Best Diet for Dry Eyes? 5 Dry Eye Diet Tips
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
- π½οΈ The best diet for dry eyes is anti-inflammatory, with the Whole 30 and Mediterranean diets being recommended by specialists.
- π 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.
- π§ Omega-3 supplements or algae-based omega-3s are alternatives for those who don't eat fish or prefer not to for various reasons.
- π₯¦ Incorporating fruits and vegetables, especially dark berries rich in anthocyanins, can provide antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits for eye health.
- π° Nuts and seeds are good sources of healthy fats, magnesium, and vitamin E, which can contribute to a diet that supports eye health.
- πΎ 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.
- π§ Staying hydrated is crucial for overall health, including eye health, as dehydration can increase tear film osmolarity, leading to irritation.
- π€ 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.
- π« Avoid putting contact lenses in your mouth as it can transfer harmful bacteria from your mouth to your eyes.
- 𧴠For those with dry eyes, using a lubricating ointment or eyelid tape at night can help keep the eyes moist and reduce morning dryness.
- πΆοΈ 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
π 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.
π½οΈ 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.
π 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.
πΎ 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.
π§ 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.
π Addressingθ§δΌ 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.
π« 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.
π 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.
ποΈβπ¨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.
π 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
Keywords
π‘Dry Eyes
π‘Anti-Inflammatory Diet
π‘Omega-3 Fatty Acids
π‘Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
π‘Anthocyanins
π‘Nuts and Seeds
π‘Beans
π‘Whole Grains
π‘Hydration
π‘C-reactive Protein (CRP)
π‘IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) Therapy
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
well eyes and shine in today's video
we're going to be talking about the best
diet for dry eyes and sharing my top
five dry eye diet tips that you can
start incorporating into your daily
lifestyle that should help you begin
your journey of resolving dry eye
symptoms in your dry eyes naturally now
this education is coming to you live and
so thank you for everybody who is able
to join us live please let us know in
the comment section in the discussion
box if your doctor has ever if you've
ever talked to them about your dry eye
symptoms and if they've ever talked to
you about diet or lifestyle modification
or any sort of vitamin nutraceutical
anything that could help you with your
dry eyes Beyond just medications and
treatments in the clinic I think that
would be really valuable to hear
everybody's experience with that now if
this is your first time here on the live
stream or catching us on the replay I am
Dr Joseph Allen I am a bird certified
doctor of Optometry I'm a fellow of the
American Academy of Optometry as well as
a diplomate of the American Board of
Optometry and not only is iCare a huge
passion of mine and my profession but
specifically dry eyes is something that
I've suffered with since I was late High
School my early college Years and then
nutrition is something that I just find
really interesting and I'm passionate
about it in terms of lifestyle change
right the if you've ever heard that an
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
treatment so I'd much rather try to
educate as many people as I can help
them prevent disease rather than just
having to see them in the clinic and
having to prescribe medications and
treatments there
so later what we're going to do is first
we're going to go through the education
I want to provide this information to
you and then sticking around because
we'll do some live Q and A and we'll
even
um be able to have you people who are
live here ask questions and be able to
answer them and especially if you have
questions about dry eye definitely hold
on to those
um because I know a lot of people ask
questions about dry eye here on YouTube
and social media as well as in the
clinic and there's no such thing as a
dumb question right if you have a
question about it I guarantee you
another thousand people have that same
exact question we do have a membership
for the channel and we are going to
prioritize anybody who is a member to
our Channel we add that as an extra
benefit for people who support us so
thank you to all of our supporters uh
for the channel otherwise without
further ado let's talk about diet and
dry eye
so first if you were to come to see me
as a patient in the clinic or if you
were just to see me as a friend on the
street uh you'd be like hey Dr Allen or
Joey uh I'm having these symptoms right
I'm having discomfort my eyes are red
I'm having reflex tearing my eyes are
just watering occasionally and your eyes
are sensitive and maybe even your
vision's fluctuating like things are
clear one moment you blink blink blink
and suddenly you know now things are
fluctuating so that can be I'll be a
signs and symptoms of dry eye
well with dry eye it can be caused by
many things and this is a simplified
what I have on the screen here is a
simplified version of What's called the
Vicious Cycle of dry eye when you don't
produce enough tears or your tear film
evaporates too quickly because you have
