Optic neuritis is swelling and inflammation of the optic nerve that can cause eye pain, visual impairment, dull colors, and/or flashing lights. Since the optic nerve carries visual information to the brain, any symptoms of optic neuritis should be checked by a doctor immediately. If a patient has just one incident, chances are good that they will fully recover. However, inflammation of the optic nerve can be the first sign of multiple sclerosis, a serious degenerative disease.
One of the dangers of this problem is that the optic nerve can lose some of its myelin. The myelin sheath is fatty tissue that protects the nerves. When the myelin sheath is compromised, the nerves can be damaged. This is one important reason to consult Continue reading “Optic Neuritis: A Complete Overview from Natural Eye Care”
Researchers have found that the anti-diabetic drug metformin reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines. When inflammatory cytokines are produced in excess, they cause inflammation that increases cancer risk and the incidence of other diseases.
A pilot study published in Phytotherapy Research compared curcumin – derived from natural turmeric – with the drug diclofenac for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Natural curcumin actually reduced RA symptoms even better than the RA drug diclofenac: a 44% reduction in symptoms on the Disease Activity Score and the American College of Rheumatology criteria for reduction of swelling and tenderness of joins. Patients receiving diclofenac had a 42% reduction.
The macular pigment of the eye is formed by a combination of lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein is more than just a filter of blue light and an antioxidant. Consider these points about lutein: