12 Ways to treat keratoconus naturally

This is a progressive eye disease in which the normally round cornea thins and it begins to bulge into a cone-like shape. This shape of the cornea deflects light as it enters the eye on its way to the retina (which is light sensitive) and this is causing distorted vision [1]. This condition can happen in one or both eyes and it often begins during the teens or early 20s.

When your cornea becomes more irregular in shape, then it causes progressive nearsightedness and irregular astigmatism to develop which is creating additional problems with blurred and distorted vision. Also, light and glare sensitivity can happen. It is known that in many cases, people who suffer from keratoconus experience changes in their eyeglass prescription every time when they visit their eye care practitioner.

There are some studies in which it said that the weakening of the corneal tissue can lead to keratoconus and this can be caused by an imbalance of enzymes within the cornea. It is known that the previously mentioned imbalance in the cornea is making your cornea more susceptible to oxidative damage from compounds that are called free radicals and they are causing the cornea to weaken and bulge forward.

The genetic predisposition is a risk factor for oxidative damage and weakening of the cornea and this explains why this condition can affect more than one member of the family. Also, this condition is associated with chronic eye irritation, a history of poorly fitted contact lenses, excessive eye rubbing, and overexposure to ultraviolet rays.

You need to talk with your doctor if you suffer from keratoconus before you start using some of the below-mentioned home remedies for this condition. Here are some home remedies for keratoconus:

Focusing is good in Keratoconus

There are some studies in which are shown that the irregular light reflections in the eye, often result in double and multiple vision problems in the single eye (known as monocular and polyopia diplopia) in the keratoconus. It is known that the early stages of these conditions can be slowed through swaying exercises that harness the focusing ability of the eye muscles.

To do this exercise, you should stand with your feet length – apart, and then you should choose an object in the distance as a focal point, and then you should sway from side to side and you should focus your eyes on that object as your vision passes by.

Omega – 3 fatty acids beneficial for Keratoconus

These are beneficial fatty acids for the health of eyes [2]. You should consume foods that are rich in Omega – 3 fatty acids, such as salmon, sardines, herring, and tuna. It is recommended having two servings per week.

Strengthening

This condition results in the eye’s inability to bend and focus light clearly on the retina or it results in refractive visual errors. The common refraction in the keratoconus is myopia which is commonly known as nearsightedness and this result in visual acuity loss.

There are some studies in which it said that team and racket sports can improve the overall visual activity and they can give you relief from myopia by revving up your peripheral vision skills, depth perception, visual memory, and reaction time, and eye-tracking.

Palming

The sensitivity to light and the blurred vision are often accompanying the early stages of keratoconus. The mentioned symptoms of keratoconus develop from astigmatism which is caused by the shifting of the cornea from a round to cone shape. The eye exercise known as palming can help you to get relief from astigmatism by reducing the eye strain [3].

To do this type of exercise, you should sit or lie in a comfortable position and then place your right and left palm over your right and left eye. You should relax and you should be sure that there is no seeping light and you should breathe deeply 5 – 10 minutes.

Wear sunglasses with UV protection

It is known that overexposure to sunlight can cause or worsen the keratoconus. When you are going outside, then you should protect your eyes with sunglasses that block 99 – 100% of the UV rays. You need to find products that are labeled for UV protection. Also you can ask your pharmacist or doctor to recommend you protective eyewear.

Avoid rubbing your eyes

When you are rubbing your eyes, then it can damage the corneal tissue and it can worsen the keratoconus. If you have persistently itchy eyes, then you should use non – medicated artificial tears or saline eye drops instead of rubbing them.

Avoid microwaves

It is known that the leakage from the microwave ovens is a direct cause of cataracts so you need to avoid peeking into the oven door window while you are cooking. Also, the food proteins exposed to microwaves can become toxic to the lens and they are made up mostly of proteins.

