CRP is a blood marker for inflammation that is often tested in medical clinics when there is a suspicion of an inflammatory condition. In the context of the video, Dr. Allen discusses how omega-3s have been shown to reduce CRP levels, which is beneficial for managing dry eye symptoms.
πŸ’‘IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) Therapy
IPL therapy is a treatment mentioned in the video that uses light pulses to target and reduce inflammation in the eyelids, which can be particularly helpful for those with meibomian gland dysfunction. Although it may be costly and not covered by insurance, it is described as a potentially game-changing treatment for dry eyes.
Highlights

Dr. Joseph Allen discusses the best diet for dry eyes and shares top five diet tips for managing dry eye symptoms.

Dry eye education is provided with a focus on anti-inflammatory diets, which are supported by literature and specialists.

The Mediterranean diet and the Whole 30 diet are recommended for their anti-inflammatory properties beneficial for dry eyes.

Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and herring are suggested due to their high omega-3 content, which can reduce inflammation and improve tear production.

Omega-3s have been shown to decrease lacrimal gland cell death and improve the clarity of meibomian gland secretions.

Fruits and vegetables are emphasized for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, especially dark berries rich in anthocyanins.

Nuts and seeds are recommended as a good source of healthy fats and as a source ofALA, a precursor to Omega-3s.

Beans are highlighted as an overlooked source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants, comparable to blueberries.

Whole grains are encouraged for their higher fiber content, which supports gut health and may have implications for eye health.

Hydration is stressed as important, with evidence linking dehydration to higher tear film osmolarity and dry eye symptoms.

The importance of seeing an eye doctor regularly for early detection and treatment of eye conditions is emphasized.

Dr. Allen addresses the role of stress in eye health, mentioning conditions like central serous chorioretinopathy linked to high cortisol levels.

The discussion includes home treatments for dry eyes, such as artificial tears, warm compresses, and dietary changes.

A bonus tip on the importance of eyelid hygiene and the risks of putting contact lenses in the mouth are provided.

The potential of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) therapy as a treatment for dry eyes is discussed, noting its effectiveness and cost considerations.

The video provides advice on managing dry eyes while sleeping, including the use of eyelid tape and the importance of a lubricating ointment.

Dr. Allen talks about the latest treatments in keratoconus, including new technologies for corneal cross-linking and refractive surgery.