not enough oils or good oils being
produced by your eyelids then without
this you have dryness and then your
eyelids basically you blink and it
scratches the eye and you get ocular
surface damage and your body does what
it tries to heal that by recruiting
inflammatory mediators just as if you
were to hurt your knee in an acute stage
inflammation can be really good at
healing the tissue but chronically
inflammation can cause a lot of problems
especially for the eyes as it disrupts
the cheer film it can shut down the
production of tears and inflammation can
aggravate the stability of your tear
film causing it only to get worse and so
a lot of treatments in the eye clinic
medications and procedures are are aimed
at reducing inflammation so it makes
sense that when we're talking about diet
we want to be aiming for something that
is anti-inflammatory and so at this time
the best diet for dry eyes amongst dry
eye specialists and then literature is
supportive for
anti-inflammatory diets now if you're
like myself I grew up here in the United
States I ate I thought growing up I ate
pretty healthy because I would
occasionally eat fruits and vegetables I
think in my family I eat probably the
most fruits and veggies
but you know it's just part of our
culture we generally eat a lot of fat a
lot of salt because that tastes good to
us and a lot of Highly refined
carbohydrates and sugars and with all of
that our food also is highly processed
and unfortunately that does all
contribute to higher amounts of
inflammation and so again I've been
discussing with other dry eye
specialists and talking about what they
recommend and what kind of what the
research points to
the two diets that come up the most from
another dry eye specialists would be
either the Whole 30 diet and let me know
if anybody has tried The Whole30 diet or
if they eat the Mediterranean diet or
something more on the plant dominant
side of the Mediterranean diet
now Mediterranean diet has probably the
most supportive research as a more
optimal diet for people who have risk of
cardiovascular disease diabetes as well
as arthritis and the plant dominant side
of it is stressed because in the word
Mediterranean the Mediterranean Sea is a
large place and there's a lot of
cultures around there and over time
people have confused really what that
means and unfortunately I've even
friends who will think oh I'm eating
Italian food I'll order a pizza like a
deep dish meat lovers Pizza and I think
they're since they're eating Italian
food they're eating the Mediterranean
diet and unfortunately it just isn't
true so
couple of things that you can start
considering to change in your lifestyle
that may help number one is that of
fatty fish so this includes things like
salmon mackerel and Herring and again
let me know if if you like these type of
foods I personally love salmon I don't
think I've had I've personally ever had
mackerel or herring in fact maybe not
I've had pickled herring at like a
holiday get-togethers um some people
really like that some people not but
again let me know what you think but the
reason why fatty fish is recommended for
people for diets specifically for dry
eye has to do with omega-3 content if
you've never heard of Omega-3s these are
polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish
have higher amounts of them and this has
been found to reduce inflammation it's
been extremely uh research it's been
researched a lot mostly for
cardiovascular health but more research
is now looking into joint health as well
as neurological benefits for the brain
and even the retina of the eye and
there's at least one study that I found
really fascinating that showed it
reduced C-reactive protein which is or
CRP which is a biomarker for
inflammation that we often test for in
medical clinics when we have a patient
with suspicion of an inflammatory
condition and again Omega-3s have shown
to help reduce that
specifically for dry eyes the reason why
Omega-3s and diets that have more
Omega-3s in them are are beneficial to
dry eye because they've been found to
decrease lacrimal gland cell death your
lacrimal gland is the major gland above
your eyeball on each side that produces
your the vast majority of your tears
and the omega-3 this is what I find most
beneficial is omega-3 has been found to
improve Clarity of your meibomian gland
secretions which a lot of patients
including myself have had issues with
their meibomian glands and their eyelids
and now if you're new to the channel you
haven't seen our other videos where I've
talked about meibomian gland dysfunction
if you ever go up to the to the mirror
and you hold down your eyelids and you
look right like the edge there like we
have in the photo you might see these
little white bumps and those white belts
really shouldn't be there for patients
who don't have my booming gland
dysfunction if I push gently on their
eyelid during an exam we should see oils
almost Fountain out of their glands like
a little geyser it should be nice and
clear but unfortunately for most of us
if we push on it these glands are
inflamed and instead of a nice clear
liquid oil we end up getting a thick
mucus or sometimes even like a hard wax
coming out and that's kind of what that
picture looks like when we look at some
of these eyelids and again omega-3s have
shown to improve Clarity of these
secretions
and with this improved Clarity we notice
that their tear film doesn't evaporate
as quickly and we measure that in the
clinic by doing what's called a t-but or
a tier breakup time and we want a tier
breakup time greater than 10 seconds so
you should be able to Blink hold your
eyes open for 10 seconds or more and we
