Eye Health and Conditions
Healthy eyes, namely clear and excellent vision, free of pain or any other symptoms, are extremely important for a person’s well-being and health.
Nearly 25 million Americans deal with vision issue, says a survey carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While most of these issues are comparatively benign, including mild near-sightedness, however; other eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma can lead to vision loss and sometimes even blindness. Although the majority of the patients develop eye conditions in middle age, the symptoms are not prevalent until later on, with the condition having advanced to a later stage and are much harder to treat. A few people do not even realize they are dealing with a vision problem right till their ophthalmologist diagnoses it after a routine screening or even an extensive dilated eye exam, checking the optic nerve, retina, and eye pressure.
With age, the chances of developing an eye issue rise. But a few other factors can further elevate the odds of developing vision issues in the future. For instance, African Americans and those with a family history of glaucoma are more likely to get the disease. People dealing with diabetes may have to deal with a condition known as diabetic retinopathy, which damages the retinas. By diagnosing eye diseases like these and then treating them quickly, it is estimated that almost half of all blindness and vision loss cases can be easily prevented.
What are the Major Symptoms of an Eye Condition?
Night Blindness
Anyone that has trouble seeing while it is dark, is dealing with a night vision problem. Typically, healthy eyes are able to easily adjust between dark and well-lit places, but a few eye issues can make it tough to do so.
Night vision issues can be an indicator of:
- Retinitis Pigmentosa
- Nystagmus
- Cataracts
Headaches
A headache can be described as pain in not just the head, but the neck, as well as the face. Typically, it is indicative of physical or emotional distress, including stress and high blood pressure. This condition can affect various parts of the head and neck, depending on the cause. A headache feels like a sharp pain, throbbing in the temples, or a dull ache. When over-the-counter medicines do not help deal with the headache or it persists for a long time, one needs to consult their doctor.
A persistent headache is generally associated with numerous eye problems, a few of which are viewed as eye emergencies. A few of the eye conditions which a headache typically indicates are:
- Refractive Error
- Angle-Closure Glaucoma
- Photokeratitis
- Migraine
Floaters
Floaters are dots, specks, webs, or lines that generally appear in the person’s field of vision. Although they are present in the front of the eye, they float inside the vitreous. The person sees shadows that are cast by small clumps of cells on the retina. Typically, these are harmless when in small amounts, usually fading away and going away in time. Eye health ingredients market These can be normally noticed when looking at a plain object, such as the sky or a blank wall.
But severe floaters can indicate a much bigger problem, including:
- Uveitis
- Eye Lymphoma
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Posterior Vitreous Detachment
- Torn or Detached Retina
Distorted or Blurred Vision
Distorted or blurred vision can be a very common symptom of various eye conditions. If a sudden change to the vision is noticed, one should visit their optometrist immediately. Common eye issues that can lead to distorted or blurred vision include:
- Refractive Error
- Astigmatism
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
- Cataracts
- Detached or Torn Retina
- Macular Edema
- Keratoconus
What are the Major Eye Health Ingredients?
Lutein
Lutein is one of the primary carotenoids with numerous anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that lutein has a number of beneficial effects, particularly for eye health. Lutein helps enhance or prevent the development of age-related macular disease, which is one of the top reasons for blindness as well as vision impairment. Moreover, various studies prove that lutein also has a positive impact on several clinical conditions, thereby ameliorating the person’s cognitive function, reducing the risk of cancer, and elevating the cardiovascular health.
Beta-Carotene
Beta-carotene is one of the subtypes of vitamin A called carotenoid (a dark-colored pigment). There are more than 500 carotenoid types, other than beta-carotene. Each of these is found in vegetables, fruits, and other food products.
Research shows that beta-carotene has numerous benefits for vision:
- Bringing down the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
- Preventing night blindness.
- Improving retinitis pigmentosa (RP)
- Preventing dry eyes.
Zeaxanthin
Studies reveal that zeaxanthin helps bring down oxidative stress as well as damage to the eye with the absorption of blue light, which ultimately decreases inflammation as well as the risk of eye disease. As a matter of fact, the majority of the light-exposed layers in the eye have nearly 75% zeaxanthin which helps absorbs close to 90% of the blue light to safeguard the retina from any kind of light-induced damage.
Cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma are the major eye conditions brought on by damage to the eyes’ nerves owing to high blood sugar levels, which generally affects people with diabetes. This ingredient’s antioxidant properties reduce inflammation within the eye, protect the macula from damage and prevent oxidative stress. Zeaxanthin also facilitates eye development in fetuses, along with optimal vision in young adulthood.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a crucial component that facilitates good vision. It is part of the protein rhodopsin, which helps the eye see even in low-light conditions. The American Academy of Ophthalmology says that deficiency of vitamin A can cause night blindness.
Eye Health Ingredients Market Status Quo
Busy and hectic life schedules combined with a high exposure rate to toxic materials leave an adverse impact on people’s eyesight, which results in an unhealthy vision. Rising need to maintain the “20/20” eyesight fosters the demand for a variety of eye health ingredients.
Surging consumer demand for vision sustenance in line with the mounting number of growing age-related eye diseases enhances the eye health ingredients market share as well. Some of the major eye health issues include age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts, which are escalating in number and will, therefore, benefit the worldwide market. Experts say that AMD disorder leads to cancer in over 50% of the cases in the United States.
Surge in consumer expenditure with respect to nutritional products and regulatory support for a number of OTC supplements positively affects the global market too. Industry payers are introducing different varieties of dietary supplements in the market, depending on consumer preferences. Television, magazines, articles, ad campaigns and the internet are some of the top influencing mediums that foster consumer interest in eye health supplements demand.