EYE HEALTH - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Updated: 2 days ago
Vision and different eye issues come up often in our groups. Below is a condensed list of what is recommended most often to possibly help with various eye issues.
I found 3 great options on Fullscript that contain the most recommended ingredients, and all of them are 25% off with the Fullscript discount. Let me know if you need help accessing the discount. ❤️
Short on time or energy? A quick-view graphic with the key points is at the bottom of this post.
Product links are under WHERE TO BUY.
EYE HEALTH EDUCATION
TREATING WHAT'S BEHIND IT
Treating the Lyme and co-infections behind eye symptoms may help them ease. Talk with your Lyme-literate doctor about treatment.
- Dr. Bill Rawls shares that his blurry eye cleared as he kept taking his herbs (2022).
- In a 2025 study of people with eye problems from Bartonella, more eyes had good vision after antibiotics, most along with steroids.
Please also see an eye doctor to rule out other causes, as Dr. Rawls suggests.
EYE FORMULAS
These combination formulas contain many of the most recommended ingredients in one product.
1. DaVinci Labs Healthy Eyes
2. Pure Encapsulations Eye Protect Basics
3. Codeage Eyes Vitamins
TOP MENTIONS
1. Astaxanthin
In a 2025 study of children with eye strain from screens, astaxanthin eased eye strain more than a placebo. Several of the researchers work for the maker.
2. Bilberry
In a small 2024 study of 23 people over 50, a berry blend with bilberry improved close-up vision and a tear test. The researchers call these early results that need to be confirmed.
3. Eyebright
Studied only as eye drops so far, and a 2020 study in newborns found no clear benefit. I couldn't find studies of eyebright taken by mouth.
4. Fennel
A traditional herb. I couldn't find eye studies on it yet.
5. Ginkgo
Studied for glaucoma, but so far without a clear benefit (see below).
6. Lutein and zeaxanthin
Studied mostly for macular degeneration, with mixed results (see below). Dr. Rawls lists them first among nutrients for the eyes (2022).
7. Omega-3
Studied for dry eye, with mixed results (see below).
8. Vitamin A
Helps the retina and seeing in low light. Too little can cause night blindness and eye damage, though this is rare in the US.
9. Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Very low thiamine can harm the optic nerve and cause vision problems.
10. Vitamin C
11. Vitamin E
12. Zinc
Vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc are part of the formula studied in the large AREDS trials, which probably lowered the chance of macular degeneration getting worse in people who already had it.
NEXT IN LINE
These also come up in our groups. I haven't found studies of them helping the eyes yet, except triphala, which has only been studied in small traditional eye preparations.
- Bentonite
- Bromelain
- Calendula tea
- Goldenseal
- Grape seed extract
- Passionflower
- Triphala
OTHER OPTIONS LYME-LITERATE DOCTORS AND RESEARCH POINT TO
DRY, GRITTY OR TIRED EYES
1. Preservative-free artificial tears
Moisturizing eye drops are the first step for dry eyes. Some people are sensitive to the preservatives in bottled drops, so if yours bother you or aren't helping, try preservative-free ones.
2. Warm compresses and eyelid cleaning
Warmth helps the oil in your eyelid glands flow more easily. The NHS suggests a warm (not hot) cloth on closed eyes for 5 to 10 minutes, a gentle eyelid massage, then wiping along the lash line.
3. Screen breaks and blinking
The 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. In a small study, it eased eye strain and dry eye symptoms while people used reminders.
4. Moist air
A humidifier helps, and so does avoiding smoke, wind and air conditioning blowing on your face.
5. Drinking enough water
When the body runs low on water, tears can get saltier, and salty tears are a sign of dry eye (2021 review). I couldn't find studies testing extra water as a dry eye treatment yet.
ITCHY, RED OR WATERY EYES (HISTAMINE AND MAST CELLS)
1. Antihistamine or mast cell eye drops
Ask your doctor or pharmacist which is right for you. Drops that calm mast cells work best when started before you're around your triggers.
2. Cool compresses
Cool cloths can soothe itchy eyes.
3. Avoid your triggers
Common ones include dust, pollen and mold.
LIGHT SENSITIVITY
1. FL-41 tinted lenses
In a small 2024 study, most people with light sensitivity and eye pain found light less unpleasant with these lenses.
