Macular Degeneration Archives - Page 22 of 24 - Natural Eye Care Blog: News & Research on Vision

Soy peptide lunasin has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory properties

Two new University of Illinois studies report that lunasin, a soy
peptide often discarded in the waste streams of soy-processing
plants, may have important health benefits that include fighting
leukemia and blocking the inflammation that accompanies such
chronic health conditions as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, heart
disease, and stroke.

In another study, the first to report lunasin’s potential
anti-inflammatory activity, they showed that lunasin blocked or
reduced the activation of an important marker called NF-kappa-B,
a link in the chain of biochemical events that cause inflammation.

Lunasin’s bioavailability in the human body was confirmed by doing a
third study in which men consumed 50 grams of soy protein–one soy
milk shake and a serving of soy chili daily–for five days.

Editor’s Note1: Note that soy flour does contain high concentrations of the peptide.
Editor’s Note2: Chronic systemic inflammation can cause or contribute to many eye conditions such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, macula edema, optic neuritis, uveitis and iritis for example. Chronic inflammation is now considered a major contributor to heart disease as well.

For more information on ways to help manage inflammation nutritionally, Click Here

Study: Promising Research on differentiating adult stem cells to replace lost RPE cells for those with Macular Degeneration

Adult stem cells coaxed into differentiating into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, critical for preserving vision for those with macular degeneration. This study was done in vitro and in vivo following transplantation into the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) dystrophic rat.

More research needs to be done to see the application of this technique for humans.

Citation: Carr A-J, Vugler AA, Hikita ST, Lawrence JM, Gias C, et al. (2009) Protective Effects of Human iPS-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cell Transplantation in the Retinal Dystrophic Rat. PLoS ONE 4(12): e8152. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008152

For more related studies on macular degeneration and nutrition, go to Click Here

New Study Shows Possible Correlation of Low Blood Levels of Melatonin and Higher Risk of Macular Degeneration

After adjustment for the factors of age, smoking, and histories of cancer and coronary heart disease, researchers found that urinary levels of melatonin was 40% lower in AMD patients compared than that of the age-and gender-matched controls.

The researchers concluded: “The significance of this result and the role of melatonin in the occurrence of AMD require further investigation.”

Ref: Molecular Vision (Urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin level in age-related macular degeneration patients. Molecular Vision, 2009;15(179-80):1673-1679).

For more related studies, go to Natural Eye Care Macular Degeneration Research Studies

Cataract Surgery not tied to Macular Degeneration Progression

Researchers have found that cataract surgery is not associated with an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) progression in patients with non-neovascular AMD.

Surgeons enrolled 108 patients with non-neovascular AMD who were awaiting cataract surgery. Fluorescein angiography was performed preoperatively, and again at postoperative week 1, month 3, and month 12 visits.

After 12 months, neovascular AMD developed in only 3 of 65 eyes (4.6%) that did not have neovascular AMD at the preoperative visit or the one-week postoperative visit. This statistic is consistent with an estimated one-year progression rate in the general AMD population.

Results of this study, published in the November issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, state that the low incidence of neovascular AMD development between 1 week and 1 year after cataract surgery did not support the hypothesis that cataract surgery increases the risk of AMD progression.

Researchers also noted that several eyes appeared to have disease progression on postsurgery week 1 fluorescein angiograms, suggesting that many cases of presumed progression to neovascular AMD following cataract surgery may have been present prior to cataract surgery, but not recognized owing to lens opacity.

Read other studies about macular degeneration.

SOURCE: Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration After Cataract Surgery, Dong, et al, Arch Ophthalmol. 2009;127(11):1412-1419.

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.

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

Microchip Implants May Help Restore Lost Vision

Scientists at MIT and other research organizations are testing chip technologies that could help bring eyesight to individuals with conditions like age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

Microchips place onto or inside the eyeball are assisted by a pair of electronic glasses the patient wears. Results vary, but many subjects report significant improvement in orientation and mobility. MIT hopes to have a device within two years so that they can get FDA approval from for use on chronic patients.

See information on macular degeneration, nutrition and health.

