Can I take a food supplement for glaucoma? 

In the UK, three-quarters of adults take at least one food supplement, spending more than £1.5 billion each year. But can supplements help with glaucoma? Read on to find out.

The honest, and frustrating, answer is that we do not know. For now, the only proven treatments for glaucoma are those prescribed by eye doctors.

There is some evidence that certain supplements may help manage glaucoma. But most of it comes from tests on cells in a lab, on animals or on small groups of people. We cannot yet say how much these supplements help people with glaucoma. And we cannot say what doses are effective and safe.

To answer these questions, we need more research. But the good news is that this research is in progress. For example, there is some early evidence that nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3) may help protect the optic nerve. The Glaucoma UK professor, Ted Garway Heath, is leading a large trial of nicotinamide for people with glaucoma. There are other similar trials around the world. But search online, and you’ll find many bold claims about supplements to support or ‘cure’ people with glaucoma. How do you make sense of all the claims? If you’re thinking of trying a supplement, how do you make smart choices and stay safe?

Know the risks

Natural does not always mean safe or effective.

Quality

If you buy food supplements online, they may not meet UK standards. They may have more or less of the active ingredient than they should. They may have other harmful ingredients.

Quantity

Taking too much of a supplement can be harmful. For example, high doses of some vitamins can damage your liver.

Interactions

Supplements can affect each other, foods and medicines. They may cause a medicine to work less well or increase the risk of side effects. Some supplements may be unsafe if you have certain health conditions, such as liver disease or problems with your heart or blood pressure.

Money

Supplements can be expensive. You could spend a lot of money on something that does not work or is harmful.

Beware of misleading or false information

People sometimes accidentally give misleading or false information. Others do so on purpose. Artificial intelligence (AI) also sometimes gives misleading or false information.

Before buying, check:

  • Can you trust the source? Do they have the right training, expertise, registrations and motives?
  • Who can you ask for trusted advice? What does your eye doctor say?
  • Does the source take information out of context to grab your attention or mislead you?
  • Are claims backed up by high-quality, up-to-date scientific evidence from multiple sources? What evidence can you find elsewhere for or against the claims?
  • How does the information fit with what you already know?
  • Is the information playing on your emotions or trying to shock or frighten you?

Buy and try safely

If you decide to try a supplement, make sure that you do so safely.

  • Talk about it with your doctors, including your eye doctor. Tell them about all supplements, prescription medicines and over-the-counter medicines you take.
  • Always go to your eye clinic appointments.
  • Keep using any prescribed eye drops and other medicines unless your doctor tells you to stop.
  • Buy from a reputable supplier, not from an unknown one.
  • Read the label. Check the dose and the expiry date.

Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

For more information, call our helpline on 01233 648 170, email he******@******ma.uk or talk to your eye doctor.