should be able to still see the tears
staying stable on the surface of the eye
it also is shown to increase your
Shermer score which is the tier volume
that we measure in the clinic and then
it decreases an ocular surface disease
index score which is the osdi score and
that's something that we use in research
as well as in some clinics to help
measure and monitor the severity of dry
eyes
so with fatty fish if you're trying to
think hey you know I don't eat too much
fish maybe if I want to start doing this
how much should I eat so the American
Heart Association as well as the
Arthritis Foundation have both
recommended about three to six ounce
servings of at least twice a week and so
that that should get you a pretty good
amount of Omega-3s naturally in your
diet now I know not everybody's a big
fish lover
um I even my father he's not a big Sushi
guy doesn't like like fresh fish he
doesn't like fatty or dark dark fish is
sometimes seen in the research as fatty
fish and if you don't if you're not a
fish lover or for environmental reasons
pollution reasons uh or ethical reasons
you don't want to eat fish you can
consider taking Omega-3 supplements
there's a lot of brands in Omega-3s and
I plan to do future videos going really
deep into Omega-3s and different brands
and and kind of buying tips for figuring
that out but even if you don't want to
take fish oils you can consider taking
algae-based
Omega-3s because that's where fish even
get their Omega-3s to begin with it
starts off with algae making it and then
it passes down the food chain to the
fish and so that's ultimately uh where
where an option that you can do to get
your omega-3s
outside of oily fish next would be fruit
and veggies right surprise uh fruits and
veggies it seems like no matter what or
how many times we're told since we were
kids and then getting into adulthood it
turns out the vast majority of people
still fail to meet their daily
requirements of fruits and veggies and
uh it's something that I've been trying
to even do myself more in the last
decade of my life the big reasons we
want fruits and veggies is because
antioxidants which helps stabilize free
radicals which is part of kind of our
aging and the metabolism of how our body
functions we develop a lot of free
radicals and antioxidants can help stop
that and then anthocyanins which are a
pigment that you find in a lot of dark
colored berries and fruits this is like
the Blackberry blueberries strawberries
raspberries these anthocyanins have
anti-inflammatory infect effects and so
again we want the anti-inflammatory diet
and so making sure to incorporate dark
berries and fruits and veggies are are
going to be beneficial
vegetables is another one this is not
just good for the eyes because of
vitamin C vitamin E but also it reduces
inflammatory biomarkers in the blood and
the eyeball in the retina specifically
has needs a lot of lutein and
zeaxanthine to protect the macula or the
very delicate structure of the retina
and so you can get that also by eating a
lot of green leafy vegetables
nuts and seeds is another great thing to
incorporate more diets that do
incorporate more nuts and seeds
including walnuts almonds pistachios is
one of my big favorites let me know if
you've ever had pistachio ice cream it's
it's amazing hemp seeds is another good
one flax seeds and chia seeds are also
really good
the benefit of nuts and seeds is that
they're a good source of poly and and
monounsaturated monounsaturated fat fats
um and that is shown to lower
cholesterol and heart disease risk
oh these different nuts and seeds also
have a higher amount of what's called
ala this is Alpha line
linoleenic acid thank you ala uh is a
component of Omega-3 and is more of a
precursor and you can get Omega-3s from
dietary sources of nuts and seeds
however it's a really small amount
compared to the more bioavailable form
that you get from fish and from
Omega-3 supplements
and there's some research suggesting it
just doesn't your body isn't very good
at converting it to that amount and so
it's really hard to get adequate amounts
of Omega-3s just by eating nuts and
seeds there's a lot of there's not too
much research talking about that
limiting factor and I've been trying to
dig into it and so again I'll have more
videos coming out soon looking more into
dietary and omega-3 supplement sources
for Omega-3s but nuts and seeds also
have magnesium vitamin e potassium fiber
which is really good and then even
pistachios which I put in the little
picture there also has some of lutein in
it again great for the eyes
beans now beans is it beans is actually
a one that I think again people Overlook
uh it's amazing source of fiber and
protein and also extremely cheap for the
amount of fiber protein that you get uh
for per dollar very cheap great nutrient
that we I think people just need to
incorporate more into our culture and
eating uh they have a lot of B vitamins
potassium and phytonutrients that have
also been shown in research to lower the
C-reactive protein inflammation
but the most fascinating thing I found a
long time ago is that they have higher
antioxidant content in fact it's very
similar to blueberries I think most
people have heard maybe at some point
that blueberries have a really high
antioxidant content but turns out that
red kidney beans red beans and pinto
beans are just about the same amount of
antioxidants than blueberries that
blueberries have and so if you can try
to incorporate an extra serving of beans
at some point throughout the day you're
going to be boosting that antioxidant
amount in your body
number five is whole grains uh now again
