Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “I have glaucoma and have had surgery in the past. I now suffer from dry eyes. Is there anything I can take to help with the dryness and burning I feel?” — Pat D., Idaho Falls, ID

A. Dear Pat, Your eyes depend on constant moisture and lubrication to maintain vision and comfort. Nothing is more uncomfortable than having red, itchy, irritated eyes.

While I have some safe and effective nutrients that can help you, I do encourage you to consult with your healthcare practitioner. I can make some recommendations, but that never replaces a doctor’s care and oversight.

For eye dryness, I recommend trying Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) oil. The fruit of the sea buckthorn, a hardy plant native to Europe and Asia, has been called a “nutrient bomb” because it is so rich in flavonoids, vitamins, and other beneficial compounds. The seeds contain exceptionally high omega fatty acids, including the rare Omega-7 fatty acid (palmitoleic acid). There are excellent studies showing that taken internally, sea buckthorn oil can help to reduce dryness of the eyes, in addition to other mucous membranes. There are also clinical studies using sea buckthorn oil for Sjögren’s syndrome, which is a difficult autoimmune disease that causes excessive mucous membrane (especially mouth and eye) dryness. I would suggest taking 2 softgels of sea buckthorn oil twice daily. You may reduce later as desired to 1 softgel twice daily.

To further improve your overall eye health, I would also recommend adding a good B-Complex – 50 mg per capsule of all the B vitamins – to your daily regimen. Take 1 capsule twice daily. When choosing a formula, look for one that contains the bioactive form of vitamin B6, which is pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P) and vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally