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