one of the big issues that we've been
kind of fighting in the healthcare
industry and especially around nutrition
and diet is that a lot of people have
low fiber content and we're eating
highly refined grains so reaching for
just simple things changing it from you
know if you're having a sandwich with
white bread or a white bun maybe try
whole wheat bread instead instead of
white rice maybe try brown rice or
something like wild rice something
that's not as refined these whole grains
are going to have higher amounts of
fiber which is really beneficial for
your gut not only because it keeps
things moving but there's a lot of
research going into your microbiome and
how fiber helps fuel the microbiome and
there's even some specific research on
the microbiome in relation to the retina
in the back of your eye for diabetes
macular generation and other
inflammatory conditions as well as the
the surface of the eye with dry eye
disease and while that research is still
very fresh and young and we need more of
it it is beginning to look really
fascinating
fiber also helps you lose weight because
you feel more satiated it fills you up
and so it's really good for helping
control your appetite
and then again it has been shown to help
lower inflammatory biomarkers and I do
put some research publication articles
some some resources if you are a nerd
like me and like to like to stay up all
night reading articles
and then
um for Q a just uh we're about to shift
over to q a so if you have questions
please put them in the Q a the comment
chat box but put some question marks
before and then afterward so that we can
see it a little bit easier
but as a bonus tip because for you that
stung around this late stuck around this
late in the education in the video I
want to have an extra sixth tip and
that's about hydration and we're talking
so much about food and foods that you
can incorporate a lot of us forget to
drink enough water throughout the day
and there is evidence in the research
that shows that if you are dehydrated
patients with dry eyes also have higher
amounts of tear film osmolarity and
that's a higher salt content in your
tear film which causes irritation think
of it like salt precipitating into your
tears if you have more salt in your
tears it's like opening your eyes under
water in an ocean all of that salt water
irritates the surface of the eye and
that's kind of what's going on when you
have an increased to your film
osmolarity
so a big question is how much water do
you need to drink it does depend on body
size and activity there is technically a
guideline based by the U.S national
academies of Sciences engineering and
Medicine of around 3.7 liters for a
fluid fluids in a day for a man and then
about 2.7 liters for a woman throughout
the day but that also you have to
account about 20 of those fluids are
coming from food and dietary sources
especially from fruits and vegetables
so
um you maybe have heard that eight
glasses or ten glasses of water a day I
think that's a good rule of thumb but
definitely listen to your body this is
something I've been trying to do
personally more in the last few years is
if I'm not you know you know if you've
maybe adequately hydrated if you don't
feel thirsty also if your urine is
colorless or a light yellow color so if
I do use the restroom and I notice
things are dark yellow tells me it's my
body telling me I need to drink more
water one kind of thing I used when I
was in wrestling in high school and then
when I gained my Freshman 15 in college
and I wanted to lose weight I would if I
thought I was hungry I would first drink
a glass or two of water wait 15 minutes
and then if I was still hungry after
that
then I would go ahead and eat that's
something that I would use and I'm still
trying to use it to kind of remind
myself I need to drink more water
especially before before and during a
meal
so these are just some great tips foods
for thought right
so thank you guys so much for listening
to this education I hope you're getting
a lot out of it and it's providing value
to you uh now we're going to switch into
the Q a I do want to just mention again
any supporting members they have
priority with their questions so thank
you and again if you want to learn more
about supporting the channel and
becoming a member we'll put links in the
video description as well as active in
the chat box off to the side and then
just a medical advice disclaimer I think
it's unethical for me to give you
personalized medical advice without
first seeing you as a patient I want the
very best for you and so I think it's
going to be best for you to get medical
advice from your local Healthcare
practitioner an eye doctor an
optometrist or an ophthalmologist with
what we're doing here these questions I
am here to provide you education and
answer things the best I can so things
are betterly uh easier understood and
help you on your journey especially with
dry eyes so
now we are getting some good questions
and we're going to see if we can bring
those up here
I know one question I got earlier this
week
um from somebody I thought was a really
good question was regarding uh meibomian
gland probing this is a procedure where
a doctor will use this very tiny small
metal probe to basically puncture capped
glands of the meibomian glands on the
eyelids and I had a somebody asked me
about that and if it's something that we
do or if we have any concerns about it
or they specifically asked why many
doctors don't do that procedure well the
meibomian gland probing has been in the
research for at least over a decade that
I've been aware of because I had a
professor who was doing some research
