the good doctor on: CTV June 13th Exposé on Eye Health Supplements

Blog Vol. II, # 5. CTV June 13th Exposé on Eye Health Supplements

In this blog we continue the theme of nutrition and eyes…

We observed last week that to get a desirable amount of omega 3’s, you need to eat a lot of tuna. The same goes for carotenoids, anti-oxidants that help slow the progress of macular degeneration, you need to eat a lot of carrots and spinach. Over 2 million Canadians have some degree of macular degeneration, which if left to develop, can cause severe vision loss. Fortunately, research showed some years ago that carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin), when taken at high enough concentrations, can help slow down the degeneration that leads to vision loss. The AREDS 2 study established the dosages of these ingredients, plus a combination of other minerals and vitamins that work best in this treatment.

Just this past week, CTV aired an exposé stating that eye health supplements do not always contain what they claim and consequently do not always meet up to Health Canada standards, highlighting the startling findings from an independent laboratory in Ireland. As the researchers stated, it is very concerning that people are not getting what they need when we know that these supplements, if in the correct amounts and in a useable form, can reduce the risk of macular degeneration by up to 25 percent. The validity of the study will, of course, need to be confirmed but there is a lesson here either way.

At Burlington Eyecare, we really try hard to provide the best and most reliable products and services to our patients. For example, a few years back a certain contact lens solution was found to be incubating amoeba inside the contact lens case and on the contacts, not good for the eyes. Even before we were aware of this information we had been recommending the most reliable contact lens solutions with the best kill ratio (for amoeba and other harmful organisms). Also, at the same time most of our patients were wearing daily disposable contact lenses, which are the most sanitary. When the news exploded about amoebas and contact lens wearers, we were able to sleep at night, because we had done our homework.

That brings us to 2021, and Macular Degeneration supplements. Our research shows that either Vitalux Advanced or Macuhealth has the right concentrations of ingredients (the label matches the contents). The Macuhealth has a purer form of supplement, with less chalks and fillers, and is in an easy-to-swallow soft gel format; this is our first choice.

All patients are pre-screened for macular degeneration. There is a strong link to family history, environmental hazards such as smoking, and UV exposure. Because of the significant link to family, we provide genetic testing when deemed necessary or desirable. Our regular use of the Optical Coherence Tomographer (a good look at the back of the eye on a tissue level) helps to catch the condition early, thus resulting in the best prognosis.

Lesson: Research the products that you use as best you can, they are not all created equal .

Til next week,

the good doctor, Dr. Mark Germain, Burlington Optomotrist