Nutritears is described as a combination of lutein and zeaxanthin isomers, curcuminoids, and vitamin D3, and will officially launch later this year, said the company in a press release.
According to the National Eye Institute, dry eyes occur when we don’t make enough tears to keep the corneas wet, or when those tears don’t work as they should. The 2013 US National Health and Wellness Survey noted that 16.4 million people in the US suffer from dry eyes symptoms.
The formulation’s efficacy is supported by data from a recent study published in Ophthalmology and Therapy, which included 60 people with mild to moderate dry eye syndrome (DES). The participants were randomly assigned to receive either Nutritears (20 mg lutein, 4 mg zeaxanthin, 200 mg curcuminoids, and 600IU of vitamin D3) or placebo after breakfast for eight weeks.
The results showed that participants in the Nutritears group experienced significant improvements in a range of measures for DES, including tear production, tear stability, tear quality, and tear osmolarity. Also, reductions in ocular inflammation and ocular surface damage were detected, compared with placebo. Some of the improvements were observed within two weeks of supplementation.
In addition, the use of artificial tears was significantly reduced in the Nutritears group, decreasing from by over 75% from 2.47 times per day at the start of the study to 0.73 times per day by the end of the study. On the other hand, use of artificial tears in the placebo group remained largely unchanged during the course of the study.
The researchers also reported that the formulation is safe and well tolerated.
“Our proprietary consumer insights showed that more than 70% of those surveyed perceive supplements to be more effective or just as effective compared to their current therapy (such as eye drops) for managing multiple aspects of occasional dry eye,” said Isabel Lucas, Director of Product Launch and Marketing Excellence. “There is a clear need in the market and Nutritears creates new opportunities for our customers by delivering an innovative, clinically-demonstrated solution.”
Deshanie Rai, PhD, VP of Global Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at OmniActive, added: “Considering the multifactorial nature of occasional dry eyes, a multi-modal nutritional approach is relevant. Using our Integrated Actives platform, we selected three bioactives based how they work from a mechanism of action perspective to address the multifactorial nature of occasional dry eyes in the convenience of one softgel.”
Source: Ophthalmology and Therapy
Published online, doi: 10.1007/s40123-021-00357-y
“A Novel Multi-Ingredient Supplement Reduces Inflammation of the Eye and Improves Production and Quality of Tears in Humans”
Authors: P. Radkar, et al.