Transcripts
00:00

well eyes and shine in today's video

00:04

we're going to be talking about the best

00:05

diet for dry eyes and sharing my top

00:09

five dry eye diet tips that you can

00:13

start incorporating into your daily

00:14

lifestyle that should help you begin

00:17

your journey of resolving dry eye

00:19

symptoms in your dry eyes naturally now

00:22

this education is coming to you live and

00:24

so thank you for everybody who is able

00:26

to join us live please let us know in

00:29

the comment section in the discussion

00:31

box if your doctor has ever if you've

00:35

ever talked to them about your dry eye

00:36

symptoms and if they've ever talked to

00:39

you about diet or lifestyle modification

00:42

or any sort of vitamin nutraceutical

00:44

anything that could help you with your

00:48

dry eyes Beyond just medications and

00:50

treatments in the clinic I think that

00:51

would be really valuable to hear

00:53

everybody's experience with that now if

00:55

this is your first time here on the live

00:58

stream or catching us on the replay I am

01:00

Dr Joseph Allen I am a bird certified

01:02

doctor of Optometry I'm a fellow of the

01:05

American Academy of Optometry as well as

01:08

a diplomate of the American Board of

01:10

Optometry and not only is iCare a huge

01:14

passion of mine and my profession but

01:16

specifically dry eyes is something that

01:18

I've suffered with since I was late High

01:21

School my early college Years and then

01:24

nutrition is something that I just find

01:26

really interesting and I'm passionate

01:28

about it in terms of lifestyle change

01:30

right the if you've ever heard that an

01:33

ounce of prevention is worth a pound of

01:35

treatment so I'd much rather try to

01:38

educate as many people as I can help

01:40

them prevent disease rather than just

01:43

having to see them in the clinic and

01:44

having to prescribe medications and

01:45

treatments there

01:47

so later what we're going to do is first

01:49

we're going to go through the education

01:50

I want to provide this information to

01:52

you and then sticking around because

01:53

we'll do some live Q and A and we'll

01:56

even

01:57

um be able to have you people who are

01:59

live here ask questions and be able to

02:01

answer them and especially if you have

02:03

questions about dry eye definitely hold

02:05

on to those

02:06

um because I know a lot of people ask

02:08

questions about dry eye here on YouTube

02:09

and social media as well as in the

02:12

clinic and there's no such thing as a

02:14

dumb question right if you have a

02:15

question about it I guarantee you

02:17

another thousand people have that same

02:19

exact question we do have a membership

02:22

for the channel and we are going to

02:24

prioritize anybody who is a member to

02:27

our Channel we add that as an extra

02:29

benefit for people who support us so

02:31

thank you to all of our supporters uh

02:33

for the channel otherwise without

02:35

further ado let's talk about diet and

02:38

dry eye

02:39

so first if you were to come to see me

02:41

as a patient in the clinic or if you

02:43

were just to see me as a friend on the

02:45

street uh you'd be like hey Dr Allen or

02:48

Joey uh I'm having these symptoms right

02:51

I'm having discomfort my eyes are red

02:53

I'm having reflex tearing my eyes are

02:56

just watering occasionally and your eyes

02:58

are sensitive and maybe even your

02:59

vision's fluctuating like things are

03:01

clear one moment you blink blink blink

03:02

and suddenly you know now things are

03:04

fluctuating so that can be I'll be a

03:07

signs and symptoms of dry eye

03:09

well with dry eye it can be caused by

03:12

many things and this is a simplified

03:13

what I have on the screen here is a

03:15

simplified version of What's called the

03:18

Vicious Cycle of dry eye when you don't

03:20

produce enough tears or your tear film

03:23

evaporates too quickly because you have

03:26

not enough oils or good oils being

03:28

produced by your eyelids then without

03:31

this you have dryness and then your

03:33

eyelids basically you blink and it

03:35

scratches the eye and you get ocular

03:36

surface damage and your body does what

03:39

it tries to heal that by recruiting

03:41

inflammatory mediators just as if you

03:44

were to hurt your knee in an acute stage

03:46

inflammation can be really good at

03:47

healing the tissue but chronically

03:50

inflammation can cause a lot of problems

03:52

especially for the eyes as it disrupts

03:55

the cheer film it can shut down the

03:57

production of tears and inflammation can

04:00

aggravate the stability of your tear

04:02

film causing it only to get worse and so

04:05

a lot of treatments in the eye clinic

04:07

medications and procedures are are aimed

04:10

at reducing inflammation so it makes

04:13

sense that when we're talking about diet

04:15

we want to be aiming for something that

04:17

is anti-inflammatory and so at this time

04:20

the best diet for dry eyes amongst dry

04:23

eye specialists and then literature is

04:25

supportive for

04:27

anti-inflammatory diets now if you're

04:31

like myself I grew up here in the United

04:32

States I ate I thought growing up I ate

04:36

pretty healthy because I would

04:37

occasionally eat fruits and vegetables I

04:39

think in my family I eat probably the

04:41

most fruits and veggies

04:44

but you know it's just part of our

04:46

culture we generally eat a lot of fat a

04:50

lot of salt because that tastes good to

04:53

us and a lot of Highly refined

04:55

carbohydrates and sugars and with all of

04:58

that our food also is highly processed

05:01

and unfortunately that does all

05:03

contribute to higher amounts of

05:05

inflammation and so again I've been

05:08

discussing with other dry eye

05:09

specialists and talking about what they

05:11

recommend and what kind of what the

05:13

research points to

05:14

the two diets that come up the most from

05:17

another dry eye specialists would be

05:18

either the Whole 30 diet and let me know

05:21

if anybody has tried The Whole30 diet or

05:24

if they eat the Mediterranean diet or

05:27

something more on the plant dominant

05:29

side of the Mediterranean diet

05:31

now Mediterranean diet has probably the

05:34

most supportive research as a more

05:37

optimal diet for people who have risk of

05:39

cardiovascular disease diabetes as well

05:43

as arthritis and the plant dominant side

05:46

of it is stressed because in the word

05:49

Mediterranean the Mediterranean Sea is a

05:52

large place and there's a lot of

05:53

cultures around there and over time

05:55

