Natural Eye Care Blog: News & Research on Vision

Long-term exercise positively impacts cellular aging

In an article appearing in the December 1, 2009 issue of Circulation: Journal of
the American Heart Association, Ulrich Laufs, MD of Saarland University in Homburg,
Germany and his colleagues report an association between long-term intense exercise
and a reduction in the shortening of telomeres that occurs with aging. Telomeres
are protective segments of DNA at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with cell
division. Shorter telomeres limit the number of cell divisions, and have been
linked with conditions associated with aging of the whole human organism, such
as high blood pressure and dementia.

Ref: http://circ.ahajournals.org

Editor’s Note: A recent study published February 10, 2009 in Health & Medicine showed that vigorous exercise may help prevent vision loss. For more related information, go to www.naturaleyecare.com

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

Flaxseed Oil May Reduce Osteoporosis Risk

Adding flaxseed oil to the diet may reduce risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and women with diabetes, according to new research published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition, and Public Health.

In a study using laboratory rats, researchers have found that flaxseed oil has a beneficial effect on bone mineral density and reduces markers associated with osteoporosis, suggesting that this dietary supplement may help women with diabetes in reducing their risk of osteoporosis.

Study authors believe that the presence of n-3 fatty acids in flaxseed oil may play a role in protecting the processes of matrix formation and bone mineralization, which are compromised by diabetes and menopause. Further trials with humans are recommended to confirm the effects on bone health, but the implications for use in osteoporosis prevention are encouraging.

Source: Elwassef, et al, Impact of feeding flaxseed oil on delaying the development of osteoporosis in ovariectomised diabetic rats, International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health 2009 – Vol. 2, No.2 pp. 189 – 201.

Canadian Study: Large Increase In Cases of Computer Eye Strain Reported

Optometrists are seeing more patients with CVS syndrome than they were five years ago, and 40 per cent of baby boomers aged 45 to 54 associate their eye and vision problems with prolonged screen time, higher than any other age group, according to a survey conducted by Leger Marketing for the Canadian Association of Optometrists.

According to a study released Thursday by the Canadian Association of Optometrists, baby boomers are spending on average of 7.5 hours a day peering at computers, televisions, cellphones and smartphones.

While both men and women are suffering eye strain with long hours at the computer, women are reporting more eye and vision ailments associated with their screen time than men.

CAO National Office, 234 Argyle Ave., Ottawa, ON K2P 1B9
613-235-7924

Editor’s Note: Our visual system was designed for hunting and gathering, and not for extensive near work as demanded by today’s work and educational needs. Taking regular breaks from the computer to relax the eyes and do eye exercises can go a long way in preventing and/or managing CVS. Research shows that supplementing with nutrients such as Astaxanthin, Lutein and Black Currant Seed Oil can also help relieve eyestrain.

See more information on natural eye care and computer eye strain.

Studies Show Benefits of Pomegranate Juice in Preventing Heart Disease

Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is a leading killer of older adults. Pomegranate extracts work at every step in the deadly atherosclerosis cascade to prevent or reverse the damage, thereby extending life.

Ref: Nutr Rev. 2009 Jan;67(1):49-56.
Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009 Mar;53(3):322-31.

Pomegranate juice helps protect the heart by reducing inflammation, reducing LDL (low density lipoproteins), as well as reducing oxidative stress and platelet clumping,

Studies also indicates pomegranate juice has anti-cancer properties and helps lower blood sugar for diabetics and pre-diabetics.

Healthy circulation is critical for helping prevent eye disease. For related information, go to www.naturaleyecare.com

New Study Shows Cinema popcorn to be a nutritional horror

Nutritional analysis of popcorn servings at some of America’s biggest cinema chains has found mind-boggling calorie counts that may surprise consumers who think of the snack as a relatively healthy treat.

The non-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest study compared some popcorn and drinks combos to consuming three McDonald’s quarter-pounders topped with 12 pats of butter.

At Regal Theatre movie chains for example, one medium popcorn and soda combination contained an eye-popping 1,610 calories and around 60 grams of saturated fat.

At AMC theaters, the second largest theater chain, a large popcorn contained 1,030 calories and 57 grams of saturated fat, equivalent at a pound of baby back spare ribs topped with a scoop of luxury ice cream.

The study said the high calorie counts could be attributed to the fact that corn was popped in coconut oil.

The study came out on the same day as new numbers in the U.S. suggested that by 2018, 40% of Americans will be obese. The most at-risk states for bursting at the waistline include Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

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.

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

Excess Body Fat Linked to Higher Cancer Risk, Poorer Cancer Survival

Approximately 100,500 cancers occurring in the US every year can be attributed to excess body fat, according to estimates from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR).

According to AICR, the estimated number of cancers linked to excess body fat include:

49% of endometrial cancers    = 20,700 cases/year
35% of esophageal cancers       = 5,800 cases/year
28% of pancreatic cancers        = 11,900 cases/year
24% of kidney cancers             = 13, 900 cases/year
21% of gallbladder cancers       = 2,000 cases/year
17 % of breast cancers             = 33,000 cases/year
9% of colorectal cancers          = 13,200 cases/year
___________________________________________
TOTAL: 100,500 cases/year

Researchers note that carrying excess body fat increases cancer risk, makes treatment more difficult and shortens survival. Excess body fat increases the body’s level of sex steroids and other hormones that are linked to cancer growth. For example, fat tissue produces estrogen; studies have shown that estrogen promotes cell proliferation in breast tumors that contain receptors for the hormone, known as ER positive tumors. Recent studies show that excess body fat lowers immune function and increases oxidative stress, which can lead to DNA damage.

This new research also shows that obesity continue to play a negative role after cancer has been successfully treated. The good news is that an increasing number of studies suggest that regular physical activity improves cancer survival, even among survivors who are overweight or obese.

SOURCE: New Estimate: Excess Body Fat Alone Causes Over 100,000 Cancers in US Each Year, American Institute for Cancer Research, Nov. 5, 2009, http://www.aicr.org/site/News2/1699885429?abbr=pr_&page=NewsArticle&id=17333&news_iv_ctrl=1102