Category: Cataracts

Smoking Increases Risk of Alzheimer’s, Cataracts, and Macular Degeneration

no smoking sign
via blog.usa.gov

We recommend that anyone interested in enjoying healthy eyes quit smoking because it has been linked to eye diseases including cataracts and macular degeneration. Here’s another reason to quit smoking: cigarettes increase your chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease by over 150%.

Though researchers are not exactly certain of why smoking can lead to Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, it may have something to do with the fact that smoking causes inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are known markers for Alzheimer’s.

The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, followed over 21,000 Californians over three decades.  Source: livescience.com

A non-smoking lifestyle marked by other healthy choices related to diet, exercise, and stress management are the key to eye health and overall health.  Learn more about the Vision Wellness Protocol.

Learn more about how understanding and managing Alzheimer’s naturally.

Exercise Supports Eye Health – A New Perspective on Stretching

woman exercising
Image courtesy of healthysd.gov

At Natural Eye Care, we know that exercise is a vital part of keeping both the eyes and the entire body healthy.  Exercise is a key part of our prevention protocol and essential to anyone who wants to preserve their sight and avoid developing such diseases as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, or cataracts.

A story aired on NPR talks about how that old pre-exercise stretching routine you have been doing for years may not be effective when it comes to warding off injuries.

A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that “competitive runners are less efficient after static stretching.”

According to a coach interviewed in the same story, consider an alternative to the “bend and hold” style of stretching – a repetitive set of 2 to 3 second stretches called “active isolated stretching.”

 

Antioxidants Proven to Benefit Health

image by jbolhuis

We believe strongly in the healing power of antioxidants, specifically in how they can help maintain and improve eye health.

You may have heard about a 2007 analysis of data related to antioxidants that said taking antioxidant supplements increases one’s mortality risk.  A new analysis of available data shows that the previous study published in Journal of the American Medical Association that said the caused a 16% increase in mortality was incorrect.

In fact, 36%  of the trials showed a positive outcome or that the antioxidant supplements were beneficial, 60% showed antioxidants had no effect, and only 4% published a negative outcome.

The new study says that those with nutritional deficiencies will benefit most from antioxidant supplements.  Also, too much of a good thing can just be a waste of money – there appears to be a threshold above which additional supplement intake has no effect.

Source: Nutraingredients

Read more about food sources of nutrients that benefit the eyes.

Antioxidants can help to prevent or treat many eye conditions including: macular degeneration and cataracts.

Hawthorn Can Prevent and Treat Cataracts: Antioxidant Properties

An animal study has revealed the antioxidant properties of hawthorn tree leaves and how they may be used to fight cataracts.

Hawthorn leaf extract was dropped into the eyes of rats with selenite-induced oxidative stress.  Researchers were able to measure significant increases in antioxidant levels in the eyes after the administration of the  drops.  According to study authors, “These results may be applied in the future for the prevention and treatment of cataracts.”

One of the leading causes of cataracts is the presence of free radicals.  The natural byproducts of metabolism,  these highly reactive chemicals cause oxidation, which in turn leads to the development of the opaque spot in the eye of a cataract.

Source: Biological Trace Element Research

St. John’s Wort Linked to Cataracts

Researchers have discovered a link between the popular anti-depression herb St. John’s wort and the development of cataracts.

Published in Current Eye Research, the study describes the results of questionnaires sent to over 31,000 people over age 40 about cataracts and their use of herbal remedies and treatments over the prior year. Those who reported that they had cataracts were 59% more likely to also report they had used St. John’s Wort.  Researchers do make clear that this questionnaire format has limits and further study is necessary to determine whether the correlation is dose dependent and learn more about the timing of taking the supplement and developing the cataract.

In earlier research, Hypericin, an active ingredient in St. John’s wort, was linked with crystallization of the eye’s lenses. But, to date, the association had not been evaluated in humans.

St. John’s wort is a European weed whose extracts have been used for the treatment of mental disorders, particularly depression. It is usually taken as an herbal tea or tablet.

Source: https://news.injuryboard.com/study-links-st-johns-wort-to-cataracts.aspx?googleid=274170

 

Lipoic Acid Might Help Cataracts Patients

Studies have shown beneficial effects of lipoic acid treatment on cataracts in rats. It may be of therapeutic use in preventing human cataracts and their associated complications. Lipoic acid has also been used to treat glaucoma.

Lipoic acid, also known as alpha-lipoic acid, is a sulfur-containing fatty acid. It is found inside every cell of the body, where it helps generate the energy that keeps us alive and functioning. Lipoic acid is a key part of the metabolic machinery that turns glucose (blood sugar) into energy for the body’s needs.

