Episode 3: Optometry Focus - Nutritional Boost with Iain Johnson

Are you wondering how nutrition fits into dry eye management? In the third episode of EyeConnect, "Nutritional Boost," Dr. Byki Huntjens speaks with Iain Johnson, an optometrist who specialises in advanced contact lens fitting and dry eye management, about integrating nutritional guidance and supplements into dry eye care strategies. Discover the value of nutritional education for your dry eye patients and learn how diet and supplementation can support ocular surface health. In this episode, you'll learn: How inflammation and oxidative stress, influenced by diet (particularly the typical Western diet), play a significant role in dry eye. Why omega-3 fatty acids, and maintaining the balance with omega-6, are key nutrients to emphasise for dry eye patients. Specific guidance on omega-3 supplementation, including aiming for over 1000mg total of EPA and DHA. Crucial factors to consider when advising on or stocking supplements, such as the quality and form (like the triglyceride or re-esterified triglyceride forms, avoiding ethyl esters) for better absorption, and the value of third-party testing. Practical advice for patients who prefer not to take supplementation, including increasing oily fish intake (e.g., 2 portions a week) and reducing consumption of processed foods high in pro-inflammatory omega-6. The potential benefits of a broader healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet, for overall eye health and potentially dry eye, including the concept of using a Mediterranean diet scoring system (Medi score). Insights into emerging research linking the gut microbiome to dry eye. Gain valuable knowledge to provide a nutritional boost to your dry eye management strategies and help your patients improve their ocular surface health.