Vision Health
Whether hunting, climbing, or just playing, our pets rely greatly on good vision in order to fulfil active and enjoyable lives.Whilst, as owners, we can often detect deterioration in other senses, such as hearing, it is difficult for us to determine when our companions’ sight begins to deteriorate.So it is particularly important to maximise nutritional support throughout their lives. As with ourselves, aging causes changes in the anatomy of the eye, as well as increasing the incidence of sight-related diseases, and nutrition can play an important role in reducing the risk.
A number of clinical studies have shown that long chain omega-3 fatty acids are essential for normal vision development in cats and dogs.During gestation, whilst the embryo is developing, the omega-3 status of the mother is important for the early development of optic tissues and nerves.These long chain omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA and EPA, are mainly found in fish oil and some algae, and are essential for the integrity of the outer sheaths surrounding the optic nerve.This nerve relays images from the eye to the brain and so sub-optimal levels of omega-3 can result in poor transmission of these signals, leading to blurred vision.Also, several studies suggest omega-3 fatty acids may help protect adult eyes from degeneration and driness.Essential fatty acids also may help proper drainage of intraocular fluid from the eye, decreasing the risk of high eye pressure and cataracts. 