when I was in school and the biggest
concern not only is that the the probing
the actual probe itself
um does does cost a little bit and
getting it something that small is a
little difficult so it can be a little
expensive but mostly because it's just
not good amounts of research and doctors
have concerns that it's kind of like
popping a pimple if you have a pimple on
your face and you Lance it the tissue
heals and scars can form and so doctors
are concerned that by doing a puncture
on the meibomian glands it could cause
scar formation and then you basically
killed the meibomian gland and so there
is some concern of that however I know
more research has been coming out and
I've been digging it's actually sitting
on a tab on my my computer here off to
the side so I'll see if I can read more
into it and maybe we'll do a whole video
for the channel about my bromine gland
probing and what that looks like
so first off uh I do see
um
Charisma SK
asking as a member thank you again for
your support that you have Cornell
erosion after PRK is it because of dry
eyes corneal erosions can be caused by a
lot of things I think dry eye can be a
component to causing some level of
erosion but erosions are usually either
due to trauma if somebody has injured
their eye like a tree branch hit them is
a classic example or they get poked in
the eye by maybe a small child if you
have a coronal abrasion that the healing
surface sometimes doesn't heal perfectly
and so that when you blink and there's
dryness then that tissue can kind of
come loose like a loose scab and then
you're going to feel that recurrent
carnal erosion it can be really painful
the other thing that can cause that is a
condition called anterior basement
membrane dystrophy uh and that has a
part of the cornea that doesn't grow
smooth uh some people will develop this
usually just genetically and we notice
it more often later as people get older
but then because that surface is
irregular like the surface the
coordinate should be glass smooth like
glass and it's the surface grows bumpy
and irregular then the tissue becomes
loose and it's more likely to form an
erosion and so uh one one key component
to managing erosions is keeping the eyes
well lubricated but there's a lot of
different treatments for Recon recurrent
coronal erosions and hopefully your
doctor in your area can help manage that
I know our Clinic we often do a multi
kind of
multi-angled approach I think you could
call it because usually when we see an
erosion on the surface of the eye we
debride the loose tissue we will
prescribe some form of an mmp9 inhibitor
like doxycycline for example and then
then we'll also do an amniotic membrane
placement on the eye and that helps we
find probably the most help with healing
the surface in that condition from the
amniotic membrane and then afterward
we're putting a bandage contact lens to
sort of facilitate and shield the cornea
from irritation while the new tissue
heals up and that's usually over the
course of maybe about about 12 weeks as
around 8 to 12 weeks so it's a longer
healing time
but we get a lot of really good success
out of it
so thank you uh Gail
um I see eyes and aging on there I don't
know if that's really a question
um maybe of what what you can do for
eyes and aging uh ask that question
again so I know specifically what you're
asking
um Vanessa thank you for asking do you
think IPL is a good way to improve dry
eyes absolutely in fact IPL we just
um I've been looking at the research a
lot a lot more in the last maybe four or
five years I even personally I did a
video if you haven't seen on the channel
where I went out and saw Dr Laura
Perryman or dry eye Master she practices
out in Portland and or Seattle and when
I was out there I got IPL right after it
was first FDA approved with the optilite
attachment from a company called
luminous then
um we just got that same device in our
Clinic uh back in November of 2022 and
we've had patients who are just
absolutely loving it in fact yesterday I
had a patient who came back after her
full rounds of treatment and she's just
never felt her eyes feel as good as
they've they feel now she even kind of
had the complaint that her eyes were
almost
um almost too watery a little bit but
but also she just looked fantastic so
ipl's really been I think a game changer
for a lot of people who have access to
it the only downside to IPL I would say
is that it does sting a bit when you're
having the procedure done and the price
it's not currently covered by medical
insurances at least not where I practice
and so
um unfortunately it can be a little bit
higher price for some people but I think
as a procedure we can offer in the
clinic people get some of the best bet
best bang for their Buck out of it if
you could put it that way
um
getting a lot of good questions guys I'm
going to keep trying to walk through
some of these things
um
Gala thank you for getting back to this
she asked if uh keeping eyes healthy
while aging so for aging eyes to slow
things down some of the biggest things
you can do one again is eating really
healthy a lot of antioxidants a lot of
green leafy vegetables lutein and
zeaxanthin are really good for the
retina in the back of the eye
vitamin C diet any sort of diet a
vitamin C and even some supplementation
research has looked at Vitamin C as
being good for slowing down aging of
cataracts cataracts inside the eye the
solution the aqueous humor inside the
eye which is kind of like a clear blood
of the eye it surrounds the lens inside
the eyeball and it has a high
concentration of vitamin C it's one of
the highest concentrations of vitamin C
