New MyrtiPro pill may reduce VDT accommodation, improve ocular function
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A capsule containing bilberry-derived anthocyanin helped improve patients’ pupillary responses and eye fatigue resulting from looking at digital screens such as phones and computers, according to a recent study published in Functional Foods in Health and Disease.
“In the modern age, visual display terminal (VDT) devices such as personal computers and smartphones are widely used and have become necessary in our daily life,” Takahiro Sekikawa, PhD, of BGG World, the capsule’s manufacturer, and colleagues wrote. “However, many people report fatigue and pain in their eyes while using VDTs, especially after longer periods of time.”
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, Sekikawa and colleagues examined the effect of a 43.2 mg MyrtiPro pill containing bilberry-derived anthocyanin in people who experienced eye fatigue and shoulder stiffness caused by VDTs. The study included 30 Japanese adults, 15 men and 15 women, who took either one active MyrtiPro pill or one placebo pill every day for 6 weeks.
Sekikawa and colleagues focused on the participants’ pupillary response, defined as the average of the dominant and nondominant eye, to the medication. The response would indicate any improvement of eye fatigue and function before and after using VDTs.
The study data revealed a “significant difference in the change of the logarithmic conversion of the percentage of pupillary response pre- and post-VDT use,” Sekikawa and colleagues wrote.
In the placebo group, pupillary response was 0.96% compared with 1.18% in the active group. These findings demonstrated a larger pupillary response in the active group, meaning, “43.2 mg of bilberry-derived anthocyanin was confirmed to inhibit the decline in accommodative function caused by VDT use and improve eye function,” according to the authors.
The study’s findings showed no consistent relationship between shoulder stiffness and VDT use, suggesting that future research could instead assess the correlation between blood flow and muscle hardness resulting in stiffness.
Sekikawa and colleagues also suggest examining the effect of redox changes within the body after the consumption of bilberry anthocyanin, as the study prohibited participants from consuming foods that contain anthocyanin.
“This is a very positive outcome that can lead to daily benefits for millions of computer users, smartphone users and video gamers around the world,” Sekikawa said in a press release from the manufacturer.
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Sekikawa T, et al. Functional Foods in Health and Disease. 2021;doi:10.31989/ffhd.v11i3.782.
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