Fish Oil Pills Keep Blindness at Bay
Eating a diet rich in omega-3 fats and taking fish oil pills are two popular ways to protect against heart disease. But were you aware that this essential fatty acid is also good for the eyes too? The omega-3 fat docosahexanoic acid (DHA) forms 93% of tissue in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue behind the eye. High levels of this fat has been associated with improved visual acuity, membrane fluidity, protection against dry eye syndrome, and prevention of age-related macular degeneration.
Several years ago, researchers discovered that a major form of blindness called retinopathy can be prevented by omega-3 fats. The team just did a follow-up study confirming the fat’s protective effects against this eye problem and reassured the public that drugs like NSAIDs or aspirins do not negate its effect.
Retinopathy the leading cause of blindness around the world; it affects premature infants and millions of adults with diabetes. This eye disease is caused by the changes in the blood cells of the retina. In people who have diabetic retinopathy, the retina’s surface gets covered by abnormal, leaky blood vessels. Age-related macular degeneration can also be caused by the growth of these abnormal blood vessels.
The follow-up study discovered that omega-3 fats have an interesting protective mechanism. They work directly to affect the growth of blood vessels; once in the eye, they inhibit abnormal blood vessel growth while boosting the growth of healthy blood vessels. Additionally, the researchers were able to isolate the specific omega-3 compound that brings these beneficial effects as well as the enzyme that produces it. The enzyme, called the COX enzymes, do not participate in omega-3 breakdown. This means that the NSAIDs and aspirin taken by millions of diabetic patients will not interfere with any fish oil benefits to the eye.
These new findings offer patients a promising new option for prevention and treatment. Now that retinopathy can be prevented with the help of omega-3, diabetic adults at risk for this complication can experience a tremendous improvement in their quality of life and their savings. A pharmaceutical-grade omega-3 supplement will only set you back $20 a month, versus $4,000 a month for drugs like Lucentis and Macugen, which is used to treat this disease.
Preventing blindness is just as easy as adding more deep-sea fatty fish to your diet and taking an omega-3 supplement to boost its effects. Consider investing in a pharmaceutical grade supplement if you are at risk for retinopathy and other eye diseases.