We might not connect our eating habits to eye disease, but poor nutrition impairs circulation. Reduced circulation can contribute to eye diseases, including cataracts, glaucoma, retinal vascular occlusions, ischemic optic neuropathy (ION), dry eyes, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. Instead of being a “victim” of eye diseases in your senior years, you can take charge of your health today!
At Natural Eye Care, we believe that the visual system uses approximately 25% of the nutrients we take into the body. Only the brain needs more. Therefore, a nutrient-rich diet helps keep your eyes healthy. Anything that impairs the free flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients can significantly increase the risk of eye disease. Over time, you could experience vision loss, making you less independent in your senior years.
In the last article, we focused on how circulation can lead to macular degeneration. This article discusses the relationships between circulation and other eye conditions.
Cataracts
As you age, the proteins in your lens break down, forming cloudy patches that affect your vision. Poor circulation, particularly reduced blood flow to the eyes, is considered a potential risk factor for developing cataracts. Lack of circulation can deprive the eye lens of necessary nutrients and oxygen.1
Risk factors for cataract onset include age, long-term exposure to sunlight, smoking, alcohol, environmental exposure to toxins, and long-term use of medications, including steroids.
Some of the nutrients that help support lens health are lutein, zeaxanthin, glutathione, vitamin C, bilberry, n-acetyl-cysteine, Vitamin E, taurine, and riboflavin.
Peripheral Artery Disease Leading to Glaucoma and Retinal Vascular Occlusions
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a chronic circulatory condition affecting millions worldwide. The arteries to the limbs become narrow or blocked. This reduces blood flow, especially to the legs. PAD can significantly impair mobility and diminish quality of life. Symptoms include muscle fatigue, reduced exercise capacity, leg pain, slowly-healing sores on the feet or toes, and shiny, tight skin. This condition is caused by the same factors that cause heart disease, such as plaque buildup in the arteries, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
PAD is linked to impaired mitochondrial function, muscle fiber damage, and increased oxidative stress. People with PAD often exhibit reduced NAD+ levels (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, an important antioxidant in the body). Lowered NAD+ leads to compromised muscle function and fatigue. NR is a form of B3 and a precursor to NAD+. Taking NR supplements replenishes NAD+ stores, facilitating improved mitochondrial respiration and reducing oxidative damage.2
Impaired mitochondrial function has been identified as one of the leading causes of eye and brain malfunction. For more information on this and related studies, read the article (How Mitochondrial Function Affects the Eyes and the Brain). Multiple studies have reported a notable association between glaucoma, specifically open-angle glaucoma, and an increased incidence of retinal vascular occlusions.3 4
Another precursor to NAD+ is NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide). NAD+ production is a factor in mitochondrial ATP production and cellular repair processes. NMN supplementation can have many benefits, including reducing inflammation and helping protect retinal and optic nerve ganglion cells from damage.
Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
Ischemic optic neuropathy (ION) is when blood does not flow properly to your optic nerve. Eventually, ION causes permanent damage to this nerve. With ION, vision loss can occur in one or both eyes.
Dry Eyes
Poor circulation can contribute to dry eyes because it reduces blood flow to the eyes. Less oxygen and nutrients reach the tear glands, potentially causing decreased tear production and leading to dryness.5
Dry eye disease is a multifactorial disorder characterized by a loss of homeostasis of the tear film, hyperosmolarity, visual disturbance, and ocular surface inflammation.6 It can be part of ocular surface inflammatory disorders such as blepharitis, ocular rosacea, meibomian gland dysfunction, and other autoimmune disorders.
Nutrients that help reduce dry eye symptoms include omega-3, 6, 7, and 9 essential fatty acids, vitamin B12 (deficiency has been associated with dry eye disease), vitamins A, D, and E, as well as zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin.
Foods to help reduce dry eye symptoms include fish, green leafy vegetables, seeds, and nuts.
Other steps you can take to fight dry eyes:
- Take regular blinking breaks. Studies have shown that computer users blink less frequently while on the computer.
- Check your indoor humidity. It should be between 30% and 50%. Use a humidifier, dehumidifier, and/or air conditioning to bring it within that range.
- Apply warm compresses.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Use preservative-free eyedrops as needed.
Acupuncture treatments can also help with dry eye syndrome, so it can be worth exploring as well.