VISION, FOCUS AND BALANCE
1. A neuro-optometry exam
Dr. William Padula works with Lyme patients who have trouble focusing, blurry vision that changes, light sensitivity or balance problems. He uses special lenses, prisms and vision therapy, along with care from your Lyme doctor (2023).
FLOATERS
Most floaters are harmless, but they are hard to get rid of. MedlinePlus notes that homeopathic eye drops sold for floaters haven't been proven to help (2025).
BEFORE YOU START
- Read the warning on each bottle.
- Talk with your doctor first if you take a blood thinner, since ginkgo may raise bleeding risk.
- If you smoke or used to smoke, ask your doctor before taking formulas with beta-carotene (Healthy Eyes and Codeage Eyes Vitamins contain it).
- Take contact lenses out before using allergy eye drops.
- Please get care right away for sudden changes in your vision, a sudden shower of floaters or flashes of light, or a very red or painful eye.
MY EXPERIENCE
I keep up with yearly eye exams.
My doctor had me use astaxanthin at one point, but I don't remember much about when or which product I used.
WHERE TO BUY
Buy products on Fullscript for a 25% discount
Buy here (DaVinci Labs Healthy Eyes: lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin, bilberry, eyebright, vitamins A, C and E, zinc, quercetin and more):
Buy here (Pure Encapsulations Eye Protect Basics: lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamins C and E, zinc and copper):
Buy here (Codeage Eyes Vitamins: lutein, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, bilberry, eyebright, omega-3, saffron, vitamins A, C and E and zinc):
MORE RESEARCH WITH MIXED RESULTS
- Omega-3: in the large DREAM trial, 535 people with dry eye took fish oil or an olive oil placebo for a year, and both groups improved about the same (2018). Since then, a 2023 review of 19 studies found omega-3 eased dry eye symptoms, especially at higher doses taken longer, while a 2026 review found the effects were small and said current research doesn't support routine use.
- Lutein and zeaxanthin: a 2023 Cochrane review found they may make little or no difference in how fast macular degeneration progresses, while a 2025 look back at the AREDS trials found they slowed one type of damage (geographic atrophy) from spreading toward the center of vision. In a 2025 study of heavy screen users, they improved tear tests but not how people said their eyes felt, and the maker funded it.
- Ginkgo: a 2025 review of 8 studies found no clear change in eye pressure or visual field tests in people with glaucoma or in healthy volunteers, and said the evidence isn't strong enough yet.
- Blue-light glasses: a 2023 Cochrane review found they may not ease eye strain from computer use.
RELATED POSTS
HERX - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
POTS - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
MIGRAINES - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Dr. Bill Rawls, Can Lyme Disease Affect the Eyes? (2022)
Bartonella henselae eye study (2025)
Astaxanthin and children's eye strain study (2025)
Berry blend and near vision study (2024)
Eyebright eye drops study (2020, older source, still worth reading)
MedlinePlus, Vitamin A (2025)
Thiamine and Wernicke review (2022)
Cochrane, Vitamins and minerals for macular degeneration (2023)
TFOS DEWS III, dry eye management (2025)
MedlinePlus, Dry eye syndrome (2024)
NHS, Dry eyes (2025)
NHS, Blepharitis (2025)
20-20-20 rule study (2023)
Tear saltiness and dehydration review (2021, older source, still worth reading)
MedlinePlus, Allergic conjunctivitis (2024)
University of Miami, FL-41 lenses study (2024)
Dr. William Padula, LymeDisease.org (2023)
MedlinePlus, Eye floaters (2025)
Memorial Sloan Kettering, Ginkgo (2023)
DREAM trial, NEJM (2018, older source, still worth reading)
Omega-3 and dry eye review (2023)
Supplements for dry eye review (2026)
AREDS geographic atrophy analysis (2025)
Lutein for screen users study (2025)
Ginkgo and glaucoma review (2025)
Cochrane, Blue-light filtering lenses (2023)
Disclaimer: Rise Above Lyme makes no claims about any possible benefit of using any product mentioned within this site. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything. The information shared is based on personal experience, years of accumulated researched resources from Lyme Literate doctors and polls conducted within Lyme groups from actual patient experience using these solution ideas.
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