people have confused really what that

05:58

means and unfortunately I've even

06:00

friends who will think oh I'm eating

06:03

Italian food I'll order a pizza like a

06:05

deep dish meat lovers Pizza and I think

06:07

they're since they're eating Italian

06:08

food they're eating the Mediterranean

06:10

diet and unfortunately it just isn't

06:12

true so

06:14

couple of things that you can start

06:16

considering to change in your lifestyle

06:18

that may help number one is that of

06:22

fatty fish so this includes things like

06:25

salmon mackerel and Herring and again

06:28

let me know if if you like these type of

06:30

foods I personally love salmon I don't

06:33

think I've had I've personally ever had

06:34

mackerel or herring in fact maybe not

06:37

I've had pickled herring at like a

06:39

holiday get-togethers um some people

06:41

really like that some people not but

06:43

again let me know what you think but the

06:45

reason why fatty fish is recommended for

06:48

people for diets specifically for dry

06:49

eye has to do with omega-3 content if

06:53

you've never heard of Omega-3s these are

06:55

polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish

06:58

have higher amounts of them and this has

07:00

been found to reduce inflammation it's

07:02

been extremely uh research it's been

07:05

researched a lot mostly for

07:06

cardiovascular health but more research

07:08

is now looking into joint health as well

07:10

as neurological benefits for the brain

07:13

and even the retina of the eye and

07:16

there's at least one study that I found

07:18

really fascinating that showed it

07:19

reduced C-reactive protein which is or

07:22

CRP which is a biomarker for

07:25

inflammation that we often test for in

07:28

medical clinics when we have a patient

07:29

with suspicion of an inflammatory

07:31

condition and again Omega-3s have shown

07:34

to help reduce that

07:36

specifically for dry eyes the reason why

07:39

Omega-3s and diets that have more

07:41

Omega-3s in them are are beneficial to

07:43

dry eye because they've been found to

07:45

decrease lacrimal gland cell death your

07:48

lacrimal gland is the major gland above

07:50

your eyeball on each side that produces

07:53

your the vast majority of your tears

07:56

and the omega-3 this is what I find most

07:58

beneficial is omega-3 has been found to

08:01

improve Clarity of your meibomian gland

08:03

secretions which a lot of patients

08:05

including myself have had issues with

08:08

their meibomian glands and their eyelids

08:10

and now if you're new to the channel you

08:11

haven't seen our other videos where I've

08:13

talked about meibomian gland dysfunction

08:15

if you ever go up to the to the mirror

08:17

and you hold down your eyelids and you

08:19

look right like the edge there like we

08:21

have in the photo you might see these

08:22

little white bumps and those white belts

08:24

really shouldn't be there for patients

08:26

who don't have my booming gland

08:27

dysfunction if I push gently on their

08:30

eyelid during an exam we should see oils

08:33

almost Fountain out of their glands like

08:35

a little geyser it should be nice and

08:37

clear but unfortunately for most of us

08:39

if we push on it these glands are

08:42

inflamed and instead of a nice clear

08:44

liquid oil we end up getting a thick

08:47

mucus or sometimes even like a hard wax

08:50

coming out and that's kind of what that

08:52

picture looks like when we look at some

08:54

of these eyelids and again omega-3s have

08:56

shown to improve Clarity of these

08:58

secretions

09:00

and with this improved Clarity we notice

09:02

that their tear film doesn't evaporate

09:04

as quickly and we measure that in the

09:07

clinic by doing what's called a t-but or

09:09

a tier breakup time and we want a tier

09:11

breakup time greater than 10 seconds so

09:13

you should be able to Blink hold your

09:15

eyes open for 10 seconds or more and we

09:17

should be able to still see the tears

09:19

staying stable on the surface of the eye

09:21

it also is shown to increase your

09:23

Shermer score which is the tier volume

09:25

that we measure in the clinic and then

09:27

it decreases an ocular surface disease

09:30

index score which is the osdi score and

09:32

that's something that we use in research

09:34

as well as in some clinics to help

09:36

measure and monitor the severity of dry

09:40

eyes

09:42

so with fatty fish if you're trying to

09:43

think hey you know I don't eat too much

09:45

fish maybe if I want to start doing this

09:46

how much should I eat so the American

09:48

Heart Association as well as the

09:51

Arthritis Foundation have both

09:53

recommended about three to six ounce

09:55

servings of at least twice a week and so

10:00

that that should get you a pretty good

10:01

amount of Omega-3s naturally in your

10:04

diet now I know not everybody's a big

10:06

fish lover

10:07

um I even my father he's not a big Sushi

10:09

guy doesn't like like fresh fish he

10:11

doesn't like fatty or dark dark fish is

10:13

sometimes seen in the research as fatty

10:15

fish and if you don't if you're not a

10:18

fish lover or for environmental reasons

10:20

pollution reasons uh or ethical reasons

10:23

you don't want to eat fish you can

10:25

consider taking Omega-3 supplements

10:27

there's a lot of brands in Omega-3s and

10:30

I plan to do future videos going really

10:32

deep into Omega-3s and different brands

10:34

and and kind of buying tips for figuring

10:36

that out but even if you don't want to

10:38

take fish oils you can consider taking

10:40

algae-based

10:42

Omega-3s because that's where fish even

10:44

get their Omega-3s to begin with it

10:47

starts off with algae making it and then

10:49

it passes down the food chain to the

10:51

fish and so that's ultimately uh where

10:54

where an option that you can do to get

10:56

your omega-3s

10:58

outside of oily fish next would be fruit

11:00

and veggies right surprise uh fruits and

11:03

veggies it seems like no matter what or

11:05

how many times we're told since we were

11:06

kids and then getting into adulthood it

11:08

turns out the vast majority of people

11:10

still fail to meet their daily

11:12

requirements of fruits and veggies and

11:15

uh it's something that I've been trying

11:16

to even do myself more in the last

11:18

decade of my life the big reasons we

11:21

want fruits and veggies is because

11:22

antioxidants which helps stabilize free

11:24

radicals which is part of kind of our

11:26

aging and the metabolism of how our body

11:29

functions we develop a lot of free

11:31

radicals and antioxidants can help stop

11:33

