More than 4 million Americans suffer from dry eyes experiencing frequent bouts of redness, burning and blurred vision with little option other than turning to expensive eye drops and other topical medications to prevent the discomfort caused by dry eyes. Many of these costly solutions hurt your pocketbook while relieving symptoms only temporarily.
But did you know that consuming a proper diet can help to relieve symptoms of dry eyes naturally, saving you money while boosting your health?
Here are some tips that can help to prevent dry eyes and boost your health. Because each one of us has a different physiology, please be sure to check with your physician before following these recommendations.
1. Boost Intake of Vitamin A Rich Foods.
While we don’t see many vitamin A deficiencies in the United States, vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of blindness among children in the developing world. Vitamin A deficiency can start out as dry eyes and lead to partial or even complete blindness.
To increase vitamin A in your diet, consume more red yellow and orange-colored fruits and vegetables. Sweet potatoes, carrots, and cantaloupes are excellent sources of vitamin A because they contain beta carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the body and helps with vision.
Dark green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts are also full of vitamin A antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect your eyes from damaging light.
2. Eat foods High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
According to studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic, patients who consumed omega-3 fatty acids had fewer dry eye symptoms. Omega-3 fatty acids help to improve the eye’s oil film produced by small glands on the edge of the eyelid, called the meibomian glands.
You can get omega-3 in your diet by eating more fatty fish such as catfish, halibut, salmon, striped sea bass, fresh tuna, sardines. Flaxseed oil is also a good source of omega-3 and may serve as a good substitute for vegetarians. Daily supplements of fish or flaxseed oil are effective in reducing dry eyes.
These oils also decrease chronic inflammation, which is often an underlying cause of dry eyes and other autoimmune conditions. Fatty acids also reduce the risk of cataract and age-related macular degeneration, a medical condition that may result in blurred or no vision in the center of the visual field.
3. Stay Hydrated Throughout the Day
Studies have shown that people with dry eyes have higher plasma osmolality (Posm), which is a measure of the body’s electrolyte-water balance, compared to no dry eye patients.
When your Posm is higher, it can indicate that you may be dehydrated and that whole-body hydration is critical to improving dry eye syndrome. The key to staying hydrated throughout the day is maintaining the proper balance between electrolytes and water.
Hydrus is made with a unique and scientifically proven nanosome technology which allows the body to absorb electrolytes and water faster than other hydration and sports drinks and water alone. Unlike other sports drinks which require your body to digest the contents first, Hydrus’s nanosome technology starts working immediately, and absorption begins in the salivary glands as soon as it reaches your mouth to relieve symptoms.
Getting the right balance of electrolytes and water into your body’s fluid systems such as the bloodstream, lymphatic system, and interstitial water is one of the more effective ways to prevent dry eyes and maintain proper hydration.
4. Avoid Processed & Sugary Foods, Drinks
Eliminating junk foods high in salt like chips and crackers. Salt can dehydrate your body while causing you to feel thirsty without replacing electrolytes properly. It’s also essential to stop eating refined sugar found in processed foods like cakes, pies, cookies, candy bars, and even protein bars. Refined sugars can cause inflammation, which can trigger chronic and episodic dry eyes syndrome. Instead of reaching for that protein bar, it’s better to eat an apple or orange instead.
Similarly, sugary drinks and sports drinks made of artificial sweeteners can also perpetuate inflammation while preventing the body from adequately absorbing electrolytes. This is why Hydrus is made of Stevia, a natural sweetener found in the leaves of the plant species native to Brazil and Paraguay.
5. Consume Less Alcohol & Caffeine
Did you know that the second glass of red wine you had last night or your daily cup of jo may be the cause of your dry eyes? Yes, consuming caffeinated drinks like sodas, coffee, alcohol, and even some teas cause dehydration, which leads to dry eyes. Alcohol is a diuretic and dries out your entire system. Alcohol causes your body to remove fluids from your blood through your kidneys, ureters, and bladder at a much quicker rate than other liquids, which is why if you don’t drink enough water with alcohol, you become dehydrated quickly.