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A humble micro-algae produces a powerful antioxidant:  astaxanthin.  It does so to protect itself from ultraviolet radiation. Research shows that astaxanthin protects the human eyes and brain from serious diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, as well as conditions like computer eye strain and eye fatigue (asthenopia)¹. Astaxanthin supplements are easy to take with no side effects. They are especially helpful as people age and begin to develop serious chronic conditions.
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Electronics have become primary obsessions in our personal and work lives. This has lead to nearly everyone becoming susceptible to Computer Vision Syndrome. Symptoms include dry eyes, eye strain, blurred vision, headaches, double vision, difficulty in concentrating, fatigue and/or and head, neck and shoulder pain.

Additionally, heavy computer use has been associated with glaucoma¹ Electronics screens emit blue light that can damage the retina, leading to macular degeneration.² Close-up work is associated with myopia (nearsightedness).³

How Prevalent Is Computer Eye Syndrome?

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Your body is 1/1000th taurine, a chemical essential to life. The amino acid taurine is crucial for vision.  It supports function of the heart, skeletal muscle, and the central nervous system.[1] The pancreas produces taurine, and taurine is a major component of digestive bile. The chemical can be ingested from meats, fish and supplements, such as pills and energy drinks.

In the 1970s, experiments on animals deprived of taurine found they did not develop proper vision. Since then,
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A type of algae offers hope of restoring sight to patients with retinal diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. Chlamydomona reinhardtii green algae uses a protein called Channelrhodopsin-2. This protein sits on the membrane of algae and opens or closes a tunnel-like structure in response to light. In essence, it detects light and transmits that information via electricity.

The research by Dr. Zhou-Hua Pan from Wayne State University could, in the future, provide vision restoration
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Taking saffron pills improved the visual acuity of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients in a small study. Macular degeneration is the gradual deterioration of the small, yellow-colored part of the eye near the center of the retina.

Saffron contains carotenoids called crocin and crocetin. These antioxidants have been shown to have a protective effect on retinal cells.
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Myopia, also called “nearsightedness,” is a common eye condition that requires correction with eye glasses. If severe, it can lead to serious eye conditions. Myopia is a refractive error in which close objects are clear, but distant objects are blurry. This is because the refracted image is in focus in front of the retina. Typically, the myopic eye is elongated; however, myopia can also be caused by a distorted cornea.

This disorder affects around 33% of the population of the United States. In some East Asian countries, over 90% of the population is myopic.[1] It is typically detected in children
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Dark circles under the eyes can make you  feel like you look tired or old.  They are a major cosmetic concern for both men and women, although women seem to feel the weight of the problem. They are a difficult issue to address because they are caused by a variety of conditions – some of which do not respond well to treatment, diet or lifestyle factors.

Scientists can measure skin color in order to accurately determine degree of changes using a spectral imaging camera that detects skin chromophores – the parts of molecules that determine its color.  This improvement on contact-type spectrophotometers allows better evaluation of skin color.
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Clinical trials are underway for an implantable device that delivers medication directly to the eyes of people with age-related macular degeneration. Current treatment involves eye injections every four-to-eight weeks, which is difficult to comply with and can create complications. The new technology is a tiny device that is put into the eye and lasts up to 2 years, reducing or eliminating the need for the injections. The devices are being developed by Cumberland, Rhode Island-based Neurotech.
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Experiments on mice show promise for a treatment that expresses a light-sensitive human protein, called rod opsin, on the undamaged retinal cells. These cells are turned into photoreceptors, which allow vision.

Retinitis pigmentosa is a group of eye disorders that appear to be genetic. This eye disease is a major cause of vision loss and blindness.
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Women with specific genes may be more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD) if they are deficient in Vitamin D, according to new research in JAMA Ophthalmology.

The genetic variant (Y402H) studied is the complement factor H gene, called CFH for short. The genes in question are related to the immune system. The development of macular degeneration is believed to involve inflammation. In AMD, drusen, lipids (fats) and proteins build up in the eye. The body perceives the drusen to be an invader and attacks it. The genes appear to cause a stronger immune response.
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