in your body and so there is some
benefits to again eating diets that have
more amounts of higher amounts of
vitamin C in them
outside of this protecting the eyes
sunlight protection I think sunglasses
are number one because you not just
protect the eyeball but you are
protecting the skin around the eyes from
sunlight damage and then wide brim hats
is a good second uh I've seen at least
one publication show that wide brim hats
reduced sunlight exposure by about 30
percent so I think combination of the
two would be really good and then just
seeing your eye doctor on a regular
basis because if we can catch disease
early we can treat it early and
hopefully prevent any future eye disease
so those are those are two things that I
try to recommend to people
so thank you that's really good
um
I'm gonna go back up a little bit
because I know we have a lot of good
questions Jay Dixon asks uh is there any
option available to home treatments dry
drops other or really low cost treatment
for dry eye uh and I get that at J
because prescription medications and
treatments for dry eye can be really
expensive I think some of the best
things like low cost options uh
certainly artificial tears there's many
different drops at the store and I've
talked about them in a couple of
different videos of some that may work
better than just like generic ones and
even right now unfortunately there's
that little scare about
certain eye drops that may be
contaminated thankfully those have been
taken off the shelves as of January in
2023 here
but certainly our official tears
can be a cost-effective option warm
compresses I think is fantastic there's
different types of warm compresses we've
talked about those in other videos
and then I think focusing on diet
because you're going to be eating you
know you're going to be eating the rest
of your life you might as well eat well
eat clean try to eat Whole Foods real
food all right so I think that those are
probably some of the best ways that you
can spend your money to help with
dryness and then certainly again talk
with your doctor see what else they can
come up with outside of just you know
the expensive medications and drops or
perhaps if you ever are going uh there
are there are different countries where
eye drops or medications for dry eye are
less expensive
so those are a couple of different
options and alternatives
[Music]
so great
um great to hear uh you know Charles
Bronson mentions that they've had great
success with dry eyes on an animal-based
diet uh high on fat I definitely I
follow and listen to a lot of the
different gurus who talk either either
on the more plant-based or even on the
animal base and I think it's really
fascinating however the vast majority of
research on
um like animal based or high protein
high fat diets even like the ketogenic
diet
it may be really good early on for your
body for losing weight however long term
there's concerns around kidney disease
and cardiovascular disease and so those
are just kind of the things I I think we
need more research before I I would feel
comfortable recommending that however I
know other doctors do recommend that and
so I I just encourage everybody to talk
to your local physician see what they
think ask a dietitian or a
licensed nutritionist in your area if
you're going to be considering those
sort of things but the vast majority of
research especially around eye health is
more supportive in the in the line of a
more plant-based or Mediterranean diet
um
uh the Gail also asks um like washing
your contact lenses in your mouth or
putting it back in your eye definitely
don't do that do not recommend putting
contact lenses in your mouth I know a
professional basketball player uh like a
few years ago they caught him like a
contact lens fell out on the basketball
floor picked it up put in his mouth and
then put it back in his eye do not do
that uh your mouth has so many amounts
of bacteria and bacteria water and
contact lenses uh they they just love to
attach onto that contact lens and then
you're basically trapping that bacteria
between the contact lens and your eye
and if your eye even has a sliver of a
defect in the surface that's an open
wound for that bacteria to get in and
you can get really horrible eye
infection so I do not recommend that
um
so thank you for that
um
there's so many good questions going on
here uh give me a second to kind of make
sure I'm not missing everybody missing
anybody
um
LH asks how does stress affect the eyes
I recently did a video last fall on
stress on the eye uh and definitely
definitely encourage you to check that
out one of the biggest ones stress can
cause a basically a type of blister that
builds up in the back of the eye we call
it central Cirrus choreo retinopathy and
that's when people when you're stressed
out you have higher amounts of cortisol
that release from your kid from your
adrenal glands above your kidneys and
that high amount of cortisol
whether it be endogenous that your body
produces on its own or you're getting it
outside of your body in the form of you
know steroid creams steroid medications
or even nasal sprays uh some like uh
some nasal sprays will cause kind of a
steroid response and that for some
reason causes a fluid to pass from the
back of the eye into the retina and it
swells up like a blister kind of like
you've got a blister on your finger and
that throws off your vision makes it
really blurry and distorted so that's
one condition where stress can affect
the eye and then
um
there's a couple of different ones too
um but yeah I definitely suggest you
check out that other video because that
that can be really helpful I know for a
