Ocular Nutrigenetics Clinic

What is precision ocular nutrition?

Genetic variation and biomarker testing as
a tool to achieve cellular function and vitality

Foods, nutrients, botanicals, or lifestyle changes
as targeted ocular support

On-going support for optimal
eye health and aging

Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Drusen

Antioxidant and carotenoid supplements have been used for retinal health with variable success rates, but there is even greater potential for benefit when we tailor the nutrition therapies to your genetic variants and correct any existing imbalances. This is particularly important in supporting healthy aging and metabolic waste removal

Dry Eye Syndrome

Once your primary eye doctor properly diagnoses the type and severity of dry eye, proper nutrient elements tailored to genetics and individual biochemistry can be a crucial component to add to your normal treatment protocols. The goal here is to reduce inflammation and boost your natural tear volume and stability

Glaucoma and Neuroprotection

Research indicates many factors in neural health and body inflammation as mediators of the degeneration involved in glaucoma. Food and vitamin balance may influence these pathways and support the healing mechanisms needed to prevent further damage, when used alongside conventional treatments such as drops and procedures

Cataracts

Glares, loss of contrast, blurry vision due to cataracts? Although not a substitute for surgical removal, nutrients and botanicals may interact with some of the root causes that accelerate age-related lens clouding. Consider genomics and lab testing to investigate individual factors before taking supplements

How does the process work?

20 min free consult

Meet the Doctor in secure telehealth session, discuss goals, health challenges and your current eye health regime. If you decide to move forward, the doctor coordinates with your primary eye care provider

Complete Questionnaires &
Lab tests

Send in your samples (per kit instructions), go online to register the barcodes with the laboratories. Or you may opt out of the lab testing and that's not a problem. Fill out detailed questionnaires on your secure online portal

In-depth 60 min
nutritional analysis

The Doctor reviews the results with you in telehealth session to discuss any implications of the symptom patterns, lab markers & genetic variation, focusing on how it may affect your eye health

Personalized plan of
targeted nutrients

Together as a team, we discuss your options to target and support nutrient, inflammatory and/or metabolic pathways that may be affecting your eye health, based on your unique biochemistry. If desired, meal plans and recipes can be provided

Book Free Intro Video Visit

About the Doctor

Dr. Celia Futch, OD

Hello, I look forward to meeting you and being your equal partner on this journey. My name is Celia Futch, and I am an eye doctor subspecialist in functional medicine and ocular nutritional genomics. After practicing in medically-focused eye care offices post-graduation, I founded Enlighten Optometry in 2014, located at Tiburon, CA. Soon after, I pursued master's level training in nutrition (food as precision medicine) and certification in nutritional genomics.

My husband I live in Point Richmond, CA with our two daughters, Leena and Larissa. I am a graduate of UC Berkeley School of Optometry, and completed volunteer medical trips to Costa Rica and Kenya.

Optometrist Ocular Nutrigenetics Clinic

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why might the regenerative optometry approach benefit me?

Regenerative optometry incorporates functional medicine principles to treat each patient as a unique individual, instead of a cookie-cutter approach. Nutrients as supportive therapy to increase healthspan is an important new paradigm in medicine. Here are some reasons you may want to pursue specialty services with our clinic:

1. Your eye doctor told you that you have an eye condition that could develop slowly over time, such as cataracts, dry eye, macular degeneration, or glaucoma.

2. You have non-specific visual or eye symptoms that have not been easily managed with glasses or contacts, such as difficult night vision, dark adaptation, glare, fatigue, eyestrain, or others.

3. You would like the most specific and targeted therapies to address the condition proactively, and are open to nutritional changes or supplement changes to address it.

Are you going to tell me to buy and take a bunch of pills?

Supplements could be an integral part of a personalized treatment plan, but food nutrients are the preferred therapeutic tool when possible. Other aspects of a treatment plan might include:

1. Following certain dietary patterns

2. Including or excluding certain foods or types of foods, usually on a trial basis

3. Vitamin forms and doses most appropriate (this could include design of a personalized multivitamin or comprehensive herbal supplement)

4. Technologies such as phobiomodulation, heart rate variability training, or ionization therapy.

4. Lifestyle aspects that affect ongoing health

Is it the same as a 23 and me or other consumer genetic test?

In addition to being more comprehensive than the commonly used direct-to-consumer genetic tests, the platform we use focuses on evidence-based variants (studied in research and clinical testing). Used alongside lab testing and analyzed by a practitioner that is fully trained, this ensures the highest relevance to biological function that can be achieved.

We do not "treat" or "fix" any genetic variant in isolation (there is rarely enough evidence to do so, and purely computer-based recommendations based on genetic variants alone may not be the best option), but use integrative knowledge and consult to tailor the nutritional options to modulate the pathways identified.

How do I know if its working?

Nutrition advice is meant to support health, not treat or "prevent" disease. But we know from scientific research that nutrients and bio-active molecules ingested through foods or supplements can have significant effects on the disease process, similar to pharmaceutical medications.

When based on genomic and biochemical individuality discovered in our lab tests, the plan is meant to target the support to where the body needs it most. This saves time and has the potential to be more effective than generic recommendations and supplement formulations .

When we have significant clues that ocular problems could be rooted in a certain pathways, our goal in addressing that pathway is to modify the course of that problem by restoring and re-balancing cellular and metabolic function with nutritional interventions.

What is the cost? Does insurance cover it?

As seen on the services menu, the core service itself only costs $249, with on-going support on an hourly basis. This includes the 20 minute introductory consult and a 60 minute video visit that discusses the results and plan. Tests ordered run between $199-549 (you may choose one, both, or no tests to enhance the accuracy of the analysis). Or you can choose an annual package that is inclusive of all testing and visits. You have the option of billing an insurance plan for the lab test (through the genova laboratory portal), but our office does not bill directly or coordinate the billing process. We can also use the data from an existing 23andme instead of ordering a new genetic panel.

Do I need a referral? Will you contact my eye doctor to get records or do I need to request them?

Yes, a referral from your primary eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) is important, so that we can work as a team in your care and treatment plans. But I will reach out to your doctor if you book with me directly first, so you don't need to worry about coordinating that.

It is crucial to continue your regularly scheduled visits with your primary eye doctor who is monitoring and managing your ocular conditions. A personalized nutrition consult is meant as an adjunct to those visits and treatments, not in any way a substitute or alternative.

What is the doctor's specialty training? Why is she qualified to prescribe food plans and custom supplements?

In addition to the optometry degree, Dr. Futch has completed more than 30 hours of training in genetic analysis, 40 hours in functional immunology, and 3 years of graduate work at UWS in the Human Nutrition & Functional Medicine accredited program. The courses include Nutritional Biochemistry, Evidence-based Nutrition, Whole Foods Nutrition, Gastrointestinal Imbalances, Detoxification Systems, Immunology, Energy Dynamics, and Hormonal Imbalances. The doctor also earned Nutritional Genomics Certification with the American Nutrition Association, and currently in an internship for CNS (certified nutrition specialist) designation (completion 2022).

Ocular Nutrition Clinic