Omega-3: benefits for eyes from retina to brain

The retina, that thin membrane that lines your eyeball, is a triumph of bioengineering. Here, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a very important Omega-3, reigns supreme: it makes up to 50 percent of the lipids present. A figure that reveals the crucial importance of Omega-3s for ocular health as well.

Vision supplements: from childhood to old age

The benefits of Omega-3s for vision anticipate, even, the first breath. Analysis of the results of 12 different studies, conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and published in the journal Early Human Development, reveal that infants fed milk enriched with these essential fatty acids show superior visual abilities as early as 2 months.

And the positive impact of Omega-3s does not stop at childhood.

As the years go by, the retina continues to require the supply of essential fatty acids. Indeed, a diet that ensures the right amounts of Omega-3s stands as a bulwark against macular degeneration, a condition that damages the central part of the retina, causing progressive loss of central vision. It is the most frequent cause of blindness in the world.

Supplements that help eyesight: the case of retinitis pigmentosa

Those with retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited retinal disease that causes progressive loss of night vision and peripheral visual field, may also benefit from taking Omega-3s.

This is shown by a study from Harvard Medical School in Boston, which monitored for 4 years the health status of patients aged 18 to 55, all of whom had the condition. What was observed? That when classic vitamin A therapy is combined with supplementation of 1.2 grams daily of DHA, a two-year slowdown in the course of the disease is observed.

Studies on natural vision supplements

The scientific world continues to explore the benefits of Omega-3s for ocular health. Research is in full swing, driven by one crucial question: how far can these essential fatty acids go?

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), funded by the U.S. National Eye Institute, had already revealed how high doses of a potent quartet of antioxidants-vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc-can effectively curb degeneration of the macula lutea, the central part of the retina responsible for detailed and color vision.

Researchers at the National Eye Institute have hypothesized that Omega-3s could join the team of antioxidants in the fight against macular degeneration, slowing the progression of the condition.

We continue to keep a close eye on these developments, ready to turn the latest scientific discoveries into concrete solutions for the well-being of your eyes. Let's make a difference in your life together.