In the age of increased computer and cell phone eye stressors the answer is diet and supplemental Omega 3's!Lutein and Zeaxanthin!
A large-scale eye study found no adverse effects of lutein and zeaxanthin supplements over five years. The only side effect identified was some skin yellowing that was not considered harmful. Couple those nutrients with Omega 3's with DHA and EPA. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid found in cold-water, fatty fish, such as salmon. It is also found in fish oil supplements, along with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Vegetarian sources of DHA come from seaweed. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart, and your body needs DHA for a healthy brain. Zeaxanthin is a type of organic pigment called a carotenoid. It's related to vitamin A and found in the human eye (macula and retina) along with lutein.
Zeaxanthin is thought to function as a light filter, protecting the eye tissues from sunlight damage. Foods rich in zeaxanthin include eggs, oranges, grapes, corn, goji berries, mango, orange pepper, and some other vegetables and fruits.People use zeaxanthin for age-related vision loss. It's also used for eye strain, mental decline, heart disease, breast cancer, cataracts, and many other conditions and big pharma hates this because the research goes back decades about the benefits of these supplements.Another reason is that it is highly likely that zeaxanthin can improve stem cell potency to battle macular degeneration via an increase in the proliferation potential of NPCs.
Mushrooms, nuts, seafood, ginger, and a bevy of vegetables are highly beneficial in stem cell activation. Cruciferous veggies: Cauliflower, Broccoli, kale, cabbage, bok choy, garden cress & Brussels sprouts are some of the best foods for stem cell growth. These veggies have lots of the sulforaphane compound, which boots enzymes in the liver that combat harmful contaminants we may digest or take in. Together, DHA and EPA may help reduce inflammation and your risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease. On its own, DHA supports brain function and eye health.
In a recent 2022 review, seven of nine studies that tested the effects of DHA supplements in children with ADHD showed significant improvement — such as with regard to attention or behavior. Many school systems use ADHD as a go to to pigeonhole students from poor neighborhoods and separate them from higher performing students with more home resources. For example, in a large 16-week study in 362 children, those taking 600 mg of DHA daily had an 8% DECREASE in impulsive behaviors — which was double the decrease observed in the placebo group. In another 16-week study in 40 boys with ADHD, recieved 650 mg each of DHA and EPA daily alongside the children’s usual ADHD medication this resulted in a 15% decrease in attention deficit problems, compared to a 15% increase in the placebo group!
If a multiple-choice test asked which organ the carotenoid lutein helps protect, and gave the options of the brain, eyes, or skin, many would select the eyes. Given lutein’s accumulation in the retina and other structures of the eye,we do see a preponderance of research related to this organ. However, high levels of lutein are also found in the brain and skin. Correspondingly, there has been substantial investigation recently into its impact on these organs, with many benefits being demonstrated unequivocally. So, technically, the correct answer would be all of the above. Zeaxanthin, a carotenoid very similar in structure to lutein, also accumulates in the eye, brain, and skin; thus, it also offers these organs protection.
With age and habits like smoking, levels of lutein and zeaxanthin decline, leaving the eyes, brain, and skin more susceptible to damage like that from computer, tablets and phone screens.
One reason that these molecules help protect the eyes is because they absorb light. In particular, they absorb light on the violet to blue end of the spectrum (~400 to 500 nm), which, incidentally, leads to their orangish-yellow appearance. Blue light damages the retina through a photo-oxidation reaction with lipofuscin, a mixture of lipids, proteins, and fluorescent compounds that are a byproduct of incompletely digested phagocytosed photoreceptor cells.
With our digital technology–related increase in exposure to blue light that computer screens, digital devices, energy-efficient indoor lighting, and television screens emit, we see an increase in problems related to blue light exposure. This includes dry eyes, eye strain, and eye fatigue, and, long term, can contribute to a gradual loss of visual function and conditions such as age-related macular degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin also quench singlet molecular oxygen, prevent lipid peroxidation, and induce nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)–dependent antioxidant transcription. They act as anti-inflammatories as well, and thus may be helpful in conditions such as uveitis, traumatic brain injury,or ischaemic stroke, in which substantial damage is also caused by inflammation. In acute settings such as these, higher levels of lutein prior to the event and administration afterwards may both be protective.
Dietarily, we can increase our intake of L/Z by consuming dark green, leafy vegetables, with cooked kale and spinach both delivering more than 10 mg/100 g; eggs, with the yolk having the highest amounts of these nutrients; and pistachio nuts, which also deliver more than 1 mg/100 g. Other foods high in L/Z include orange peppers, squash, parsley, and romaine lettuce. Absorption of these carotenoids, which are fat-soluble nutrients.Although it is environmentally friendly, blue light can affect your sleep and potentially cause disease. Until the advent of artificial lighting, the sun was the major source of lighting, and people spent their evenings in (relative) darkness. Now, in much of the world, evenings are illuminated, and we take our easy access to all those lumens pretty much for granted.
But we may be paying a price for basking in all that light. At night, light throws the body's biological clock—the circadian rhythm—out of whack. Sleep suffers. Worse, research shows that it may contribute to the causation of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
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