Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Did you know that your gut health directly impacts your vision? 👁️ Today, we are exploring the fascinating gut eye axis and breaking down exactly how to improve gut health to support better eyesight and relieve dry eye symptoms naturally.
As an eye doctor, I often get asked about the best diet for dry eyes. It turns out that your gut microbiome plays a massive role in regulating inflammation throughout your body, including your eyes! In this video, I share my top gut health tips and reveal the best gut health foods that support both your gut and your eye microbiome.
On the Dr. Eye Health Podcast, Dr. Joseph Allen sits down with dry eye specialist and nutrition expert Mila Loussifova to explain the gut–eye axis and how gut imbalance and microbiome health may be fueling dry eye disease, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.
From gut health and dry eye to probiotics, inflammation, and autoimmune eye disease, this conversation explores how your microbiome may be affecting your vision more than you realize.
What You’ll Learn
✅ What the gut–eye axis is and how your microbiome influences eye inflammation
✅ How gut dysbiosis may contribute to dry eye, glaucoma, and macular degeneration
✅ The real connection between rosacea, autoimmune disease, and ocular surface disease
✅ The difference between probiotics and prebiotics and why most supplements fall short
Check out offer.inmodeaesthetics.ca/envision to learn how Envision Eye’s treatments could be the next step in your dry eye journey.
Timestamps
00:00 Could your vision problems actually start in your gut?
02:26 Why nutrition changed Mila’s dry eye treatment approach
07:21 Why eye doctors should ask about bowel health
14:02 Gut dysbiosis explained
19:50 Leaky gut and systemic inflammation
29:38 Eye diseases linked to gut imbalance
35:31 What damages your microbiome
46:27 Probiotics vs prebiotics
👀 Watch How Gut Health Affects Your Eyes (CRAZY New Research)- youtu.be/Xu6MDC2Obss
Foods for Eye Health: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzi60fSuOmPDbljRgRJ5Pjkh21vqKMw57
Key Takeaways
🔹 Inflammation that begins in the gut can circulate through the bloodstream and affect the eyes.
🔹 Dry eye, rosacea, glaucoma, and macular degeneration all show emerging links to gut dysbiosis.
🔹 Antibiotics, processed foods, stress, and poor sleep disrupt your microbiome.
🔹 Supporting gut health requires both probiotics and prebiotic fiber from real food.
About Our Guest Mila Ioussifova, OD, CNS, FAAO, FOWNS
Dr. Mila Ioussifova is an optometrist, dry eye specialist, and certified nutrition expert. She is a board member of the Ocular Wellness & Nutrition Society and completed advanced training through the American Nutrition Association. Her work integrates functional medicine and clinical dry eye treatment to address inflammation at the root cause.
My top 5 Dry eye drops:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/15I8QLDA5IEVX?ref_=aipsflist
Allergy Relief Products:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/3U4XQXC21I5H9?ref_=aipsflist
Macular Support for AMD:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/36B78D5BV2WWT?ref_=aipsflist
Dry Eye Supplements:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/11OBTPPBDEWD5?ref_=aipsflist
Eyelid and Eyelash Care:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/photo/amzn1.shoppablemedia.v1.collage.da009d66-35a9-467b-b355-9e32a7477d66?ref_=aipsfphoto
Ergonomics Support for Eyestrain:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/1Z77TPOQ9LHKB?ref_=aipsflist
Dry Eye PM Support:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/DDYUZXFKCMA6?ref_=aipsflist
Sponsor:
InMode: inmodemd.com
Envision Treatment: envisiontreatment.com
Resources Mentioned
Mila Ioussifova, OD, CNS, FAAO, FOWN
Clinic Website: southwaterfronteyecare.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mila-ioussifova-od-faao-cns-fowns-37962435
Joseph Allen, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO
Website: Doctor Eye Health doctoreyehealth.com
YouTube: Doctor Eye Health youtube.com/@DoctorEyeHealth
Instagram: @doctoreyehealth instagram.com/doctoreyehealth
TikTok: Doctor Eye Health tiktok.com/@doctoreyehealth
Facebook: Doctor Eye Health facebook.com/DoctorEyeHealth
LinkedIn: Dr. Joseph Allen linkedin.com
Disclaimer
The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content and information is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor or health professional. In addition, some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning, at no cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
#DryEyes #GutHealth #GutEyeAxis #EyeHealth #MGD #Glaucoma #MacularDegeneration #OcularSurface #Optometry #EyeCare
Did you know that your gut health directly impacts your vision? 👁️ Today, we are exploring the fascinating gut eye axis and breaking down exactly how to improve gut health to support better eyesight and relieve dry eye symptoms naturally.