lot of people that come see me in the
clinic
they can be really stressed out and
stress can influence your like symptoms
of
um like being hyper focused on your
dryness of your eye or even hyper
focused on like a visual symptom like
you're seeing floaters and people are
just have high anxiety and they become
hyper fixated on this problem and so I
do encourage people uh I see a therapist
myself and I encourage everybody I think
everybody should have some sort of a
professional therapist or a coach
counselor somebody to talk to other than
just your family and friends they're
great but a professional is going to
talk to you differently and Coach you
differently that your friends and your
family may not communicate the same way
so I do think that's really healthy and
something to talk about especially if
you're having anxiety depression any
other issues like that so thank you
um
uh Jerusalem also asks if they have
soreness like a sharp pain in the inner
corner of the eye and how to reduce that
uh it's something that you know again I
don't know what's going on in your eyes
so I can't really
um tell you exactly what's going on so I
suggest you see a local Healthcare
professional so they can examine and
give you the appropriate answer but in
general um if people do have soreness
and pain uh especially in the corners of
the eye something that we often see in
the clinic is something called angular
blepharitis and blepharitis is a kind of
a broad generic term for inflammation of
the eyelids and this is often due to
excess buildup of skin proteins and oils
and bacteria that eat those oils and
then because the bacteria eat those oils
they release a toxin effect where the
oils almost turn into soap and literally
on the on the on the patient's eye we
can see their tear film becoming sudsy
we see little bubbles forming because
it's literally going through a
saponification process and it builds up
in the corners of the eye it kind of
gets trapped there and then we see
higher amounts of inflammation redness
dryness building up in the corner and so
oftentimes we'll not only prescribe like
eye drops and warm compresses but will
often prescribe an antibiotic or a
steroid combination medication at the
same time to help manage that otherwise
regular eyelid hygiene and lubrication
is always a good habit that we recommend
for people
so either way still recommend you you
see a local doctor and ask them
specifically what's going on with that
but hopefully that gives you a little
bit more insight of what we may be
thinking about
um
so thank you so much Jay for calling
that out too
um
ooh Michael Bowen thank you for asking
any cheap solution to keep my eyes shut
at night so I did also do a video fairly
recently about
um about your eyes being open while you
sleep or having dry eyes in the early
morning because a lot of people do sleep
with their eyes slightly cracked open or
when your eyelids come together they're
not fitting tightly together and so
there's a slight Gap and that leaves
your eyes exposed to air so if you wake
up right away in the morning your eyes
are really dry could be the case
the options for kind of keeping that
most doctors will recommend a
lubricating ointment like a nighttime
ointment but it'll blur your vision and
in the morning your vision will be
really kind of gunky so you have to
clean your eyelids really well there is
the sleep tight sleep right solution
which a lot of clinics are starting to
turn to because and you can buy this
online I think it's like 40 US dollars
but it's an eyelid tape that is
hypoallergenic and porous that is
specifically designed to keep your
eyelids closed while you sleep some
people use sleep masks I've been trying
that for several years the only downside
to sleep mask is that your eyes still
technically going to be cracked open
while you sleep
um but it's something again you can kind
of look into but those are those are
some just good suggestions and again
definitely check out that uh that video
um
yes I see it Michael Michael thank you
yeah I seals um they can they can get
expensive
um but I think they're they're probably
well worth the investment especially if
it's something that really helps you
with your symptoms and your dryness
um
um
thank you I know Holden Ferguson just
asked me
um about his uh getting prescription
glasses
um if you can put that in there quick
um and I'll try to get to it
um because I just don't see it I can't
quite search for your question but
please put that in one more time I'll
look for it
um
and then procky Verma asked what is the
difference between retinal vein
occlusion and retinal artery occlusion
in terms of treatment and symptoms wow
that's a that's a really good question
uh not quite in the realm of dry eye but
that's okay retinal vein occlusion and
artery occlusion so in the eye we have
both veins and arteries arteries bring
the blood to the eye and the veins drain
the blood from the eye
traditionally vein occlusions occur
usually due to some form of
atherosclerosis high blood pressure
related is a common part of that
um
but it can occur due to other other
causes and then artery occlusions
usually are due to some sort of like
vascular occlusion event whether it be
from
a like a chunk of art like a chunk of
plaque gets stuck in the artery or
um
in cases where I'm always concerned
about I'm always looking at medications
some medications can cause artery
occlusions as well
um one of the bigger ones is a lot we
kind of learn in school is especially
for young women we don't see other
inclusions very often thankfully but
when people do get artery occlusions uh
like young women we have to look for if
