An Integrative Approach to Ocular Health and Nutrition with Dr. Rani Banik

Conversations for Health

Dr. Rudrani Banik is a Board-certified Ophthalmologist, fellowship-trained Neuro-Ophthalmologist, and Functional Medicine expert. She is fully trained in ophthalmic surgery and Botox, and she has a special interest in treating headaches and migraine. Dr. Banik manages a wide spectrum of conditions affecting vision, as well as the complex connections between the eye and brain. She graduated with a B.A with Honors and M.D. from Brown University. She trained in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami, followed by Ophthalmology at the University of California, Irvine, and Neuro-Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Banik is the founder of Envision Health NYC, a private practice based on the Upper East Side in New York City, and is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine. Dr. Banik brings more than 20 years of experience and extensive knowledge of the eye and brain, combined with a holistic approach, to her own practice.

Together Dr. Rani and I explore the role that functional medicine plays in achieving optimal eye health. She offers updates on the latest research, shares vitamin recommendations, and highlights the importance of eye exams in understanding overall body health. Rani answers the questions that she hears most often from her patients, including the effectiveness of blue light-blocking glasses, eye drop recommendations, and warnings, and how to meet the daily requirements of natural plant foods in a healthy diet. She also covers the research, food, and supplement recommendations for popular antioxidants and bioflavonoids and offers key talking points for practitioners to engage their patients in optimal eye health.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Rani Banik

Lutemax 2020 Science Overview

Iris: Blue light filter and eye protection software

Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS/AREDS2)

Designs for Health

Science Update: Recent Review Explores Relationship Between Eye Health and Nutrients to Support Antioxidative Status

Science Update: Recent Review Investigates Eye Aging and Supporting Antioxidative Status

Nutrition Blog: Eye Health Effects of Vitamin E Tocotrienols

Nutrition Blog: Nutritional Support for Eye Health

Nutrition Blog: Nutrient Protection Against Photooxidation and Blue Light Exposure

Educational Webinar: Modernizing Migraine Care: Innovations in Migraine Management

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

02:10 Dr. Rani recounts her journey from an ophthalmologist and neuro-ophthalmologist facing migraine headaches to a patient of functional medicine.

5:56 Key changes that Rani saw in her migraine and macular degeneration patients once she implemented functional medicine in her ophthalmology practice.

9:35 Indicators of over 200 overall body health conditions can be identified in an eye exam including diabetic retinopathy for diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease.

12:19 Changes in the retina can indicate warning signs for serious health concerns.

14:02 30 nutrients that are needed for optimal eye health can be broken into 3 main categories of antioxidants, nutrients that support mitochondrial function and energy production, and anti-inflammatory nutrients.

18:04 Recommendations for safe and effective eye drops to address dry eye symptoms.

19:15 Rani’s vitamin recommendations for optimal eye health include optimized forms of Vitamin A and natural antioxidants from macular carotenoids.

25:10 An ophthalmologist’s warning against looking directly into the sun and a reasonable alternative to setting your circadian rhythm.

27:12 Measuring carotenoid concentrations in the retina with Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD).

29:50 Natural food and supplement recommendations to maintain healthy levels of lutein and zeaxanthin.

34:00 The negative effect of screen time on eye health needs to be counterbalanced by macular carotenoids and blue light-blocking glasses.

39:30 Research, food, and supplement recommendations for popular antioxidants and bioflavonoids that support eye health.

45:12 Rani’s recommendation for 5 cups of plant foods every day can easily be met with her green smoothie recipe.

46:52 Findings from age-related eye disease studies (AREDS) and key missing links to supporting eye health.

53:43 Rani’s top three personal supplements, prioritized health practices, and individualized journey advice that she has changed her mind about over the years.