Eye health concerns exacerbated as COVID-19-induced quarantine increases screen time

04 May 2020 --- Lockdown and isolation measures as a result of COVID-19 have rapidly increased screen time – and with it eyesight damage. As education, work and entertainment pastimes hosted on virtual platforms have now reached unprecedented levels, digital device overexposure from multiple screens for extended periods has promptly resulted in frequent eye strain and visual discomfort, some of which can be addressed with nutritional products. NutritionInsight speaks with industry experts on escalated eye health concerns as well as the increased demand for eye health ingredients.

“Experiencing digital eye strain from long periods of using a computer, laptop or smartphone has played a large role in this high level of awareness. Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) – recognized by eye fatigue, strain and dryness – affects roughly 90 percent of individuals that spend at least three hours in front of a blue light-emitting device,” says Sevanti Mehta, President of Unibar. 

Kemin Human Nutrition and Health witnessed a growing number of consumers becoming aware of blue light in a recent company study. With excessive exposure, this can impact eye health. 

“We found specific consumer groups in which this awareness is, indeed, quite high. These surveys were conducted before the self-isolation and quarantine measures started and we believe blue light awareness will grow significantly during and after this period,” Miguel Martinho, Marketing Manager at Kemin Human Nutrition and Health, Europe, explains.

Parents are increasingly concerned about their children’s eye health, says Díaz of Pharmactive.Julia Díaz, Head of Marketing at Pharmactive, notices that parents are most concerned about their children’s eye health. “People use [screens] for work, study and socialization more than ever before. Nowadays, even children suffer from eye fatigue and dried eyes,” she notes. 

Mehta of Unibar has also observed how teachers and students are turning to hours of video conferencing and digital homework to make up for not being in the classroom. “Recent data has shown that children aged six to 12 are spending up to three times the amount of time in front of screens each day than they were before the pandemic.” 

Demand spikes sales
All three industry experts concur that the increased concerns for visual health have translated to intensified interest and demand for their companies’ respective eye health ingredients. Pharmactive’s high-quality, non-GMO saffron extract affronEYE has experienced a “significant increase in interest,” according to Díaz, who expects an increase in sales during the second quarter as well as the interest to continue throughout the year.

Simultaneously, Martinho states that Kemin has been witnessing “unprecedented attention and interest” for its flagship ingredient FloraGLO Lutein. “Overall our eye health ingredients portfolio has proven to be highly resilient during crisis moments, which we believe is a direct reflection of the value and benefits our ingredients deliver. We believe the new lifestyle stemming from the pandemic and the growing awareness of blue light will support greater interest in FloraGLO Lutein for eye health.”

Meanwhile, Unibar recently launched eye health-boosting CapsiClear and the company is currently engaged in “multiple serious conversations” with multiple product manufacturers for future distribution. The novel ingredient is a capsanthin-rich blend that can help reduce intraocular pressure via an oral administration, which then saves consumers from the high costs of eye drop solutions. 

“Fortunately, I think consumers will come out of this pandemic realizing the effects that extended screen time is having and demanding solutions to protect their eye health. CapsiClear addresses many of their immediate concerns, but also presents a holistic way for better vision care,” Mehta affirms.

The eye health sector sees the gaming industry as a target group with ample opportunities.Foretelling business risks and opportunities
One of the biggest opportunities in eye health lies in the gaming and e-sports communities, both Mehta and Martinho agree. “A lot of recent studies have revealed the effects of blue light exposure on our vision and as competitive gaming becomes more mainstream, gamers are spending ever-increasing amounts of time in front of digital screens, putting them at higher risk of CVS and other vision complications. Solutions need to be developed that go beyond just providing benefits against blue light. It’s time for a shift towards better ocular nutrition,” Mehta maintains.

Another opportunity foreseen by Pharmactive’s Díaz is in ingredient formulation and more in-depth studies. “The market has previously been conservative in choosing traditional carotenoids and consumers are open to innovation in this field. We expect to see more clinical research focus on eye health as a result of the coronavirus pandemic as well as new food matrix platforms targeting eye health, such as chewable supplements.”

Ultimately, consumer education is instrumental in increasing the awareness of the overall population to the vital sense and function of vision, says Martinho at Kemin. “We understand most consumers lack a proactive attitude toward eye health maintenance and preservation until the day they start losing visual capacities. We believe this moment is making consumers increasingly aware of the available solutions for maintaining their eye health,” he concludes.

By Anni Schleicher