About this Research Topic
Despite extensive research into the role of nutrition and diet for human health, the potential impact of what we eat on what we see, is often overlooked. Yet, living and working later into life, the frequency of eye diseases and age-related ocular conditions is on the rise. This includes cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), all of which are some of the leading causes of blindness worldwide. Furthermore, with growing cases of diabetes and obesity, retinal damage caused by diabetic retinopathy is becoming an increasingly global problem.
Such conditions are multifactorial and complex. Nevertheless, studies have demonstrated a clear involvement of oxidative stress and free-radical damage as causative to these conditions. Various nutrients have therefore been investigated for their potential preventative and therapeutic applications in the protection of retinal cells and overall eye health. Dietary antioxidants – such as vitamin E, the carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, and retinoids – play a crucial role in protecting the eyes from UV sunlight damage and are linked with reduced risk of cataracts and AMD. Other nutrients such as zinc, iron, selenium, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin C have also been implicated in eye health, with the latter of particular interest in glaucoma prevention and treatment.
Vitamin A in particular has been linked extensively with healthy vision. In low-income countries where vitamin A deficiency is rife due to malnutrition, visual impairment is common with many children suffering from blindness and night blindness. Consequently, vitamin A supplementation in lower-income countries has become a crucial strategy for ensuring good vision on a global scale.
This Research Topic therefore seeks to raise awareness of the critical role that a healthy diet can play in maintaining eye health, and preventing and treating ocular disturbances and diseases. We welcome investigation into specific nutrients and their mechanisms of action, along with the potential of certain dietary patterns (e.g., DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), ketogenic diets, plant-based diets, Mediterranean diets) to influence eye health. Bringing together researchers from various disciplines, we hope to provide the latest updates for developing tailored and appropriate nutrition guidance and interventions for promoting healthy vision and preventing vision-related disorders. Potential article themes of interest include:
• The role of different nutrients and food-derived compounds on vision, along with prevention and treatment of ocular diseases and retinal degeneration
• Mechanisms and metabolic pathways by which diet and nutrition may influence eye health (e.g., oxidative stress, inflammation and so forth).
• Links between dietary patterns (e.g., DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), ketogenic diets, plant-based diets, Mediterranean diets), healthy vision, and ocular diseases.
• Epidemiological evidence regarding potential associations between eye health and nutrition in both lower and higher income contexts.
• Potential benefits and risks associated with supplementation of nutrients (e.g., Vitamins carotenoids, retinoids, omega-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, polyphenols) for preserving eye health, including investigations of supplement efficacy on individual (clinical) and population (epidemiological) levels.
• Interactions between nutrition and other factors that may impact eye health and disease – for example; genetic predisposition, microbiota, and so forth.
• Nutrition interventions for managing ocular diseases in human clinical trials and animal models of ocular diseases.
• Influence of diet and nutrition in other eye-related and visual disturbances (e.g., dry eye syndrome).
• Recent advances in technology and devices to measure and quantify the ocular protective nutrients (such as carotenoids, retinoids, omega-3 fatty acids) in the eye
• Screening of food products rich in ocular protective nutrients (such as carotenoids, retinoids, omega-3 fatty acids) in the eye
Dr. Pinakin Davey is part-time employed by EyePromise, a company that has also previously provided financial support to Western University of Health Sciences (no active funding). All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.
Such conditions are multifactorial and complex. Nevertheless, studies have demonstrated a clear involvement of oxidative stress and free-radical damage as causative to these conditions. Various nutrients have therefore been investigated for their potential preventative and therapeutic applications in the protection of retinal cells and overall eye health. Dietary antioxidants – such as vitamin E, the carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, and retinoids – play a crucial role in protecting the eyes from UV sunlight damage and are linked with reduced risk of cataracts and AMD. Other nutrients such as zinc, iron, selenium, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin C have also been implicated in eye health, with the latter of particular interest in glaucoma prevention and treatment.
Vitamin A in particular has been linked extensively with healthy vision. In low-income countries where vitamin A deficiency is rife due to malnutrition, visual impairment is common with many children suffering from blindness and night blindness. Consequently, vitamin A supplementation in lower-income countries has become a crucial strategy for ensuring good vision on a global scale.
This Research Topic therefore seeks to raise awareness of the critical role that a healthy diet can play in maintaining eye health, and preventing and treating ocular disturbances and diseases. We welcome investigation into specific nutrients and their mechanisms of action, along with the potential of certain dietary patterns (e.g., DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), ketogenic diets, plant-based diets, Mediterranean diets) to influence eye health. Bringing together researchers from various disciplines, we hope to provide the latest updates for developing tailored and appropriate nutrition guidance and interventions for promoting healthy vision and preventing vision-related disorders. Potential article themes of interest include:
• The role of different nutrients and food-derived compounds on vision, along with prevention and treatment of ocular diseases and retinal degeneration
• Mechanisms and metabolic pathways by which diet and nutrition may influence eye health (e.g., oxidative stress, inflammation and so forth).
• Links between dietary patterns (e.g., DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), ketogenic diets, plant-based diets, Mediterranean diets), healthy vision, and ocular diseases.
• Epidemiological evidence regarding potential associations between eye health and nutrition in both lower and higher income contexts.
• Potential benefits and risks associated with supplementation of nutrients (e.g., Vitamins carotenoids, retinoids, omega-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, polyphenols) for preserving eye health, including investigations of supplement efficacy on individual (clinical) and population (epidemiological) levels.
• Interactions between nutrition and other factors that may impact eye health and disease – for example; genetic predisposition, microbiota, and so forth.
• Nutrition interventions for managing ocular diseases in human clinical trials and animal models of ocular diseases.
• Influence of diet and nutrition in other eye-related and visual disturbances (e.g., dry eye syndrome).
• Recent advances in technology and devices to measure and quantify the ocular protective nutrients (such as carotenoids, retinoids, omega-3 fatty acids) in the eye
• Screening of food products rich in ocular protective nutrients (such as carotenoids, retinoids, omega-3 fatty acids) in the eye
Dr. Pinakin Davey is part-time employed by EyePromise, a company that has also previously provided financial support to Western University of Health Sciences (no active funding). All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.
Keywords: eye health, glaucoma, macular degeneration, vitamin A, keratinocytes, diabetes, blindness, ocular health, age-related macular degeneration, AMD, Ophthalmology, optometry
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