that and then anthocyanins which are a

11:37

pigment that you find in a lot of dark

11:40

colored berries and fruits this is like

11:42

the Blackberry blueberries strawberries

11:45

raspberries these anthocyanins have

11:48

anti-inflammatory infect effects and so

11:51

again we want the anti-inflammatory diet

11:52

and so making sure to incorporate dark

11:55

berries and fruits and veggies are are

11:58

going to be beneficial

12:01

vegetables is another one this is not

12:03

just good for the eyes because of

12:04

vitamin C vitamin E but also it reduces

12:09

inflammatory biomarkers in the blood and

12:11

the eyeball in the retina specifically

12:13

has needs a lot of lutein and

12:17

zeaxanthine to protect the macula or the

12:19

very delicate structure of the retina

12:21

and so you can get that also by eating a

12:24

lot of green leafy vegetables

12:27

nuts and seeds is another great thing to

12:30

incorporate more diets that do

12:33

incorporate more nuts and seeds

12:35

including walnuts almonds pistachios is

12:37

one of my big favorites let me know if

12:39

you've ever had pistachio ice cream it's

12:41

it's amazing hemp seeds is another good

12:43

one flax seeds and chia seeds are also

12:45

really good

12:47

the benefit of nuts and seeds is that

12:49

they're a good source of poly and and

12:52

monounsaturated monounsaturated fat fats

12:56

um and that is shown to lower

12:58

cholesterol and heart disease risk

13:01

oh these different nuts and seeds also

13:03

have a higher amount of what's called

13:04

ala this is Alpha line

13:07

linoleenic acid thank you ala uh is a

13:11

component of Omega-3 and is more of a

13:14

precursor and you can get Omega-3s from

13:17

dietary sources of nuts and seeds

13:19

however it's a really small amount

13:21

compared to the more bioavailable form

13:23

that you get from fish and from

13:26

Omega-3 supplements

13:28

and there's some research suggesting it

13:30

just doesn't your body isn't very good

13:32

at converting it to that amount and so

13:35

it's really hard to get adequate amounts

13:36

of Omega-3s just by eating nuts and

13:38

seeds there's a lot of there's not too

13:41

much research talking about that

13:42

limiting factor and I've been trying to

13:44

dig into it and so again I'll have more

13:46

videos coming out soon looking more into

13:49

dietary and omega-3 supplement sources

13:52

for Omega-3s but nuts and seeds also

13:54

have magnesium vitamin e potassium fiber

13:57

which is really good and then even

13:58

pistachios which I put in the little

14:00

picture there also has some of lutein in

14:02

it again great for the eyes

14:04

beans now beans is it beans is actually

14:07

a one that I think again people Overlook

14:10

uh it's amazing source of fiber and

14:12

protein and also extremely cheap for the

14:14

amount of fiber protein that you get uh

14:16

for per dollar very cheap great nutrient

14:20

that we I think people just need to

14:21

incorporate more into our culture and

14:23

eating uh they have a lot of B vitamins

14:25

potassium and phytonutrients that have

14:28

also been shown in research to lower the

14:30

C-reactive protein inflammation

14:32

but the most fascinating thing I found a

14:35

long time ago is that they have higher

14:37

antioxidant content in fact it's very

14:40

similar to blueberries I think most

14:42

people have heard maybe at some point

14:43

that blueberries have a really high

14:46

antioxidant content but turns out that

14:48

red kidney beans red beans and pinto

14:51

beans are just about the same amount of

14:54

antioxidants than blueberries that

14:57

blueberries have and so if you can try

15:00

to incorporate an extra serving of beans

15:02

at some point throughout the day you're

15:04

going to be boosting that antioxidant

15:06

amount in your body

15:08

number five is whole grains uh now again

15:13

one of the big issues that we've been

15:15

kind of fighting in the healthcare

15:16

industry and especially around nutrition

15:18

and diet is that a lot of people have

15:20

low fiber content and we're eating

15:22

highly refined grains so reaching for

15:25

just simple things changing it from you

15:28

know if you're having a sandwich with

15:30

white bread or a white bun maybe try

15:32

whole wheat bread instead instead of

15:35

white rice maybe try brown rice or

15:39

something like wild rice something

15:40

that's not as refined these whole grains

15:43

are going to have higher amounts of

15:44

fiber which is really beneficial for

15:46

your gut not only because it keeps

15:47

things moving but there's a lot of

15:49

research going into your microbiome and

15:52

how fiber helps fuel the microbiome and

15:55

there's even some specific research on

15:57

the microbiome in relation to the retina

15:59

in the back of your eye for diabetes

16:00

macular generation and other

16:02

inflammatory conditions as well as the

16:05

the surface of the eye with dry eye

16:07

disease and while that research is still

16:09

very fresh and young and we need more of

16:12

it it is beginning to look really

16:14

fascinating

16:15

fiber also helps you lose weight because

16:17

you feel more satiated it fills you up

16:19

and so it's really good for helping

16:21

control your appetite

16:23

and then again it has been shown to help

16:25

lower inflammatory biomarkers and I do

16:28

put some research publication articles

16:31

some some resources if you are a nerd

16:33

like me and like to like to stay up all

16:35

night reading articles

16:36

and then

16:37

um for Q a just uh we're about to shift

16:40

over to q a so if you have questions

16:42

please put them in the Q a the comment

16:44

chat box but put some question marks

16:47

before and then afterward so that we can

16:49

see it a little bit easier

16:51

but as a bonus tip because for you that

16:54

stung around this late stuck around this

16:55

late in the education in the video I

16:57

want to have an extra sixth tip and

16:59

that's about hydration and we're talking

17:01

so much about food and foods that you

17:03

can incorporate a lot of us forget to

17:05

drink enough water throughout the day

17:07

and there is evidence in the research

17:08

that shows that if you are dehydrated

17:11

patients with dry eyes also have higher

17:14

amounts of tear film osmolarity and

17:17

that's a higher salt content in your

17:19

tear film which causes irritation think

17:21

of it like salt precipitating into your

17:24

tears if you have more salt in your

17:26

tears it's like opening your eyes under

17:27

water in an ocean all of that salt water

17:30

irritates the surface of the eye and

