Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Vitamins For Chronic Dry Eye Disease

Chronic dry eye disease is painful and can lead to increased risk of infections. Whether your dry eyes are due to contact lenses, too much time on the computer, eyestrain or allergies, there are treatments to help this condition. Eye health is very important and vitamins can help keep your eyes healthy so they can perform optimally.


Function








Chronic dry eyes result from a lack of sufficient moisture and lubrication. The consequences can range from mild irritation to a more serious ocular inflammation. Natural tear solutions are available for purchase at drug, discount and grocery stores. Use them as often as needed during the day to restore moisture to your eye. Do not confuse these solutions with others that focus on removing redness from your eyes.


Hydrating your body is important for your general health, but particularly important for those who suffer from chronic dry eye.


Treatments


Deficiencies of certain vitamins, particularly vitamin A, may lead to chronic dry eyes. A healthy, well-balanced diet is fundamental to ensure eye health and vision that lasts a lifetime.


Vitamin A can be found in many foods, according to the eyeconcerns.com website, such as sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, dried apricots, spinach, milk and of course, carrots (see Reference 1).


Lutein is essential for healthy eyes. The human body often does not produce as much of the vitamin as we need, so therefore we must get it from food products such as leafy green vegetables and fruit (see reference 1).


Vitamin C is plentiful in tomatoes, oranges, kale, broccoli, and sweet potatoes and is necessary for good vision.








Meat, oysters, liver, milk and beans all supply zinc to the body, which is vital for healthy vision.


In the October 2005, issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition studies showed that women who had more Omega-3 fatty acid foods in their diet had decreased incidences of dry eye syndrome (see Reference 2). Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids are tuna, sardines, mackerel, and salmon.

Tags: your eyes, eyes healthy, Omega-3 fatty, sweet potatoes