Eye Conditions Archives - Page 48 of 66 - Natural Eye Care Blog: News & Research on Vision

Exercise: Prevent Diabetes By Walking 10,000 Steps Per Day

A new study published in the British Medical Journal makes the case for walking away from diabetes.

The researchers studied nearly 600 adults over 5 years and found that those who took 10,000 steps per day (the equivalent of 5 miles) had much better insulin sensitivity than those who walked less.

Diabetes risk decreases when one’s insulin sensitivity increases.

Source: LA Times article

Learn more about the related condition, diabetic retinopathy – a potentially blinding disease that can be prevented and treated with proper nutrition and exercise.

Low Muscle Mass = Increased Risk

New study shows low skeletal muscle mass and strength often found in those who are older or obese may put individuals at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, and that a good diet may not be enough to prevent type 2 diabetes.

These associations were stronger in people age 60 and under, in whom sarcopenia (the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength associated with aging) was associated with high levels of blood sugar in both obese and thin people, and with diabetes in obese individuals.

The findings are published in the journal Plos One.

Editor’s Note: Learn more about nutrition and diabetes.

Excess Iron Linked to Alzheimers / Macular Degeneration

Alzheimer’s & Excess Iron

While we often think of iron deficiency as a problem that causes anemia, researchers have found that excessive iron may increase one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers publishing in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease state that some studies have found that accumulation of metals in the body, including copper, zinc, and iron, have been linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, this study focuses upon Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease patients who demonstrated high levels of iron in their brains. Source: https://www.foodconsumer.org

Iron and Macular Degeneration

Excessive iron in the body or hemochromatosis may lead to the wet form of macular degeneration. Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia suspect that too much iron, known to have cumulative negative effects throughout body, can also speed the aging in the eyes. If there is a link between iron levels and macular degeneration, people may be able to ward off the eye disease by donating blood a couple times annually to reduce iron levels the amount if iron in the body.

Source: https://www.eurekalert.org

Nearsightedness Linked to Early Life Experiences

Myopia (also known as nearsightedness) is becoming increasingly common. In just two decades the proportion of Americans who are nearsighted has increased by 11% to include about 36% of the population.

A new study published in Ophthalmology reveals a possible connection between early life and the development of myopia. Several factors were found to contribute to the development of nearsightedness:

the age of the mother at birth (rates of myopia in children increase when moms are over 35);
birth weight (tinier babies are more likely to eventually develop myopia); and
maternal smoking in early pregnancy (children of moms who smoked are twice as likely to develop severe myopia).

Source:medscape.com

The study authors also note that kids who do lots of close work (including reading) at a young age are much more likely to become nearsighted.

The good news is that a condition like myopia is reversible. Learn more at our website.

Macular Degeneration Rates Decreasing

A new study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology shows that rates of macular degeneration have decreased, affecting only 6.5% of the population according to a 2005-2008 survey. This figure is a decrease from the 9.4% prevalence rate that was reported in a similar 1988-1994 study. Researchers state that the change may be in part attributable to shifts in survey methodologies, but they do assert that there are fewer cases of macular degeneration now than there were 20 years ago. Source: https://archopht.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/129/1/75

Another interesting fact from this study: non-Hispanic blacks are less likely to develop macular degeneration than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. This finding is very different from the disease rates associated with glaucoma, a disease that is 6-8 times more likely to impact blacks than whites.

Visit our website to learn how to prevent and control macular degeneration naturally.

High Stress Can Lead to Glaucoma: Tips to Reduce Stress

Most individuals with undiagnosed glaucoma do not notice any symptoms the condition is somewhat advanced. Technically, glaucoma is due to damage to the optic nerve, sometimes as a result of increased pressure of the aqueous humor – the clear, watery fluid that circulates in the chamber of the eye between the cornea and the lens.

Stress

Stress has been determined to be a major cause of chronic glaucoma. Stress causes us to breathe shallowly, which reduces the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream, causing venous backflow in the head. This process effects the eyes’ ability to revolve ocular fluids, which in turn increases eye pressure. Although we do not know exactly how the optic nerve is damaged in glaucoma, one common factor in all cases of glaucoma is a lack of blood flow to the retina and optic nerve. This lack of blood flow results in retinal nerve cell death, enlargement of the optic cup, and an eventual loss of vision.

Here are a few suggestions for those who are trying to reduce stress in their lives:

Exercise regularly
Take walks in nature
Practice yoga or tai chi
Engage in prayer or meditation daily

Nutrition

Sufferers of glaucoma are often deficient in some or many of the important nutrients including essential fatty acids, lutein, zeaxanthin, taurine, alpha lipoic acid, antioxidants, bioflavonoids, zinc, selenium, vitamin B-complex.