Lipoic acid is an antioxidant, which means that it neutralizes naturally occurring but harmful chemicals known as free radicals. Unlike other antioxidants, which work only in water or fatty tissues, lipoic acid is unusual in that it functions in both water and fat. By comparison, vitamin E works only in fat and vitamin C works only in water. This gives lipoic acid an unusually broad spectrum of antioxidant action.

Source: HealthLibrary

For more research on cataracts, please visit our Research Pages.

Lowering cataract rate with vitamins C & E

Nurses’ Health Study and the Beaver Dam Eye Study, have found a lower risk of cataracts or cataract progression in those who took high levels of vitamin C. Women who consumed the most vitamin E from food and supplements, about 262 mg a day ( approximately the equivalent of 3 cups of almonds were 14% less likely to develop cataracts than those who consumed only 4 mg a day.

Scientists have found that there is a lower cataract risk as well as lower chance of cataracts becoming more serious in patients who take high levels of vitamin C looking at data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Beaver Dam Study.   Other researchers found that  the Beaver Dam Eye Study and Nurses’ Health Study found that women who have the highest intake of vitamin E from food and supplements, about 262 mg a day (the equivalent of 3 cups of almonds!) were 14% less likely to develop cataracts than those who consumed only 4 mg a day.

Vitamin E functions as an antioxidant scavenging free radicals and providing many other valuable functions.  Other food sources include wheat germ, other nuts and seeds and leafy dark green vegetables.

See more related studies on nutrition and cataracts.

Another observational 10-year study of more than 35,000 middle-aged U.S. women observed the women’s use of dietary supplements and occurrence of cataracts.*

The study found significant evidence that women who got more lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin E were less likely to develop cataracts than women who are lacking intake of these nutrients. In fact, the women who got the most lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin E were 18% less likely to get cataracts.

*Christen, W. Archives of Ophthalmology, January 2008; vol 126: pp 102-109

Researchers Predict Number of Americans with Diabetic Retinopathy Will Soar By 2050

The number of Americans with diabetic retinopathy is expected to increase from 5.5 million to 16 million by the year 2050.  Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the retina caused by complications of diabetes, which can eventually lead to blindness.

Researchers used data from the National Health Interview Survey and the US Census Bureau to project the number of people with diabetic retinopathy (DR), vision-threatening DR (VTDR), glaucoma, and cataracts among Americans 40 years or older with diagnosed diabetes mellitus for the years 2005-2050.

Study results showed:

  • the number of Americans 40 years or older with DR will triple from 5.5 million in 2005 to 16.0 million in 2050
  • the number of Americans 40 years or older with VTDR will also triple, from 1.2 million in 2005 to 3.4 million in 2050
  • increases among those 65 years or older will be more pronounced (2.5 million to 9.9 million for DR and 0.5 million to 1.9 million for VTDR)
  • the number of cataract cases among whites and blacks 40 years or older with diabetes will likely increase 235% by 2050, and 
  • the number of glaucoma cases among Hispanics with diabetes 65 years or older will increase 12-fold.

Study authors stress the importance of efforts to prevent diabetes as well as to optimally manage diabetes and its complications.

SOURCE:  Projection of Diabetic Retinopathy and Other Major Eye Diseases Among People With Diabetes Mellitus, Saaddine, et al, Arch Ophthalmol. 2008;126(12):1740-1747.

Survey Shows That Americans Lack Significant Knowledge of Age-Related Vision Problems, Particularly Macular degeneration and Glaucoma

According to the AOA’s American Eye-Q(R) survey, which assesses public knowledge and understanding of issues related to eye and visual health, only 18 percent of Americans know that macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in adults 65 years of age and older, and less than a quarter of all Americans understand the effects of glaucoma.

According to the AOA’s American Eye-Q(R) survey, which assesses public knowledge and understanding of issues related to eye and visual health, only 18 percent of Americans know that macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in adults 65 years of age and older, and less than a quarter of all Americans understand the effects of glaucoma.

This is particularly concerning as with the baby boomer population coming of age as seniors.

Source: SOURCE American Optometric Association, URL: http://www.aoa.org www.prnewswire.com

Editor’s Note: Through diet, lifestyle and specific nutritional supplementation, there is a great deal one can do to maintain healthy vision and significantly reduce the risk of onset of eye diseases such as macular degeneration. For more information, go to www.naturaleyecare.com

Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Vitamin E Reduce Risk of Cataracts

Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Vitamin E Reduce Risk of Cataracts Jan. 2008 Study

An observational 10-year study of more than 35,000 middle-aged U.S. women observed the women’s use of dietary supplements and occurrence of cataracts.*

The study found significant evidence that women who got more lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin E were less likely to develop cataracts than women who are lacking intake of these nutrients. In fact, the women who got the most lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin E were 18% less likely to get cataracts.

Archives of Ophthalmology (Arch. Ophthalmol. 2008;126:102-9) gathered from the Women’s Health Study.

For more related research studies, go to www.naturaleyecare.com