Can gut health affect your eyes?
Over the past few decades, research has uncovered how the gut microbiome connects to and affects every other part of the body. So it shouldn’t be surprising that gut health can affect your eyes, as well.
In this article, we will explore how the gut and eyes affect one another in addition to what eye conditions are linked to gut health. Then we will give you a few suggestions on what you can do to improve your gut health to maintain eye health.
Can gut health affect your eyes
What is gut health and how does it affect the body?
When talking about gut health, we are referring to your gut microbiome. Your gut microbiome resides in your large intestines and consists of trillions of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, etc.
These microorganisms assist your body in fermenting foods that are difficult for your body to digest. As they ferment the foods, they release molecules to help maintain your health. They extract vitamins and minerals and send them into your bloodstream to transport them where they are needed throughout your body.
Without the gut microbiome, getting the full benefits of the food we eat is impossible. The gut microbiome is what keeps our immune system working at its best and what keeps us healthy and safe.
The molecules released by gut bacteria can help to:
- Repair damaged tissues
- Clear out dead cells
- Provide nutrition to cells so they function properly
- Communicate to other cells and organs that they need to release different chemicals for different reasons
- Help to maintain the health of tissues and organs
Your gut microbiome is referred to as your second brain because it has so much influence on the processes in your body. It also houses your immune system and many of the sites that release neurotransmitters to improve your brain health and function.
How does your gut affect your eyes?
Many eye conditions are a result of inflammation. Since the gut controls inflammation, it makes sense that it has a role in the development of eye-related inflammation and conditions.
Gut dysbiosis happens when there is an imbalance of microbes within the gut. When a higher quantity of unhealthy bacteria begins to take over they disrupt the intestinal wall/barrier. This allows bacteria to cross over and free-float throughout the body. This activates the immune system (and therefore inflammation).
The free-floating bacteria can take root in other parts of the body — the eyes being one of them which can lead to some of the following conditions. If they are autoimmune conditions, they can also be a result of the breach of the intestinal barrier and free-floating bacteria.
Autoimmune uveitis
Autoimmune uveitis is a condition that causes blurring of the vision. If left untreated it can cause total blindness. With this condition, the uvea in the eye becomes inflamed causing alterations to vision.
Symptoms can include blurred vision, seeing floating spots, eye pain, and headaches.
Typical treatment depends on if you have autoimmune uveitis or infectious uveitis. For infectious uveitis, you will often need to take a corticosteroid to control the inflammation. Unfortunately, this is too aggressive of a treatment for autoimmune or chronic uveitis. Treatment will instead be based on the presenting symptoms of the patient at the time.
However, research related to the microbiome and its effects on eye health has shown that taking SCFA supplements or eating foods that provide you with more SCFA in addition to probiotics appears to help control uveitis in both forms.
Age-related macular degeneration (amd)
Age-related macular degeneration is a condition that affects the retina within the eye. The inflammation leads to blurred vision and can result in blindness. and generally affects people 65 and older.
In this condition, abnormal blood vessels grow into the macular area of the retina. They can leak and cause blurring vision.
Typical treatments for amd include medications and dietary changes.
There has been a link between certain gut bacteria levels and amd. And the dietary changes promote eye and gut health. Avoiding high-fat and high-sugar diets in addition to smoking can help slow the progression of amd.
In addition, adding the following to your diet (when okayed by your physician) can also help:
- Vitamin C, D, and E
- Beta-carotene
- Zinc
- Lutein
- Zeaxanthin
- Probiotics
Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG)
Glaucoma is a condition in which your eye develops neuropathy that affects your peripheral vision. It is a progressive condition that can end up causing blindness.
What is interesting about glaucoma is that 2 variants have a very strong connection with the bacteria H. pylori. People with POAG or normal-tension glaucoma have a higher incidence of H. pylori infections. They also found that people with oral dysbiosis (an imbalance of the microbes in the mouth) have a much higher incidence of glaucoma.
This research is still novel and suggestions on how to help are still in the works. But this is the beginning of information that can be greatly helpful to those with glaucoma or a higher chance of getting it.
Dry eye and contact-wearing
Dry eye disease is often brought about by chronic contact lens wear. Interestingly there are specific bacteria found on the surface of the eye with this diagnosis. Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, and Propionibacterium are all associated with ocular microbiota impairment.
It was found that using eye drops containing Lactobacillus acidophilus helped to improve this condition and restore the ocular surface.
Chalazion
A chalazion is a red bump on your eyes. It is caused by inflammation of the meibomian gland. It is a very common eye condition and has been found to be easily treated by oral probiotic supplementation.
How can I improve my gut health to improve my eye health?
There are many ways to improve your gut health and subsequently your eye health. Some of the best ways to do this outside of dietary improvements include:
- Keeping good hygiene
- Having a healthy sleep/wake schedule and sticking to it
- Getting frequent exercise
- Reducing stress levels
- Kicking bad habits like smoking, drinking, or drugs
- Taking Atrantil to support your gut health
- Dietary alterations
Dietary alterations are the best way to support your gut and total body health. Making sure to include the following into your diet will ensure healthy eyes and body.
- Probiotics (specifically spore-based)
- Prebiotics (found in Atrantil)
- Polyphenols (also found in Atrantil)
- Red and orange fruits and vegetables (they contain the highest quantities of carotenoids and beta-carotene)
- Green leafy vegetables
- Fish
Reducing your chances of related disorders like diabetes, obesity, and others is the best way to improve your eye health long-term.
Want to try Atrantil to improve your gut health? Grab yours here!