17:32

that's kind of what's going on when you

17:34

have an increased to your film

17:35

osmolarity

17:37

so a big question is how much water do

17:39

you need to drink it does depend on body

17:41

size and activity there is technically a

17:44

guideline based by the U.S national

17:46

academies of Sciences engineering and

17:48

Medicine of around 3.7 liters for a

17:51

fluid fluids in a day for a man and then

17:54

about 2.7 liters for a woman throughout

17:57

the day but that also you have to

18:00

account about 20 of those fluids are

18:02

coming from food and dietary sources

18:04

especially from fruits and vegetables

18:06

so

18:08

um you maybe have heard that eight

18:10

glasses or ten glasses of water a day I

18:12

think that's a good rule of thumb but

18:14

definitely listen to your body this is

18:15

something I've been trying to do

18:16

personally more in the last few years is

18:19

if I'm not you know you know if you've

18:21

maybe adequately hydrated if you don't

18:23

feel thirsty also if your urine is

18:25

colorless or a light yellow color so if

18:28

I do use the restroom and I notice

18:30

things are dark yellow tells me it's my

18:32

body telling me I need to drink more

18:35

water one kind of thing I used when I

18:38

was in wrestling in high school and then

18:40

when I gained my Freshman 15 in college

18:42

and I wanted to lose weight I would if I

18:45

thought I was hungry I would first drink

18:47

a glass or two of water wait 15 minutes

18:50

and then if I was still hungry after

18:52

that

18:53

then I would go ahead and eat that's

18:55

something that I would use and I'm still

18:56

trying to use it to kind of remind

18:58

myself I need to drink more water

19:00

especially before before and during a

19:02

meal

19:03

so these are just some great tips foods

19:06

for thought right

19:08

so thank you guys so much for listening

19:10

to this education I hope you're getting

19:11

a lot out of it and it's providing value

19:13

to you uh now we're going to switch into

19:15

the Q a I do want to just mention again

19:17

any supporting members they have

19:19

priority with their questions so thank

19:21

you and again if you want to learn more

19:23

about supporting the channel and

19:24

becoming a member we'll put links in the

19:26

video description as well as active in

19:28

the chat box off to the side and then

19:30

just a medical advice disclaimer I think

19:33

it's unethical for me to give you

19:34

personalized medical advice without

19:36

first seeing you as a patient I want the

19:40

very best for you and so I think it's

19:41

going to be best for you to get medical

19:43

advice from your local Healthcare

19:44

practitioner an eye doctor an

19:46

optometrist or an ophthalmologist with

19:49

what we're doing here these questions I

19:52

am here to provide you education and

19:54

answer things the best I can so things

19:55

are betterly uh easier understood and

19:59

help you on your journey especially with

20:01

dry eyes so

20:03

now we are getting some good questions

20:05

and we're going to see if we can bring

20:07

those up here

20:09

I know one question I got earlier this

20:12

week

20:13

um from somebody I thought was a really

20:14

good question was regarding uh meibomian

20:18

gland probing this is a procedure where

20:21

a doctor will use this very tiny small

20:25

metal probe to basically puncture capped

20:30

glands of the meibomian glands on the

20:32

eyelids and I had a somebody asked me

20:35

about that and if it's something that we

20:36

do or if we have any concerns about it

20:38

or they specifically asked why many

20:41

doctors don't do that procedure well the

20:44

meibomian gland probing has been in the

20:46

research for at least over a decade that

20:48

I've been aware of because I had a

20:49

professor who was doing some research

20:50

when I was in school and the biggest

20:52

concern not only is that the the probing

20:55

the actual probe itself

20:58

um does does cost a little bit and

21:00

getting it something that small is a

21:01

little difficult so it can be a little

21:03

expensive but mostly because it's just

21:05

not good amounts of research and doctors

21:08

have concerns that it's kind of like

21:10

popping a pimple if you have a pimple on

21:12

your face and you Lance it the tissue

21:15

heals and scars can form and so doctors

21:18

are concerned that by doing a puncture

21:21

on the meibomian glands it could cause

21:23

scar formation and then you basically

21:25

killed the meibomian gland and so there

21:28

is some concern of that however I know

21:30

more research has been coming out and

21:32

I've been digging it's actually sitting

21:34

on a tab on my my computer here off to

21:36

the side so I'll see if I can read more

21:37

into it and maybe we'll do a whole video

21:39

for the channel about my bromine gland

21:41

probing and what that looks like

21:44

so first off uh I do see

21:47

um

21:47

Charisma SK

21:50

asking as a member thank you again for

21:52

your support that you have Cornell

21:53

erosion after PRK is it because of dry

21:56

eyes corneal erosions can be caused by a

22:00

lot of things I think dry eye can be a

22:02

component to causing some level of

22:05

erosion but erosions are usually either

22:08

due to trauma if somebody has injured

22:11

their eye like a tree branch hit them is

22:13

a classic example or they get poked in

22:15

the eye by maybe a small child if you

22:18

have a coronal abrasion that the healing

22:21

surface sometimes doesn't heal perfectly

22:23

and so that when you blink and there's

22:26

dryness then that tissue can kind of

22:29

come loose like a loose scab and then

22:31

you're going to feel that recurrent

22:32

carnal erosion it can be really painful

22:34

the other thing that can cause that is a

22:38

condition called anterior basement

22:40

membrane dystrophy uh and that has a

22:45

part of the cornea that doesn't grow

22:47

smooth uh some people will develop this

22:50

usually just genetically and we notice

22:52

it more often later as people get older

22:54

but then because that surface is

22:57

irregular like the surface the

22:58

coordinate should be glass smooth like

23:00

glass and it's the surface grows bumpy

23:03

and irregular then the tissue becomes

23:05

loose and it's more likely to form an

23:08

erosion and so uh one one key component

23:11

to managing erosions is keeping the eyes

23:14

well lubricated but there's a lot of

23:16

different treatments for Recon recurrent

23:19

coronal erosions and hopefully your

23:21

doctor in your area can help manage that

23:23

