A New Kind of Omega-3
Scientists in the Department of Medicine at the University of Illinois have developed a new omega-3 oil that easily enters the eye after being taken orally.“Omega-3 fatty acids are an unsaturated fatty acid of a kind occurring chiefly in fish oils,” Dr. Daniel Laroche, president of Advanced Eyecare of New York and clinical associate professor of ophthalmology at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, told The Epoch Times.
He emphasized that because omega-3 fatty acids are essential in growth and development throughout life, they should be included in everyone’s diet.
Low DHA levels are present in the retinas of those with age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dhavamani presented the study at Discover BMB, the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which occurred from March 25 to 28 in Seattle.
May Prevent Vision Loss
Researchers tested the hypothesis that LPC-DHA is superior to currently available DHA supplements, including fish oil and krill oil, to enrich DHA in the retina and prevent retinopathy in animal models of early-onset forms of Alzheimer’s disease.“We showed here for the first time that it is possible to increase the retinal DHA by almost 100 percent in normal adult mice with a low dose of LPC-DHA,” said Dhavamani.
The researchers used dosages that were equivalent to 250 to 500 milligrams per day in humans.
Researchers also showed that retinal DHA cannot be efficiently increased by dietary TAG-DHA or free DHA from available supplements, in their animal model of Alzheimer’s disease.
This discovery might also lead to ways to prevent other retinal conditions, like diabetic retinopathy, as well as AMD, which causes a loss or blurring of central vision.
Dhavamani and her team emphasized how this discovery could help prevent dementia-related eye problems.
“In Alzheimer’s, you will often have visuospatial issues in these patients,” said Laroche, emphasizing that it’s a “big if” whether these findings apply to humans.
DHA Crucial for Eye Health
There are a few reasons why DHA is crucial for eye health.DHA also helps maintain the fluidity and integrity of the membranes in the retina. This is important for the proper functioning of the photoreceptor cells and the efficient transmission of visual information.
Too little DHA in our eyes is associated with several vision-threatening conditions.
Available Forms of Omega-3 Also Benefit Eye Health
Asked which eye conditions the currently available omega-3 supplements can help, Laroche noted that these oils most commonly improve the eye’s meibomian glands, which are located on the eyelid margin and produce the oily part of tears.Improved function of those glands can ease dry eye symptoms.
“Omega-3s have also been shown to be helpful in patients with myopia and macular degeneration,” he noted.
However, there’s little evidence that omega-3 helps when applied to the eye directly.
“Topical omega-3 is a promising treatment for dry eye, but there is a lack of evidence in the scientific literature about topical application,” said Laroche. “Further studies in humans are required to assess the efficacy.”