Yoga

Regular exercise is key to managing and preventing eye disease. Many with glaucoma have concerns about their intraocular pressure (eye pressure) and allowing their heads to be below their hearts, as is common in yoga’s common inversion poses. Those you might need to avoid include downward facing dog, head and shoulder stands, and any poses that require you to touch your toes while in a standing position.

Livestrong.com offers this tip for practicing a modified forward bend:

You can still enjoy the benefits of wide-legged forward bend by modifying how you practice it. Place a chair against a wall with the seat facing toward you. Hold your feet wide apart and keep them parallel. Lean slightly forward to keep your hips above your legs rather than behind your heels. Rest your forearms on the chair seat. Breathe deeply for 10 to 15 breaths, feeling an inner thigh and groin stretch and relaxing your back. Certified advanced Iyengar instructor Dean Learner emphasizes that modified forward bends should be part of your regular yoga practice. Source: www.livestrong.com

Glaucoma Breakthrough: Researchers Gain Insight Into Origins of Glaucoma in Mice

New examinations of the optic nerve of mice have yielded new insight into the development of glaucoma. Scientists better understand both the cellular and molecular structure of this part of the eye, a discovery that will pave the way for a better understanding of the human eye. This breakthrough should hasten the development of new therapies that will help to combat the potentially devastating effects of glaucoma.

Researchers discovered a unique class of cells called astrocytes that seem to play an integral role in the development of glaucoma. They also learned more about a certain protein called gamma synuclein; abnormalities in this protein can result in eye disease. Another exciting discovery, which may influence the way science looks at a number of neurodegenerative diseases, involves the way that neurons clear away debris from the optic nerve. Essentially, the cells’ failure to clean up after themselves can lead to their own demise.

Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/212650.php

Embryopic Stem Cell Research for Macular Degeneration Approved

The Food and Drug Administration has just approved the use of human embryonic stem cells to treat macular degeneration.

The company, Advanced Cell Technology, is already doing research on the use of stem cells to treat people with another condition related to progressive vision loss, Stargardt’s disease. Source: Medscape

Though the general consensus in the medical community generally has it that macular degeneration inevitably leads to blindness, there are natural treatment options out there that can halt and even reverse the progression of the disease.

Prostate Cancer Treatment Linked to Cataracts

Hormone therapy has been proscribed to some men suffering from prostate cancer. Unfortunately, this treatment has been linked to cataracts according to a study published in the Annals of Epidemiology.

Research shows that study participants on hormone therapy were 9% more likely to develop a cataract compared to those who were not treated with hormone therapy. In men whose testicles had been removed the risk soared to 26%. The study involved 66,000 prostate cancer victims.

Learn more about natural cataracts prevention and treatment at our website.

For more about drugs that can harm the eyes, have a look at this page.

Mercury in Fish Can Increase Blood Pressure: Find Omegas in Other Sources for Heart and Eye Health

Your new year’s resolutions may well include eating better, both for the health of your heart and the health of your eyes. The essential fatty acids found in fish can be a great addition to your diet.

In particular, omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce cholesterol and increase circulation to the retina. Omega-6 fatty acids are important as they protect cells from degenerative changes and reduce inflammation throughout the body. Both Omega 3s and 6s help prevent and even treat glaucoma and macular degeneration.

A word of caution about your fish intake the effect of mercury which contaminates the larger ocean predator fish (tuna, swordfish, marlin, sharks, etc): too much mercury in the body can raise your blood pressure.

Source: theheart.org/article/1010897.doc

Small fish like sardines are a safe choice, but there are non-swimming sources of essential fatty acids out there too. Find omega-3s in flax seed oil, black current oil, walnuts and walnut oils, dark leafy vegetables, eggs (preferably from free range chickens), spices (including mustard, fennel, cumin, and fenugreek). Get your omega-6s from evening primrose, borage and black currant oils.

Learn more about food sources of nutrients and how they can benefit your eyes and your whole body.

Anti-Inflammatory Medications May Slow Macular Degeneration, But Are They Safe?

Researchers have found that taking anti-inflammatory medication may slow the progression of macular degeneration. But, there are concerns about the safety of this “solution.”

A study published in the journal Eye describes how corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), immunosuppressive agents (e.g. methotrexate and rapamycin), and biologics could help those with AMD. Source www.nature.com

A caveat to the research indicates that there are concerns about the long term safety of taking such drugs. At Natural Eye Care we are very concerned about the way that prescription and non-prescription pharmaceuticals can harm the eyes.

For example, NSAID drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen can cause eye hemorrhaging, glaucoma, and cataracts.