I know our Clinic we often do a multi

23:26

kind of

23:27

multi-angled approach I think you could

23:30

call it because usually when we see an

23:32

erosion on the surface of the eye we

23:33

debride the loose tissue we will

23:36

prescribe some form of an mmp9 inhibitor

23:40

like doxycycline for example and then

23:42

then we'll also do an amniotic membrane

23:45

placement on the eye and that helps we

23:49

find probably the most help with healing

23:51

the surface in that condition from the

23:52

amniotic membrane and then afterward

23:55

we're putting a bandage contact lens to

23:57

sort of facilitate and shield the cornea

23:59

from irritation while the new tissue

24:01

heals up and that's usually over the

24:04

course of maybe about about 12 weeks as

24:06

around 8 to 12 weeks so it's a longer

24:09

healing time

24:10

but we get a lot of really good success

24:12

out of it

24:14

so thank you uh Gail

24:16

um I see eyes and aging on there I don't

24:18

know if that's really a question

24:20

um maybe of what what you can do for

24:22

eyes and aging uh ask that question

24:24

again so I know specifically what you're

24:26

asking

24:27

um Vanessa thank you for asking do you

24:30

think IPL is a good way to improve dry

24:32

eyes absolutely in fact IPL we just

24:36

um I've been looking at the research a

24:38

lot a lot more in the last maybe four or

24:40

five years I even personally I did a

24:43

video if you haven't seen on the channel

24:44

where I went out and saw Dr Laura

24:46

Perryman or dry eye Master she practices

24:49

out in Portland and or Seattle and when

24:52

I was out there I got IPL right after it

24:55

was first FDA approved with the optilite

24:57

attachment from a company called

25:00

luminous then

25:02

um we just got that same device in our

25:05

Clinic uh back in November of 2022 and

25:09

we've had patients who are just

25:11

absolutely loving it in fact yesterday I

25:14

had a patient who came back after her

25:15

full rounds of treatment and she's just

25:18

never felt her eyes feel as good as

25:21

they've they feel now she even kind of

25:23

had the complaint that her eyes were

25:24

almost

25:26

um almost too watery a little bit but

25:28

but also she just looked fantastic so

25:31

ipl's really been I think a game changer

25:33

for a lot of people who have access to

25:35

it the only downside to IPL I would say

25:37

is that it does sting a bit when you're

25:39

having the procedure done and the price

25:41

it's not currently covered by medical

25:44

insurances at least not where I practice

25:46

and so

25:48

um unfortunately it can be a little bit

25:50

higher price for some people but I think

25:53

as a procedure we can offer in the

25:54

clinic people get some of the best bet

25:56

best bang for their Buck out of it if

25:58

you could put it that way

26:00

um

26:02

getting a lot of good questions guys I'm

26:04

going to keep trying to walk through

26:06

some of these things

26:08

um

26:08

Gala thank you for getting back to this

26:10

she asked if uh keeping eyes healthy

26:14

while aging so for aging eyes to slow

26:18

things down some of the biggest things

26:19

you can do one again is eating really

26:21

healthy a lot of antioxidants a lot of

26:23

green leafy vegetables lutein and

26:25

zeaxanthin are really good for the

26:27

retina in the back of the eye

26:28

vitamin C diet any sort of diet a

26:32

vitamin C and even some supplementation

26:33

research has looked at Vitamin C as

26:35

being good for slowing down aging of

26:38

cataracts cataracts inside the eye the

26:42

solution the aqueous humor inside the

26:44

eye which is kind of like a clear blood

26:46

of the eye it surrounds the lens inside

26:49

the eyeball and it has a high

26:52

concentration of vitamin C it's one of

26:54

the highest concentrations of vitamin C

26:55

in your body and so there is some

26:57

benefits to again eating diets that have

26:59

more amounts of higher amounts of

27:01

vitamin C in them

27:04

outside of this protecting the eyes

27:06

sunlight protection I think sunglasses

27:09

are number one because you not just

27:11

protect the eyeball but you are

27:13

protecting the skin around the eyes from

27:14

sunlight damage and then wide brim hats

27:17

is a good second uh I've seen at least

27:19

one publication show that wide brim hats

27:21

reduced sunlight exposure by about 30

27:23

percent so I think combination of the

27:26

two would be really good and then just

27:28

seeing your eye doctor on a regular

27:30

basis because if we can catch disease

27:32

early we can treat it early and

27:34

hopefully prevent any future eye disease

27:36

so those are those are two things that I

27:38

try to recommend to people

27:40

so thank you that's really good

27:43

um

27:44

I'm gonna go back up a little bit

27:45

because I know we have a lot of good

27:46

questions Jay Dixon asks uh is there any

27:50

option available to home treatments dry

27:53

drops other or really low cost treatment

27:55

for dry eye uh and I get that at J

27:59

because prescription medications and

28:01

treatments for dry eye can be really

28:02

expensive I think some of the best

28:06

things like low cost options uh

28:08

certainly artificial tears there's many

28:10

different drops at the store and I've

28:11

talked about them in a couple of

28:12

different videos of some that may work

28:14

better than just like generic ones and

28:16

even right now unfortunately there's

28:18

that little scare about

28:19

certain eye drops that may be

28:21

contaminated thankfully those have been

28:23

taken off the shelves as of January in

28:25

2023 here

28:27

but certainly our official tears

28:30

can be a cost-effective option warm

28:33

compresses I think is fantastic there's

28:36

different types of warm compresses we've

28:37

talked about those in other videos

28:39

and then I think focusing on diet

28:42

because you're going to be eating you

28:44

know you're going to be eating the rest

28:45

of your life you might as well eat well

28:46

eat clean try to eat Whole Foods real

28:49

food all right so I think that those are

28:53

probably some of the best ways that you

28:54

can spend your money to help with

28:55

dryness and then certainly again talk

28:58

with your doctor see what else they can

29:00

come up with outside of just you know

29:02

the expensive medications and drops or

29:04

perhaps if you ever are going uh there

29:08

are there are different countries where

29:09

eye drops or medications for dry eye are

29:11

less expensive

29:13

so those are a couple of different

29:14

options and alternatives

29:18

[Music]