Avocados for Eye Health

Avocados contains a wide range of phytonutrients are thought to help prevent many chronic diseases, and are excellent for the eye health. Nutrients include trans neoxanthin, neochrome, lutein-5, 6-epoxide and chrysanthemaxanthin. The scientists also confirmed the presence of lutein, zeaxanthin, b-cryptoxanthin, a-carotene and b-carotene (all nutrients that support retinal health).

Avocados contain a wide range of phytonutrients, which are thought to help prevent many chronic diseases, and are excellent for the eye health. Nutrients include trans neoxanthin, neochrome, lutein-5, 6-epoxide and chrysanthemaxanthin. The scientists also confirmed the presence of lutein, zeaxanthin, b-cryptoxanthin, a-carotene and b-carotene (all nutrients that support retinal health).

Since most of the nutrients are located near the skin of the fruit, you get most nutrients out of an avocado by peeling the fruit before slicing it.
See more information on foods for the eyes.

Omega-3 and vitamin D linked to 40% reduced risk of macular degeneration

Study shows that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-3 rich fish could slash the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by 40 per cent.

This study adds further support for increasing the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids with the finding that arachidonic acid (AA, omega-6 fatty acid) is associated with an increased risk of AMD.

Ref: “Association Between Vitamin D and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988 Through 1994”

Authors: N. Parekh, R.J. Chappell, A.E. Millen, D.M. Albert, J.A. Mares

Archives of Ophthalmology

May 125, 2007 Volume 125, Pages 671-679

See more related information on macular degeneration.

Macular Degeneration Patients: Blood Thinners Increase Risk of Retinal Hemorrhage

Patients with macular degeneration, for heart and other conditions are receiving antiplatelet and anticoagulant medications such warfarin, and clopidogrel run a higher risk of retinal hemorrhage or over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin than people who do not.

Researchers reviewed the records of nearly 200 eyes of patients whose average age was 83. Nearly 1/2 of them were taking antiplatelets and/or anticoagulants every day.

63% of these patients taking the drugs every day developed retinal hemorrhage compared to the 29% who didn’t take the medications. Retinal bleeding was also found to be highest among patients who were using more than one drug for this purpose.

Because the medical professionals feel that these patients must continue to take the drugs it is important that the patients work closely with their ophthalmologist and that the use of these drugs be noted on the eye doctors’ patient charts.

{Published: “The Association of Antiplatelets and Anticoagulants With Intraocular Hemorrhage in Patients With Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration,” https://www.asrs.org/

Editor’s Note: In such cases, it is important that patients maintain diets and consider other complementary treatment to support the health of their retina and macula.

Scientists Learn How Humans See in Bright and Low Light

Researchers have discovered the delicate and detailed process that controls how the eye quickly adapts to darkness and how it functions in the bright light of day, leading to an increased understanding of how the retina works.

The retina’s main light-sensing cells, or photoreceptors, consist of rods and cones. Cones permit us to see colors and can adapt to rapid changes in light intensity – a factor in night blindness. The molecules that make up photoreceptors sense light and develop pigments and then are destroyed when they absorb light. The process is cyclical – the pigments are built up or destroyed depending on how much light is present. When they are exposed to light key pigment components known as chromophores leave the molecule cells and migrate to the nearby layer of pigment. There the chromophore is restored and returned to the photoreceptor cells.

Researchers discovered this by removing the pigment layer in retinas of salamanders so that the chromophores could not be restored. Following this change, when the photoreceptors were exposed to alternating bright light and dark the rod cells didn’t work, but the cones, that controlled adaption continued to function, even without the pigment epithelium layer.

Muller cells support the interaction with rods and cones. Scientists treated mouse retinas with a chemical that destroyed Müller cells and then exposed the retinas to bright light, followed by darkness.

Without Müller cells the photoreceptor process could not function because cones ran out of pigment and could not adapt to dark. Proper functioning of Müller cells are required for retinas to both function in bright light and be able to adapt to darkness.

Study authors believe that in the future it may be possible to manipulate this pathway in the retina to improve vision when the other pathway, involving pigment epithelium, has been interrupted by injury or disease, such as age-related macular degeneration.

Researchers: Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

Published: Wang, et al, “An alternative pathway mediates the mouse and human cone visual cycle”, Current Biology vol. 19 (19), Oct. 13, 2009.
“Researchers discover mechanism that helps humans see in bright and low light”, https://mednews.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/14856.html