The eye is a sensory organ that reacts to light and gives us our vision. It’s also important for keeping our balance and maintaining regular circadian rhythms. Your circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. They primarily respond to light and dark, which is why your eyes play a major role in these cycles.
So, what do optometrists look for when they first check your eyes? First, they assess your visual acuity. This measures your eyes’ ability to distinguish shapes and the details of objects at a given distance. It’s important in that it will help detect any changes in vision.* If you’ve ever done a physical, this is when a nurse has had you place a hand over your eye and attempt to read small letters on a board somewhere in the distance.
Next, they test your overall eye health from the front to the back of your eye. There are a few things of note that can cause major issues.
A disruption of the vitreous can cause floaters in the eye. These are small dark shapes that will “float” across your vision. They don’t often need treatment but can be a sign of a more serious eye condition.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
This is a disease that affects a person’s central vision. This disease starts in the area of the eye called the macula, which is at the back of the retina. Risk factors include being 50 or older, smoking, high blood pressure, and a diet high in saturated fats.* There is no cure for AMD, but there are treatment options that may prevent or slow the progression of the disease. Res-Q Advanced Eye Support helps to reduce the risk and impact of macular degeneration.
Dry eye
This is described as a loss of tear film homeostasis. This can be from too high of a salt concentration and a loss of minerals in the tear film. This will cause your tears to become cloudy and unstable, which gives you cloudy vision. There are many different factors that cause dry eyes. They stem from the three layers of your tears.
The first layer at the top is the lipid layer, also called the oil layer. The middle layer is called the aqueous or water layer. The bottom layer is called the mucin layer. All three layers must line up well to give you clear eyesight. 86 percent of reported dry eye cases stem from the disruption of the oil layer.
There are several other factors that can contribute to dry eyes. Certain medications, like anti-depressants and psychiatric drugs, can be a cause. Environmental conditions may also be the issue. This could be outside factors like weather, or inside factors like too much screen time. When you stare at your TV, computer, or phone for too long, you may stop blinking appropriately. Plus, a medical condition may play a factor as well. All of these factors may contribute to dry eyes.
Symptoms that people may experience are red, bloodshot eyes. You may feel that your eyes have a sandy, gritty feeling. Additionally, you may actually experience over-watery eyes due. This watery reaction is caused by the neurons over-firing in your cornea because it is not healthy. These symptoms may lead to damage to the cornea. So, if you do experience any of the symptoms, make sure you get your eyes checked by an eye doctor.
Res-Q Calamarine is another effective natural supplement to help provide the necessary nutrients for healthy eyes. Calamarine has 500 mg of DHA omega-3 fatty acids, which is significantly higher than most other supplement brands. DHA is essential for the eyes’ photoreceptors and the brain’s cell membranes to provide extra support for eye health.
CITATIONS
Marsden, Janet, et al. “How to Measure Distance Visual Acuity.” Community Eye Health, International Centre for Eye Health, 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4069781/#:~:text=Visual%20acuity%20(VA)%20is%20a,is%20tested%20at%20a%20time.
“Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).” Johns Hopkins Medicine, 8 Aug. 2021, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/agerelated-macular-degeneration-amd#:~:text=Age%2Drelated%20macular%20degeneration%20(AMD)%20is%20a%20disease%20that,diet%20high%20in%20saturated%20fat.
