Integrating Advanced Nutrition into Glaucoma Management

Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive disease of the optic nerve. While lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) remains the standard foundation of treatment, glaucoma is not solely a pressure disease. It is also a neurodegenerative and metabolic disorder, influenced by oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, vascular stability, and neuroinflammatory pathways.

In my 30+ years of clinical practice, I have seen that many glaucoma patients experience progression despite pressures being “controlled.” This is because pressure management alone does not fully protect the retinal ganglion cells that form the optic nerve.

For this reason, the physicians at the Lange Eye Institute in The Villages, Florida integrate nutritional neuroprotection alongside standard medical and surgical glaucoma therapies. This approach is not alternative medicine—it is evidence-based functional eye care, designed to support the optic nerve at the cellular level.

Why Nutritional Support Matters in Glaucoma

The optic nerve is one of the most metabolically active nerve tissues in the body. Retinal ganglion cells require:

• Constant ATP energy supply
• Stable mitochondrial function
• Healthy microvascular blood flow
• Protection from oxidative stress
• Adequate neurotrophic support

When these systems weaken, optic nerve fibers become more vulnerable to damage—even with normal or lowered IOP.
Nutrition supports these protective systems.

Key Nutrients Used in Our Glaucoma Protocols

Over years of clinical experience and research collaboration, I have focused on specific nutritional compounds that demonstrate neuroprotective benefits in glaucoma.

The most consistently beneficial include:

Mirtogenol

(standardized bilberry extract + French maritime pine bark)
Supports nitric oxide signaling, optic nerve microcirculation, collagen stability in the lamina cribrosa, and has been shown clinically to help lower IOP.

Neumentix

(high-polyphenol spearmint extract)
Enhances antioxidant defenses, protects mitochondrial membranes, and supports neurotrophic pathways relevant to retinal ganglion cell survival.

Saffron Extract

Reduces glutamate excitotoxicity, boosts mitochondrial ATP efficiency, and improves retinal functional sensitivity.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA + DHA, rTG form)

Improve optic nerve blood flow, reduce inflammation, support tear film, and stabilize neural membranes.

Nicotinamide / NAD+ supporting compounds, CoQ10, NAC, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, and Ginkgo

Provide additional mitochondrial and vascular support on a case-by-case basis.

How We Use These Nutrients in Practice

At the Lange Eye Institute, we do not replace traditional glaucoma therapy—we enhance it.

Our glaucoma protocol commonly includes:

• Fortifeye Eye Pressure Support
A formula I developed combining Mirtogenol + Neumentix to support optic nerve perfusion, nitric oxide balance, and neuroprotection.

• Fortifeye Super Omega-3 (or Super Omega-3 Max)
Ultra-pure rTG Norwegian omega-3 to support ocular surface health and microvascular blood flow.

• Fortifeye Complete or Fortifeye Macular Defense
Comprehensive ocular and whole-body antioxidant support, based on the patient’s retinal, systemic, and inflammatory profile.

This combination is designed to support:

• Retinal ganglion cell metabolic stability
• Optic nerve head microcirculation
• Mitochondrial energy capacity
• Long-term visual function preservation

I use these supplements personally, and recommend them for my patients, my family, and my closest friends.

Real-World Clinical Outcomes

Over the past two decades, the integration of targeted nutrition with traditional glaucoma management at the Lange Eye Institute has contributed to:

• Reduced ocular surface inflammation in patients on multiple drops
• Improved night vision and contrast sensitivity
• Increased optic nerve metabolic support
• Slower visual field decline in many cases
• Better energy , wellness, and overall health improvements

This approach has helped thousands of patients maintain visual function and quality of life.

No nutritional therapy replaces pressure-lowering medications, laser procedures, or surgery when needed.
Instead, it supports the eye’s ability to resist ongoing stress and helps preserve sight more effectively over time.

The Future of Glaucoma Care

Glaucoma treatment is transitioning from an IOP-only strategy to a neuroprotective model.

The most successful path forward includes:

IOP Control + Neuroprotection + Mitochondrial Support + Vascular Optimization

This is where nutrition fits.
This is where modern eyecare  is heading.
This is where we can help our patients see better, longer.