29:20

so great

29:22

um great to hear uh you know Charles

29:24

Bronson mentions that they've had great

29:26

success with dry eyes on an animal-based

29:28

diet uh high on fat I definitely I

29:31

follow and listen to a lot of the

29:33

different gurus who talk either either

29:35

on the more plant-based or even on the

29:37

animal base and I think it's really

29:38

fascinating however the vast majority of

29:41

research on

29:44

um like animal based or high protein

29:46

high fat diets even like the ketogenic

29:48

diet

29:49

it may be really good early on for your

29:52

body for losing weight however long term

29:54

there's concerns around kidney disease

29:56

and cardiovascular disease and so those

29:59

are just kind of the things I I think we

30:01

need more research before I I would feel

30:04

comfortable recommending that however I

30:06

know other doctors do recommend that and

30:10

so I I just encourage everybody to talk

30:12

to your local physician see what they

30:14

think ask a dietitian or a

30:16

licensed nutritionist in your area if

30:20

you're going to be considering those

30:21

sort of things but the vast majority of

30:23

research especially around eye health is

30:25

more supportive in the in the line of a

30:28

more plant-based or Mediterranean diet

30:32

um

30:33

uh the Gail also asks um like washing

30:38

your contact lenses in your mouth or

30:39

putting it back in your eye definitely

30:41

don't do that do not recommend putting

30:43

contact lenses in your mouth I know a

30:45

professional basketball player uh like a

30:47

few years ago they caught him like a

30:49

contact lens fell out on the basketball

30:50

floor picked it up put in his mouth and

30:52

then put it back in his eye do not do

30:54

that uh your mouth has so many amounts

30:57

of bacteria and bacteria water and

31:00

contact lenses uh they they just love to

31:03

attach onto that contact lens and then

31:04

you're basically trapping that bacteria

31:06

between the contact lens and your eye

31:08

and if your eye even has a sliver of a

31:11

defect in the surface that's an open

31:13

wound for that bacteria to get in and

31:15

you can get really horrible eye

31:17

infection so I do not recommend that

31:21

um

31:22

so thank you for that

31:25

um

31:26

there's so many good questions going on

31:28

here uh give me a second to kind of make

31:31

sure I'm not missing everybody missing

31:32

anybody

31:33

um

31:34

LH asks how does stress affect the eyes

31:36

I recently did a video last fall on

31:39

stress on the eye uh and definitely

31:41

definitely encourage you to check that

31:42

out one of the biggest ones stress can

31:45

cause a basically a type of blister that

31:48

builds up in the back of the eye we call

31:50

it central Cirrus choreo retinopathy and

31:53

that's when people when you're stressed

31:55

out you have higher amounts of cortisol

31:57

that release from your kid from your

31:58

adrenal glands above your kidneys and

32:00

that high amount of cortisol

32:03

whether it be endogenous that your body

32:05

produces on its own or you're getting it

32:07

outside of your body in the form of you

32:09

know steroid creams steroid medications

32:11

or even nasal sprays uh some like uh

32:15

some nasal sprays will cause kind of a

32:18

steroid response and that for some

32:21

reason causes a fluid to pass from the

32:24

back of the eye into the retina and it

32:26

swells up like a blister kind of like

32:28

you've got a blister on your finger and

32:30

that throws off your vision makes it

32:32

really blurry and distorted so that's

32:34

one condition where stress can affect

32:36

the eye and then

32:38

um

32:39

there's a couple of different ones too

32:41

um but yeah I definitely suggest you

32:43

check out that other video because that

32:45

that can be really helpful I know for a

32:47

lot of people that come see me in the

32:49

clinic

32:49

they can be really stressed out and

32:51

stress can influence your like symptoms

32:54

of

32:56

um like being hyper focused on your

32:57

dryness of your eye or even hyper

32:59

focused on like a visual symptom like

33:01

you're seeing floaters and people are

33:03

just have high anxiety and they become

33:05

hyper fixated on this problem and so I

33:08

do encourage people uh I see a therapist

33:10

myself and I encourage everybody I think

33:13

everybody should have some sort of a

33:15

professional therapist or a coach

33:18

counselor somebody to talk to other than

33:21

just your family and friends they're

33:22

great but a professional is going to

33:24

talk to you differently and Coach you

33:26

differently that your friends and your

33:28

family may not communicate the same way

33:30

so I do think that's really healthy and

33:33

something to talk about especially if

33:35

you're having anxiety depression any

33:37

other issues like that so thank you

33:40

um

33:42

uh Jerusalem also asks if they have

33:45

soreness like a sharp pain in the inner

33:47

corner of the eye and how to reduce that

33:49

uh it's something that you know again I

33:51

don't know what's going on in your eyes

33:53

so I can't really

33:54

um tell you exactly what's going on so I

33:56

suggest you see a local Healthcare

33:58

professional so they can examine and

33:59

give you the appropriate answer but in

34:02

general um if people do have soreness

34:04

and pain uh especially in the corners of

34:07

the eye something that we often see in

34:08

the clinic is something called angular

34:10

blepharitis and blepharitis is a kind of

34:14

a broad generic term for inflammation of

34:16

the eyelids and this is often due to

34:18

excess buildup of skin proteins and oils

34:21

and bacteria that eat those oils and

34:24

then because the bacteria eat those oils

34:26

they release a toxin effect where the

34:29

oils almost turn into soap and literally

34:31

on the on the on the patient's eye we

34:33

can see their tear film becoming sudsy

34:35

we see little bubbles forming because

34:38

it's literally going through a

34:39

saponification process and it builds up

34:41

in the corners of the eye it kind of

34:44

gets trapped there and then we see

34:46

higher amounts of inflammation redness

34:48

dryness building up in the corner and so

34:51

oftentimes we'll not only prescribe like

34:53

eye drops and warm compresses but will

34:55

often prescribe an antibiotic or a

34:57

steroid combination medication at the

34:59

same time to help manage that otherwise

35:01

regular eyelid hygiene and lubrication

35:04

is always a good habit that we recommend

35:07

for people

35:08

so either way still recommend you you

35:10

see a local doctor and ask them

35:11

specifically what's going on with that

35:12

but hopefully that gives you a little

35:14

bit more insight of what we may be

35:15

thinking about

35:18

um

35:21

so thank you so much Jay for calling

35:24

that out too

35:25

um

35:27

ooh Michael Bowen thank you for asking

35:29

any cheap solution to keep my eyes shut

35:31

at night so I did also do a video fairly

35:33

recently about

35:34

um about your eyes being open while you

35:36

sleep or having dry eyes in the early

35:39

morning because a lot of people do sleep

35:41

with their eyes slightly cracked open or

35:44

when your eyelids come together they're

35:45

not fitting tightly together and so

35:47

there's a slight Gap and that leaves

35:49

your eyes exposed to air so if you wake

35:51

up right away in the morning your eyes

35:52

are really dry could be the case

35:55

the options for kind of keeping that

35:58

most doctors will recommend a

36:00

lubricating ointment like a nighttime

36:02

ointment but it'll blur your vision and

36:03

in the morning your vision will be

36:05

really kind of gunky so you have to

36:07

clean your eyelids really well there is

36:08

the sleep tight sleep right solution

36:10

which a lot of clinics are starting to

36:12

turn to because and you can buy this

36:14

online I think it's like 40 US dollars

36:16

but it's an eyelid tape that is

36:18

hypoallergenic and porous that is

36:20

specifically designed to keep your

36:21

eyelids closed while you sleep some

36:23

people use sleep masks I've been trying

36:25

that for several years the only downside

36:28

to sleep mask is that your eyes still

36:30

technically going to be cracked open

36:31

while you sleep

36:32

um but it's something again you can kind

36:34

of look into but those are those are

36:37

some just good suggestions and again

36:38

definitely check out that uh that video

36:42

um

36:45

