Ingredient supplier Kyowa Hakko recently announced the U.S. launch of a breakthrough heat-killed probiotic strain, branded as Eyemuse, which was evidenced in recent clinical research to support healthy eye function after being discovered by Kyowa Hakko’s parent company Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd.
 
Heat-killed probiotics, referred to as paraprobiotics, have been linked to gut and immune health, however, new research has discovered that the proprietary heat-killed bacterial strain Lacticaseibacillus paracasei KW3110 can beneficially modulate the immune response in a way that may reduce eye fatigue.
 
Immune cells within the eye play a critical role in supporting a proper response when exposed to stresses, and the retina in particular is made up of millions of immune cells, Kyowa Hakko said.
 
“We are at a point in society where more and more adults are likely to face eye strain and fatigue from an increasing reliance on technology and spending prolonged hours of the day staring at digital devices,” Karen Todd, MBA, RD, vice president of Global Brand Marketing at Kyowa Hakko U.S.A. Inc., said. “This poses a real health and quality of life issue, so we are thrilled to be at the forefront of this scientific breakthrough that utilizes a novel mechanism that may help reduce digital stress-related eye fatigue and other ocular discomforts.”
 
Eyemuse comes at a time when it is estimated that computer-related eye fatigue is responsible for upwards of 10 million visits to optometrists, the company said in its announcement. From daily professionals to gamers, Todd said that she believes everyone can benefit from this eye ingredient. “We envision Eyemuse to be geared toward the screen-glued multitaskers, young professionals who are always ‘on,’ and gamers, who are spending 14 hours a week playing video games, up from 12 hours a week in 2018.”
 
Clinical trials to date have identified a number of health benefits which may be tied to Eyemuse supplementation, including reduced stiffness in the waist and/or shoulders in individuals with severe eye fatigue, and reduced daily eye fatigue caused by digital stress. In vitro studies also suggest that Eyemuse may help filter blue light.
 
Eyemuse is non-GMO, vegetarian, and GRAS.