Blackmores Institute

“Eye care clinicians have an important role in informing their patients and the public about modifiable risk factors for ocular disease, including diet. Optometrists, as major providers of primary eye care in Australia and New Zealand, are ideally positioned to counsel patients about the benefits and risks of nutritional supplements and their potential impact on eye health,” the authors explained.The anonymous, web-based survey distributed to optometrists in Australia and New Zealand from June to October 2019 through professional organisations found, of the 206 responses analysed, 79 percent of respondents indicated that they recommend the consumption of omega-3s to patients, in either supplement form or from food sources, to improve eye health with the remaining 21 percent indicating that they did not make any recommendations to their patients regarding omega-3s.With Dry Eye Disease (DED) one of the most common reasons for patients to seek ophthalmic care, diets rich in long-chain omega-3s have been suggested to provide long-term benefits for several chronic ocular conditions, including DED and age-related macular degenerations (AMD).“DED can impose a significant burden on quality of life and is associated with substantial direct and indirect health costs. The condition is characterised by a loss of tear film homeostasis and potential disruption to ocular surface integrity and is commonly associated with ocular surface inflammation. Dietary modification with omega-3s is thought to reduce DED symptoms and signs by modulating ocular surface inflammation and improving tear-lipid profiles,” the authors said.According to the study, of the majority of respondents, 50 percent self-declared an interest in DED with other areas interest ranging from ocular surface disease, retinal disease, gerontology or aged care. “Optometrists who declared a clinical interest in DED or ocular surface disease were twice as likely to recommend omega-3s to their patients (95% CI: 1.05–5.2) than those without such interests. Interestingly, respondents who recognised that omega-3s have potential side effects were approximately four times more likely to recommend their use.“While this might initially seem counterintuitive, it may be a testament to optometrists being cautious prescribers, and a likelihood that clinicians with greater awareness about the safety profile of omega-3s are also more likely to be knowledgeable about their benefits. More extensive knowledge may bring about greater confidence in making clinical dietary recommendations,” the authors reported.Claiming to be the first study to consider clinicians’ awareness and routine practices relating to omega-3 in primary health care, the authors focussed on omega-3s for this survey based on their reported potential to improve outcomes in certain chronic ocular conditions, such as DED and AMD. “This information will be of value for informing future education programs about eye health and nutrition, particularly at events such as clinical education conferences that were reported to form the main source of information used by optometrists to guide clinical decision-making.” “The current findings provide new insights into optometrists’ understanding of current research evidence relating to omega-3s in the context of eye health, and their self-reported application of this knowledge in practice. Furthermore, this survey considered the sources of information and evidence used to guide optometrists’ clinical decision-making as a foundation for informing the optimal mode(s) of delivering future education programs relating to nutrition in eye care practice,” the authors concluded.Source:
 Nutrients. 2020. DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12041179">10.3390/nu12041179</a>

Australian and New Zealand researchers have found that optometrists routinely make clinical recommendations about diet and omega-3 fatty acids and are ideally positioned to counsel patients on the benefits and risks of supplementation, according to the results of an online survey of optometrists in both countries.

Recommended for you

Algae Oil | The original omega-3 source

From Traditional Medicine to Modern Therapeutics | Natural approaches to blood glucose control

Citicoline | Supporting the foundations of cognitive function

Optimising exercise performance