yes I see it Michael Michael thank you

36:47

yeah I seals um they can they can get

36:49

expensive

36:51

um but I think they're they're probably

36:53

well worth the investment especially if

36:55

it's something that really helps you

36:56

with your symptoms and your dryness

37:00

um

37:05

um

37:07

thank you I know Holden Ferguson just

37:09

asked me

37:10

um about his uh getting prescription

37:13

glasses

37:15

um if you can put that in there quick

37:17

um and I'll try to get to it

37:19

um because I just don't see it I can't

37:20

quite search for your question but

37:23

please put that in one more time I'll

37:24

look for it

37:26

um

37:27

and then procky Verma asked what is the

37:30

difference between retinal vein

37:32

occlusion and retinal artery occlusion

37:34

in terms of treatment and symptoms wow

37:36

that's a that's a really good question

37:38

uh not quite in the realm of dry eye but

37:40

that's okay retinal vein occlusion and

37:43

artery occlusion so in the eye we have

37:45

both veins and arteries arteries bring

37:48

the blood to the eye and the veins drain

37:50

the blood from the eye

37:52

traditionally vein occlusions occur

37:56

usually due to some form of

37:57

atherosclerosis high blood pressure

37:59

related is a common part of that

38:02

um

38:03

but it can occur due to other other

38:04

causes and then artery occlusions

38:07

usually are due to some sort of like

38:11

vascular occlusion event whether it be

38:13

from

38:15

a like a chunk of art like a chunk of

38:17

plaque gets stuck in the artery or

38:21

um

38:21

in cases where I'm always concerned

38:23

about I'm always looking at medications

38:25

some medications can cause artery

38:26

occlusions as well

38:29

um one of the bigger ones is a lot we

38:32

kind of learn in school is especially

38:34

for young women we don't see other

38:35

inclusions very often thankfully but

38:37

when people do get artery occlusions uh

38:40

like young women we have to look for if

38:42

they're taking a lot of oral

38:44

contraceptives especially older oral

38:46

contraceptives or multiple they're at

38:48

higher risk of artery occlusions as far

38:50

as treatment the biggest thing is when

38:52

you see an eye doctor we have to observe

38:54

to make sure that there's not a risk of

38:57

either swelling of the retina in the

38:59

back of the eye which we usually see In

39:00

Vein occlusions where bleeding occurs

39:03

and the cause of the retina to swell so

39:04

we often have to look for that because

39:06

if we do catch it early we have to send

39:08

it for proper injections of a medication

39:11

inside the eye what's called anti-vegef

39:13

but that decreases the swelling then we

39:16

have to look for the ischemia that's

39:19

occurring because if you have a vein

39:21

inclusion in the back of the eye for

39:23

example then blood isn't getting to the

39:25

retinal tissues that it needs and so

39:27

it's starved of nutrients and oxygen and

39:30

then you have ischemia and with higher

39:32

amounts of ischemia you're a much higher

39:34

risk of new blood vessel forming inside

39:36

the eye and our patients are at higher

39:39

risk of developing a severe form of

39:41

glaucoma

39:43

and so those are big things that your

39:45

doctor needs to kind of watch for so

39:47

likely if you're having either vein

39:48

occlusions or artery occlusions you're

39:50

going to be seeing your doctor at least

39:52

every month if not more depending on on

39:54

the case and the severity uh they're

39:56

going to be doing a couple of different

39:57

procedures to watch for glaucoma as well

40:00

as possible either recommend injections

40:04

inside the eye or even laser treatments

40:07

or start you on medications to help

40:09

manage glaucoma so there's a lot going

40:12

on there but vein occlusions and other

40:15

inclusions are also beginning to be

40:18

classified in the same realm of having a

40:20

stroke and so a lot of kind of the

40:24

protocols for managing this also

40:27

includes having patients referred for

40:28

proper workup as like a stroke work up

40:30

as well as seeing their family doctor to

40:32

get things managed for their high blood

40:33

pressure cholesterol diabetes all of

40:35

that that's a pretty in those are really

40:38

high level

40:39

um those are pretty severe things that

40:41

doctors get trained in and and I when I

40:44

was doing my residency at the VA is

40:45

something I would see on like a weekly

40:47

basis so it's a huge thing but thank you

40:51

um I want to get back to Holden Ferguson

40:53

because he's been asking and thank you

40:55

so much for your patience uh he said it

40:58

recently got a prescription for his

40:59

glasses that should come in two months

41:01

that's a long time but hopefully they

41:03

work great uh and you're nearsighted uh

41:06

would you considered giving you some

41:07

tips

41:08

um uh well as as far as tips for the

41:11

glasses the biggest thing is when you

41:13

get the glasses I do recommend always

41:15

having a professionally adjusted uh

41:17

depending on where you're looking

41:18

through the lenses uh if they're sitting

41:20

a little crooked and usually when you

41:21

first get them nothing ever sits quite

41:23

right because most people's ears aren't

41:24

perfectly symmetrical and one's always a

41:26

little bit higher than the other so

41:27

having them professionally adjusted so

41:29

you're looking through the right part of

41:30

the lens and that's always going to be

41:32

good uh if you did get an

41:33

anti-reflective on your lenses which I

41:35

hopefully you did because that helps

41:36

usually anti-reflective is great because

41:38

it improves the clarity of your vision

41:39

through the lenses but they also tend to

41:43

increase the smudginess like they

41:45

attract dust and oils from your skin and

41:49

so do clean your glasses on a regular

41:51

basis is when they're getting dirty the

41:54

best way I've ever found to clean

41:56

glasses especially when they're smudged

41:58

up like that is using a single dab of

41:59

dish soap under warm water and then

42:01

using an appropriate microfiber lens

42:04

cloth and so again I even have another

42:06

some fun video sharing tips on that too

42:09

so thank you so much for that

42:11

um uh

42:13

and hopefully just those two tips are

42:15

going to bring you a lot of success uh

42:18

also if your glasses are sliding down

42:19

anything like that a small adjustment in

42:22

your glasses sliding down your nose uh

42:24

is going to be a significant factor if

42:27

you're seeing clearly so make sure again

42:29

everything's nice adjusted and

42:31

comfortable

42:32

uh now I think what we're going to do is

42:33

I'm going to answer this one last

42:35

question here from Adnan Sami uh who's

42:38

asked if there's any treatment for

42:39

keratoconus any new treatments really

42:43

right now the newest treatments that

42:45

I've been following are with a surgeon

42:47

here in the United States that I've been

42:48

I had the pleasure of working with and

42:51

that's from uh Dr lobenoff at his Clinic

42:54

called OVO in the Twin Cities here in

42:56

Minnesota and he's been doing a lot of

42:58

treatments in terms of not just Cornell

43:00

cross-linking which stops the

43:02

progression of the of the disease but he

43:05

even has patented new tools and

43:07

Technologies to do it faster because in

43:12

the original days uh of doing kernel

43:14

cross linking it would take at least

43:15

almost 30 minutes to an hour for that

43:18

procedure to be done and it's a long

43:19

procedure and now they're doing it they

43:23

can potentially do it in like 10 minutes

43:24

or less but then they also can do it if

43:28

you're a good candidate for it in

43:30

conjunction with PRK or a form of

43:32

refractive surgery similar to Lasik and

43:35

so they combine the two and so that's

43:37

kind of the newest technology looking in

43:39

that direction so thank you for that

43:41

question

43:43

um

43:45

just wanted to kind of say thank you to

43:47

everybody who's in the chat and asking

43:49

amazing questions I know we could

43:50

probably do an entire hour's worth of

43:53

just live q a and maybe we'll be able to

43:54

do that especially for our members who

43:56

have so many good questions thank you

43:58

again for everybody who's watching I

44:00

hope you got a lot of value out of this

44:01

keep an eye on it for the next videos

44:04

coming out especially on Omega-3s and

44:06

dry

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Thanks for rating: