Category: Eye Conditions

Teen Smoking Rates Stay Steady; US Government to Renew Anti-Smoking Efforts

After having declined for much of the last decade, the teen smoking rate has reached a plateau in the last couple of years.  A new U.S. government study shows that the declines in teen smoking between 2006 and 2009 were not statistically significant – from 19.8%t to 17.2%  among high school students and from 6.3 percent to 5.2 percent among middle school students.  In 2000 number as many as 28% of high school students were classified as smokers.

There are now calls for increased smoking and tobacco use prevention efforts aimed at young people.

Source: www.naturalhealthlibrary.org

Cigarette smoking can contribute to many eye diseases including macular degeneration.  Vision health is about whole body health.  Learn more about our Vision Wellness Protocol.

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

 

Acupuncture Helps Dry Eye Sufferers

In 2006, researchers reported on a study of the effect of acupuncture on cases of dry eye.  Because acupuncture has proven to help those suffering from dry mouth, scientists, who discussed their findings at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, decided to try to technique for patients exhibiting dry eye.

The small study involved twelve patients, half of whom received needles in the Traditional Chinese Medicine points and half of whom received “sham” acupuncture .  Those who received real acupuncture demonstrated a significant improvement while those who received needles in random places on the body displayed a slight worsening of symptoms.  Source: Medscape

According to ClinicalTrials.gov, researchers are currently recruiting participants for a similar study at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.  The trial is set to run through 2011.

To learn more about treatment options for dry eye syndrome, please visit our website.

Glaucoma Research Focuses on Anticardiolipins and IOP

Anticardiolipin Levels

A recent Canadian study on the progression of glaucoma shows that age and abnormal anticardiolipin antibody levels are key factors in the decrease of sufferers’ field of vision. Anticardiolipin antibodies are associated with such diseases as lupus, syphilis, and antiphospholipid syndrome, but the presence of these antibodies does not necessarily indicate that a patient has any of these conditions. According to study authors, “While this finding (regarding anticardiolipin antibodies [ACA]) is significant, its practical implications are unclear as only 5.5% of the tested patients had abnormal ACA levels.”

Researchers also looked at changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) and determined that a modest IOP reduction in patients with progressing glaucoma significantly reduced the rate of visual field decline.

Source: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/727024

Corneal Arcus

Another new study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology describes how a condition called corneal arcus, a condition in which a ring of lipids builds up around the cornea, may be responsible for increases in eye pressure.

Corneal arcus is associated with cardiovascular disease.  Researchers can not explain why corneal arcus increases eye pressure, but say “There may be changes in biomechanical properties of the cornea in eyes with corneal arcus, as such mechanisms are emerging as important clinical variables that may affect intraocular pressure measurements.”

Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-11/jaaj-ccc110510.php

 

Inflammation of the iris

Iritis is an inflammation of the iris and occasionally includes the ciliary body (the circumferential tissue inside the eye located behind the iris). In iritis, small white blood cells from the inflamed area and excess protein leaked from the small blood vessels inside the eye float into the aqueous fluid between the iris and the cornea.

The symptoms include: redness, throbbing pain, light sensitivity, tearing, and the pupil of the affected eye may become smaller.

The cause of iritis is unknown, but it generally runs its course in six to eight weeks.

See natural treatment options for iritis.

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.

New Discovery May Lead to Better Eye Disease Screening

Prediction Model

Researchers from Tufts have created a predictive method to identify one’s risk for development of macular degeneration (AMD) based on data gathered from 1,446 subjects in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS).  The study evaluates  ocular, genetic, and environmental information and the effectiveness of  predictive methods of identifying AMD and AMD risk.

Researchers looked at gender, age, level of education, whether participants smoked and for how long/much, the participants’ body mass index, and whether participants supplemented with nutrients (zinc and antioxidants) to slow AMD development.

Although genetics play a large part in who will get AMD, there are lifestyle choices that can greatly influence a person’s risks for AMD.  Researchers found that among individuals with one particular genotype (homozygous C3 risk genotype), the chance of suffering from the advanced form of AMD increased from approximately three times the risk for nonsmokers to almost 10 times the risk for smokers.

Study authors hope that learning more about how to predict who is at risk for AMD will give doctors and patients better information about how to better treat and even help prevent AMD.

Published:  Prediction Model for Prevalence and Incidence of Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration Based on Genetic, Demographic, and Environmental Variables, Seddon, et al, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. 2009;50:2044-2053.

Detection based on photoreceptor cells.

Australian scientists may have made a discovery that could lead to the development of better tests to detect eye diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration.  Research published in  the Journal of Vision suggests that color sensing cells in retina, which were previously believed to be able to only respond to specific colors, can also detect black and white moving objects as well.  According to lead researcher Paul Martin: “For a long time we’ve had an image of the brain as a kind of computer, with particular pathways or ‘wires’ for particular nerve signals.  Now, it is becoming clear the wiring is a lot less precise than a computer.”

What might this mean for you when its time to be screened for eye disease?  Discoveries like this one help scientists better understand how cells in the eyes respond to stimuli, and the more they know about how the eye works, the more able they are to improve eye testing procedures and technologies.

Source: ABC Science

The Trouble With Eye Drops

A new study finds that the majority of people who self-administer eye drops to manage their glaucoma are having trouble hitting the target.  More than 25% of those studied failed to get the drops in their eyes.  Of those who were successful, few were able to give themselves exactly the right dosage.  Researchers were surprised by the low success rate and by the fact that most people did not realize that they were having trouble getting the study’s required single drop in each eye.

Study authors say that this proves that eye care providers should teach patients the best way to administer the drops, which is usually with a mirror, tilting the head back and placing the drop in the eye while holding down the lower eyelid. Family members and certain devices may also be of help.

SOURCE: https://link.reuters.com/rum98m

Diabetic Retinopathy Patients Have Lower Lycopene Levels

Measuring serum lycopene levels may help doctors diagnose and evaluate patients with diabetic retinopathy.

A recent study finds that lycopene levels were significantly lower in individuals with diabetes. According to the study, “subjects with proliferative diabetic retinopathy had significantly lower lycopene levels than subjects without diabetic retinopathy or with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.”

This study and others have found that oxidative stress is related to the  development of microvascular complications (conditions related to diabetes including include diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy)  in patients with diabetes.  Lycopene has been found to play a role in the prevention of oxidative stress-related disease.

Lycopene is found in its high levels in tomatoes, but apricots, guava, watermelon, papaya, and pink grapefruit are also significant sources.

 

Number of U.S. Cases of Glaucoma Don’t Have To Be On the Rise

A recent article in Yahoo New states that the changing nature of the US population will mean more cases of glaucoma.  Age, obesity, and race can all be factors that may influence one’s chances of getting glaucoma (blacks and Hispanics are more likely to develop the disease).  Known as the “silent thief,” by the time one notices the tell-tale decrease in peripheral vision, the disease is already in a very advanced stage. Glaucoma is the damage of the optic nerve, and though often linked to pressure in the eyes, this is not always the culprit.

The number of cases of glaucoma does not have to increase, however, just because we are living longer or because the population is becoming more diverse.  Changes in diet and lifestyle can reduce your risk of glaucoma and other eye diseases and improve your overall health.  For more details, please visit our pages on glaucoma management.