they're taking a lot of oral
contraceptives especially older oral
contraceptives or multiple they're at
higher risk of artery occlusions as far
as treatment the biggest thing is when
you see an eye doctor we have to observe
to make sure that there's not a risk of
either swelling of the retina in the
back of the eye which we usually see In
Vein occlusions where bleeding occurs
and the cause of the retina to swell so
we often have to look for that because
if we do catch it early we have to send
it for proper injections of a medication
inside the eye what's called anti-vegef
but that decreases the swelling then we
have to look for the ischemia that's
occurring because if you have a vein
inclusion in the back of the eye for
example then blood isn't getting to the
retinal tissues that it needs and so
it's starved of nutrients and oxygen and
then you have ischemia and with higher
amounts of ischemia you're a much higher
risk of new blood vessel forming inside
the eye and our patients are at higher
risk of developing a severe form of
glaucoma
and so those are big things that your
doctor needs to kind of watch for so
likely if you're having either vein
occlusions or artery occlusions you're
going to be seeing your doctor at least
every month if not more depending on on
the case and the severity uh they're
going to be doing a couple of different
procedures to watch for glaucoma as well
as possible either recommend injections
inside the eye or even laser treatments
or start you on medications to help
manage glaucoma so there's a lot going
on there but vein occlusions and other
inclusions are also beginning to be
classified in the same realm of having a
stroke and so a lot of kind of the
protocols for managing this also
includes having patients referred for
proper workup as like a stroke work up
as well as seeing their family doctor to
get things managed for their high blood
pressure cholesterol diabetes all of
that that's a pretty in those are really
high level
um those are pretty severe things that
doctors get trained in and and I when I
was doing my residency at the VA is
something I would see on like a weekly
basis so it's a huge thing but thank you
um I want to get back to Holden Ferguson
because he's been asking and thank you
so much for your patience uh he said it
recently got a prescription for his
glasses that should come in two months
that's a long time but hopefully they
work great uh and you're nearsighted uh
would you considered giving you some
tips
um uh well as as far as tips for the
glasses the biggest thing is when you
get the glasses I do recommend always
having a professionally adjusted uh
depending on where you're looking
through the lenses uh if they're sitting
a little crooked and usually when you
first get them nothing ever sits quite
right because most people's ears aren't
perfectly symmetrical and one's always a
little bit higher than the other so
having them professionally adjusted so
you're looking through the right part of
the lens and that's always going to be
good uh if you did get an
anti-reflective on your lenses which I
hopefully you did because that helps
usually anti-reflective is great because
it improves the clarity of your vision
through the lenses but they also tend to
increase the smudginess like they
attract dust and oils from your skin and
so do clean your glasses on a regular
basis is when they're getting dirty the
best way I've ever found to clean
glasses especially when they're smudged
up like that is using a single dab of
dish soap under warm water and then
using an appropriate microfiber lens
cloth and so again I even have another
some fun video sharing tips on that too
so thank you so much for that
um uh
and hopefully just those two tips are
going to bring you a lot of success uh
also if your glasses are sliding down
anything like that a small adjustment in
your glasses sliding down your nose uh
is going to be a significant factor if
you're seeing clearly so make sure again
everything's nice adjusted and
comfortable
uh now I think what we're going to do is
I'm going to answer this one last
question here from Adnan Sami uh who's
asked if there's any treatment for
keratoconus any new treatments really
right now the newest treatments that
I've been following are with a surgeon
here in the United States that I've been
I had the pleasure of working with and
that's from uh Dr lobenoff at his Clinic
called OVO in the Twin Cities here in
Minnesota and he's been doing a lot of
treatments in terms of not just Cornell
cross-linking which stops the
progression of the of the disease but he
even has patented new tools and
Technologies to do it faster because in
the original days uh of doing kernel
cross linking it would take at least
almost 30 minutes to an hour for that
procedure to be done and it's a long
procedure and now they're doing it they
can potentially do it in like 10 minutes
or less but then they also can do it if
you're a good candidate for it in
conjunction with PRK or a form of
refractive surgery similar to Lasik and
so they combine the two and so that's
kind of the newest technology looking in
that direction so thank you for that
question
um
just wanted to kind of say thank you to
everybody who's in the chat and asking
amazing questions I know we could
probably do an entire hour's worth of
just live q a and maybe we'll be able to
do that especially for our members who
have so many good questions thank you
again for everybody who's watching I
hope you got a lot of value out of this
keep an eye on it for the next videos
coming out especially on Omega-3s and
dry
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