Brain Health
Poor circulation is one of the leading risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. For example, vascular dementia (multi-infarct dementia) is a general term referring to difficulty in thought processes like reasoning and memory. Vascular dementia is caused by brain damage from poor circulation to the brain due to multiple conditions like a stroke, mini-stroke, or atherosclerosis. In addition, the person may be left with weakness down one side of the body or problems with vision or speech. If related to mini-strokes, each stroke can result in small patches of dead tissue in the brain’s cortex.
People with dementia seldom have only changes in their brains. One significant problem often seen is vascular/cardiovascular problems, which interfere with the free flow of oxygen and essential nutrients to the brain. In a person with dementia, a faulty blood-brain barrier prevents glucose from reaching the brain, allows pathogens and toxins to get to the brain, and prevents the clearing of toxic beta-amyloid and tau proteins seen in the brains of AD patients.
There is a strong correlation between the health of the eyes and brain health, including how it relates to Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, see our article “Why Alzheimer’s Disease is Visible in the Eyes.”
Ways to Improve Circulation Naturally
Improving your circulation naturally means living a healthy lifestyle.
- eat a nutritious diet
- exercise regularly
- manage chronic stress with exercise, meditation, walks in the woods, yoga, and qigong
- get regular massages
Incorporate some of these foods in your diet: ginger, garlic, onions, beets, cayenne pepper, pomegranate, cinnamon, turmeric, green leafy vegetables, fish, berries, and citrus fruits.
Herbs and nutrients that help improve circulation include ginkgo biloba, vinpocetine, saffron, gotu kola, thyme, turmeric, chickweed, hawthorn berry, butcher’s broom, black pepper, bacopa monnieri, vitamin E, B Vitamins, and iron.
Nutrients That Lower Blood Pressure Naturally
Nutrients that help manage blood pressure naturally and support the heart include coleus forskohlii, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, fiber, CoQ10, garlic, ginger, green tea, ginseng, probiotics, vitamin D, B Vitamins, L-arginine, and ashwagandha.
Essential and Aromatic Oils
Essential and aromatic oils are great for helping support memory and cognition, improving circulation, reducing inflammation, reducing anxiety and depression, improving digestion and sleep, and much more. Essential oils for these purposes include bergamot, ginger, lavender, lemon balm, frankincense, peppermint, rosemary, sage, and ylang.
Suggested Supplements
Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula (whole food) 60 vcaps
Dr. Grossman’s Meso Plus Retinal Support and Computer Eye Strain Formula with Astaxanthin 90 vcaps
Dr. Grossman’s Advanced Eye and Dr. G’s Whole Food Superfood Multi1 20 Vcap Combo – 2 months supply
Dr. Grossman’s Meso Formula Ocular Health in Digital Age – 90 vcaps
Advanced Eye and Vision Support / Meso Plus Combo (3 month supply)
Retinal Support (wild-crafted herbal formula) 2 oz
Brain and Memory Support Package 1
Mitochondria Eye Brain Support Package
Recommended Books
Natural Eye Care: Your Guide to Healthy Vision and Healing
Natural Parkinson’s Support: Your Guide to Preventing and Managing Parkinson’s
- https://www.healio.com/news/ophthalmology/20120331/ocular-blood-flow-related-to-cataract-development-study-finds ↩
- McDermott MM, Martens CR, Domanchuk KJ, et al. Nicotinamide riboside for peripheral artery disease: the NICE randomized clinical trial. Nat Commun. 2024;15(1):5046. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-49092-5. Erratum in: Nat Commun. 2024;15(1):6890. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-51289-7. ↩
- Kingston E.J., Lusthaus J.A. Two-year outcomes of patients presenting to Sydney Eye Hospital with neovascular glaucoma. Int. Ophthalmol. 2023;10:1007. doi: 10.1007/s10792-023-02675-5 ↩
- Jabbehdari S., Yazdanpanah G., Cantor L.B., Hajrasouliha A.R. A narrative review on the association of high intraocular pressure and glaucoma in patients with retinal vein occlusion. Ann. Transl. Med. 2022;10:1072. doi: 10.21037/atm-22-2730 ↩
- Acta Ophthalmol. 2021 Nov;99(7):e1236-e1242. doi: 10.1111/aos.14782. Epub 2021 Feb 11. ↩
- Craig J.P., Nichols K.K., Akpek E.K., Caffery B., Dua H.S., Joo C.-K., Liu Z., Nelson J.D., Nichols J.J., Tsubota K., et al. TFOS DEWS II Definition and Classification Report. Ocul. Surf. 2017;15:276–283. doi: 10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.008. ↩