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Got Dry, Itchy Eyes? Worried about cataracts? Check out Scope Ophthalmics

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Got Dry, Itchy Eyes? Worried about cataracts? Check out Scope Ophthalmics

Got Dry, Itchy Eyes? Worried about cataracts?

Check out Scope Ophthalmics

 

 

Scope Ophthalmics offer an exciting range of vision care products that work from the inside and out! If you’re one of the many millions of people in the UK who spend far too long every day staring at a computer screen, smartphone, tablet, or television, chances are that you’ve experienced dry, itchy, uncomfortable eyes, and possible even headaches. And short-term symptoms aren’t the only problem. All that damaging blue light and lower blink-rate means you’re at a higher risk of macular degeneration, retinal damage, and cataracts (Kirschfeld, 1982; Beatty et al., 2000).

This might lead you to use any old eye drops from the pharmacy, only to find that these preservative-laden liquids actually irritate your eyes more. The Scope Ophthalmics range is different. Their HYLO® and Hycosan® ranges include preservative free lubricants and the OPTASE® Eyecare Range, for relief from occasional dry eyes as well as Dry Eye Disease, blepharitis (eyelid inflammation), and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) which affects tear production.

The modern assault on healthy eyes

The average person spends a whopping 11 hours a day in front of screens that put out damaging blue light similar to that emitted by the sun (Nielsen, 2016). This intense light is filtered in the eye by carotenoid antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are particularly concentrated in the macula, which is part of the retina. All that blue light can overwhelm these natural filters though, leading to short and long-term vision problems.

Staring at screens also alters the rate at which we blink, which means eyes don’t get lubricated and cleaned by our tears and eyelids as often as they should. The result is gritty, itchy, irritated eyes. And if you’re a contact lens wearer, well, ouch.

Scope Ophthalmics OPTASE® range offers a 3-step regimen to tackle the causes and symptoms of common eye concerns. These preservative-free products are safe for daily use and suitable for contact lens wearers and are tried, tested, and recommended by health care professionals for all severities of dry eye symptoms.

The OPTASE® Dry Eye Spray offers immediate relief for dry and irritated eyes and eyelids, while the OPTASE® Moist Heat Mask also offers effective relief from dry eye as well as blepharitis, MGD, styes, and chalazion. This range also includes OPTASE® Tea Tree Oil Eye Lid Cleansing Gel and Tea Tree Oil Lid Wipes for gentle, preservative-free, daily eyelid hygiene. Finally, the OPTASE® range includes Omega Vision, a high DHA omega-3 supplement to support healthy visions.

Omega-3 and eye health

Studies have repeatedly shown significant improvements in the symptoms of dry eye syndrome when computer workers take the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) (Bhargava et al., 2015). A higher dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids was also associated with a 17% reduced risk of dry eye syndrome in women in a study using data from more than 32,000 women (Miljanovich et al., 2005).

People who have higher levels of fish oil in their diet have also been found to have a lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, with the cross-sectional population-based EUREYE study finding that eating oily fish at least once a week reduced the risk of one type of AMD by more than half (53%). Those with the highest DHA intakes had a 68% reduced risk of neovascular AMD, and those with the highest EPA intake had a 71% reduced risk (Augood et al., 2008).

In the Nurses’ Health Study, which looked at data from more than 71,000 women from 1984 to 2000, the women who ate fish three times a week had an 11% lower risk of developing cataracts than those eating fish just once a month. Women with the highest intake of EPA and DHA had a 12% lower risk of cataract extraction compared to the lowest intake group (Lu et al., 2005).

Lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health

Scope Ophthalmics also offer Actase™ Lutein ZA, a targeted eye supplement featuring lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc, vitamins C and E, and copper. Together, these nutrients help maintain healthy vision and offer antioxidant protection for delicate eye tissues.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are natural carotenoid pigments that concentrate in the macula and help filter blue light. A supplemental source of these nutrients is a must if you spend significant time in front of screens, but they’re also important for adults old and young who want to protect their eyes as they age.

The higher the level of these carotenoid pigments in the eyes, the better the protection against the negative effects of aging on vision (Kirschfeld, 1982; Beatty et al., 2000). A higher blood level or higher intake of lutein has also been linked to a 25% reduction in the risk of age-related cataracts (Cui et al., 2013; Liu et al., 2014), and one analysis found that 61-80-year-olds who had the highest long-term dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin had a 42% and 41% lower risk of age-related nuclear cataracts compared to the lowest intake group (Karppi et al., 2012).

Lutein and zeaxanthin have also been found to reduce the risk of requiring cataract surgery by 32% when taken at a dose of 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin daily (Chew et al., 2013). And a 15 mg dose of lutein three times a week for up to two years was linked to improved clarity of vision in people with grade 2 or 3 senile cataracts in one study (Olmedilla et al., 2013).

Lutein may also lessen the risk of AMD (Ma et al., 2012), and in people with AMD, taking 10-20 mg of lutein daily for up to three years led to improvement in glare recovery, near vision acuity, contrast sensitivity, and macular pigment optical density, which helps protect against further progression of AMD (Richer et al., 2004; Richer et al., 2007; Johnson et al., 2008; Connolly et al., 2011; Richer et al., 2011; Wang et al., 2014).

Specialist eyecare

Scope Ophthalmics is a brand focused (get it?) solely on eyecare, which means they also offer products for individuals recovering from eye surgery or with more severe eye concerns than the occasional bout of screen-related dry-eye. They Hycosan® range, for example, includes preservative-free lubricants as eye drops and eye cream for relief during the day and at night. Hycosan® Plus is tailored specifically for use to support natural healing of damaged eye surfaces after surgical procedures, eye injury, or from dry eyes.

Whatever your eye concerns, look to Scope Ophthalmics for support. This innovative brand offers a wide range of products, both topical and oral, to keep your peepers happy and healthy for many years to come.

 

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