Antioxidants

It is known that the nutrients which you get from the foods that you consume, will not help the keratoconus caused by eye rubbing, genetics, or hormones [4]. Foods that are rich in antioxidants can help to reduce the rate of cell damage that is caused by oxidative stress. You should include foods that have some of the following antioxidants: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, lutein, selenium, and beta carbonate.

Try taking Vitamin D supplements

It is recommended to take 2000 – 4000 IU of Vitamin D because this can slow the progression of keratoconus. There are many cases when patients are taking much more than the recommended dosage of this supplement so you need to talk with your doctor about the best dosage before you try using it because it may cause you some side effects [5].

Dietary choices

If you suffer from keratoconus, you need to talk with your doctor about the diet plant. If he or she thinks that your diet can help you to reduce the rate of tissue destruction, then he or she will help you to formulate a dietary plan in which are included antioxidants. The best sources of beta carotene are papaya, spinach, and carrots. The best sources of selenium are tuna, eggs, and Brazil nuts.

Foods that are rich in lutein are yellow corn, kale, and spinach. You can choose from a variety of nuts and seeds, such as almonds and sunflower seeds if you want to get Vitamin E. The best sources of Vitamin C are bananas, apples, spinach, and oranges. It is a known fact that dietary modifications are not the treatment or cure for keratoconus and you need to follow your doctor’s recommendations for the treatment.

You should not rely on your diet to treat the keratoconus. Also, you should not make extreme changes to your diet without talking with your doctor. Your doctor will evaluate your plans to ensure that you will have an adequate intake of all nutrients to maintain the health of your entire body.

Also, your doctor can recommend you to take supplements that have antioxidants because in this way he or she will be sure that you have the right intake each day.

Riboflavin

This vitamin is also known as Vitamin B2. It can provide benefits to your vision and also it will improve the production of other vitamins which can benefit the rest of your body, such as Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B6. This vitamin can help your body’s cells to produce energy from the intake of carbohydrates, fats, and protein.

You should consume foods that have riboflavin as their components, such as cuttlefish, fish (such as salmon, squid, and trout), pork, cottage cheese, milk, pasta (egg noodles), mushrooms, and spinach.

Drink more milk and take a calcium supplement

It is a known fact that a diet that is low in calcium and other nutrients can lead to keratoconus or it can worsen its symptoms. This is a reason why you should drink two to three glasses of milk on daily basis. In this way, you will meet your daily calcium requirement. Also, you can talk with your doctor if you can take 500 – 1000 mg of calcium supplements on daily basis.

Also, you should consume foods that have calcium in it, such as soybeans, kale, spinach, yogurt, and cheese. You need to talk with your doctor before you start using calcium supplements because he or she will tell you which the best dosage for you is.

Manage your allergies, if you have any

You should try to manage any allergies you have even if they do not directly affect your eyes. Also, skin and food allergies can cause eye inflammation and they can be related to keratoconus so you need to avoid those irritants.

Exercise every day

It is very important to get twenty minutes of aerobic exercise on daily basis. You can go swimming, walking or other sports or activities in which you enjoy.

References:

[1] Rabinowitz YS. Keratoconus. Survey of Ophthalmology. 1998;42(4):297-319.

[2] Hodge W, Barnes D, Schachter HM, et al. Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on eye health: Summary. In AHRQ Evidence Report Summaries. 1998-2005.

[3] Kim SD. Effects of yogic eye exercises on eye fatigue in undergraduate nursing students. Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 2016;28(6):1813-15.

[4] National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Antioxidants and health. Retrieved from nccih.nih.gov/sites/nccam.nih.gov/files/Antioxidants_09-15-2015.pdf

[5] Cannell J. Comparing 2,000 IU/day vs. 5,000 IU/day vitamin D supplementation. 2012. Retrieved from www.vitamindcouncil.org/comparing-2000-iuday-vs-5000-iuday-vitamin-d-supplementation/#.XaLK–gzbQA

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