As an eye doctor, I often get asked about the best diet for dry eyes. It turns out that your gut microbiome plays a massive role in regulating inflammation throughout your body, including your eyes! In this video, I share my top gut health tips and reveal the best gut health foods that support both your gut and your eye microbiome.
On the Dr. Eye Health Podcast, Dr. Joseph Allen sits down with dry eye specialist and nutrition expert Mila Loussifova to explain the gut–eye axis and how gut imbalance and microbiome health may be fueling dry eye disease, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.
From gut health and dry eye to probiotics, inflammation, and autoimmune eye disease, this conversation explores how your microbiome may be affecting your vision more than you realize.
What You’ll Learn
✅ What the gut–eye axis is and how your microbiome influences eye inflammation
✅ How gut dysbiosis may contribute to dry eye, glaucoma, and macular degeneration
✅ The real connection between rosacea, autoimmune disease, and ocular surface disease
✅ The difference between probiotics and prebiotics and why most supplements fall short
Check out offer.inmodeaesthetics.ca/envision to learn how Envision Eye’s treatments could be the next step in your dry eye journey.
Timestamps
00:00 Could your vision problems actually start in your gut?
02:26 Why nutrition changed Mila’s dry eye treatment approach
07:21 Why eye doctors should ask about bowel health
14:02 Gut dysbiosis explained
19:50 Leaky gut and systemic inflammation
29:38 Eye diseases linked to gut imbalance
35:31 What damages your microbiome
46:27 Probiotics vs prebiotics
👀 Watch How Gut Health Affects Your Eyes (CRAZY New Research)- youtu.be/Xu6MDC2Obss
Foods for Eye Health: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzi60fSuOmPDbljRgRJ5Pjkh21vqKMw57
Key Takeaways
🔹 Inflammation that begins in the gut can circulate through the bloodstream and affect the eyes.
🔹 Dry eye, rosacea, glaucoma, and macular degeneration all show emerging links to gut dysbiosis.
🔹 Antibiotics, processed foods, stress, and poor sleep disrupt your microbiome.
🔹 Supporting gut health requires both probiotics and prebiotic fiber from real food.
About Our Guest Mila Ioussifova, OD, CNS, FAAO, FOWNS
Dr. Mila Ioussifova is an optometrist, dry eye specialist, and certified nutrition expert. She is a board member of the Ocular Wellness & Nutrition Society and completed advanced training through the American Nutrition Association. Her work integrates functional medicine and clinical dry eye treatment to address inflammation at the root cause.
My top 5 Dry eye drops:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/15I8QLDA5IEVX?ref_=aipsflist
Allergy Relief Products:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/3U4XQXC21I5H9?ref_=aipsflist
Macular Support for AMD:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/36B78D5BV2WWT?ref_=aipsflist
Dry Eye Supplements:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/11OBTPPBDEWD5?ref_=aipsflist
Eyelid and Eyelash Care:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/photo/amzn1.shoppablemedia.v1.collage.da009d66-35a9-467b-b355-9e32a7477d66?ref_=aipsfphoto
Ergonomics Support for Eyestrain:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/1Z77TPOQ9LHKB?ref_=aipsflist
Dry Eye PM Support:
amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/DDYUZXFKCMA6?ref_=aipsflist
Sponsor:
InMode: inmodemd.com
Envision Treatment: envisiontreatment.com
Resources Mentioned
Mila Ioussifova, OD, CNS, FAAO, FOWN
Clinic Website: southwaterfronteyecare.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mila-ioussifova-od-faao-cns-fowns-37962435
Joseph Allen, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO
Website: Doctor Eye Health doctoreyehealth.com
YouTube: Doctor Eye Health youtube.com/@DoctorEyeHealth
Instagram: @doctoreyehealth instagram.com/doctoreyehealth
TikTok: Doctor Eye Health tiktok.com/@doctoreyehealth
Facebook: Doctor Eye Health facebook.com/DoctorEyeHealth
LinkedIn: Dr. Joseph Allen linkedin.com
Disclaimer
The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content and information is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor or health professional. In addition, some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning, at no cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
#DryEyes #GutHealth #GutEyeAxis #EyeHealth #MGD #Glaucoma #MacularDegeneration #OcularSurface #Optometry #EyeCare
