Natural Eye Care

In this dry eye study, it shows that the GLA group showed a significant improvement in the specific symptom of ?dryness? at 3 and 6 months (p <0.01) as well as significant improvement in overall lens comfort at 6 months (p<0.01). Tear meniscus height was increased in the GLA group at 6 months relative to baseline (p<0.01), although all other objective signs were unchanged.

GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), an omega-6 fatty acid with anti-inflammatory properties can be found in oils derived from black currant seeds and the evening primrose plant. Several small trials testing GLA and linoleic (LA) oil in dry eye syndrome with an inflammatory component report reduced ocular surface inflammation and symptom improvement.

Related Studies:
1. Barabino, M et al. Systemic linoleic and gamma-linolenic acid therapy in dry eye syndrome with an inflammatory component. Cornea 22:97?101, 2003.
2. Aragona P, et al. Systemic omega-6 essential fatty acid treatment and PGE1 tear content in Sjogren?s syndrome patients. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 46:4474?9, 2005
3. Kokke KH, et al. Oral omega-6 essential fatty acid treatment in contact lens associated dry eye. Contact Lens Anterior Eye 31:141-6, 2008.
4. Macri A, et al. Effect of linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid on tear production, tear clearance and on the ocular surface after photorefractive keratectomy. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 241: 561-6, 2003.

For natural remedies for dry eye syndrome, go to <href=”http://naturaleyecare.com”>Natural Eye Care</a>

Oral supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin with coantioxidants may improve vision at 36 months for those at high risk for progression to late age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

In the Carotenoids and Co-Antioxidants in Age-Related Maculopathy (CARMA) study, presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2009 Annual Meeting, researchers examined the effects of supplementation with serum lutein and zeaxanthin plus coantioxidants (vitamins C and E and zinc) on visual function and the progression from early to late stages of AMD. 

A total of 433 participants in the United Kingdom with early AMD in at least one eye, or any level of AMD in the study eye and late-stage AMD in the fellow eye, received either carotenoids plus coantioxidants or a placebo.

Study participants were examined at 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months.  Although no statistically significant difference was seen in best corrected distance visual acuity (BC DVA) at 12 months, at the 36 month follow-up researchers did note an improved BC DVA.

Investigative team member Usha Chakravarthy, MD, PhD, from Queens University of Belfast in Northern Ireland concluded that supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin results in better macular function in patients with early AMD.  He also noted that the eyes of people who had high serum (lutein) demonstrated a less severe early AMD change over time, and suggested that supplementation may prove beneficial in preventing progression to late AMD.

Learn about self-help for macular degeneration, including recommended diet and supplements containing lutein and zeaxanthin at the Natural Eye Care website

SOURCE:  ARVO 2009:  Lutein, Zeaxanthin Supplements May Result in Better Macular Function in Early AMD, Chakravarthy, et al, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), May 4, 2009.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and the University of Kentucky have identified a new target for the diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

In a study published by the journal Nature, researchers demonstrate that blocking the activity of a specific protein, called CCR3, can reduce the abnormal blood vessel growth that leads to macular degeneration. Targeting this new protein may prove to be safer and more effective than the current treatment for the disease, which is directed at a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor or “VEGF.”

When researchers blocked CCR3, either with drugs or through genetic engineering, they saw a decrease in the generation of abnormal blood vessels. Drugs targeting CCR3 were significantly more effective than those targeting VEGF, which could represent a new therapy for the two-thirds of patients who do not respond to current treatment.

Study authors hope that this discovery may enable physicians to catch the disease in its earliest stages, before blood vessels have fully infiltrated and destroyed the central portion of the eye’s retina (the macula) to cause vision loss.

“It would be much better to prevent the disease in the first place,” said study co-author and principal investigator of the UNC study site, Mary Elizabeth Hartnett, M.D., a professor of ophthalmology in the UNC School of Medicine. “An exciting implication of this study was that the CCR3 protein could be detected in early abnormal blood vessel growth, giving us the opportunity to prevent structural damage to the retina and preserve vision.”

Learn more about macular degeneration at the Natural Eye Care web site

Read other studies about macular degeration

Source:  Study suggests new approach to common cause of blindness, Hartnett, et al, June 14, 2009, href=”http://www.unchealthcare.org/site/newsroom/news/2009/June/hartnett?searchterm=macular+degeneration

The American Optometric Association (AOA) has released the results of its third annual American Eye-Q® survey, which assesses public knowledge and understanding of eye and visual health.  Survey results reveal Americans aren’t paying enough attention to their eyesight. 

Of the 1,001 survey participants, 81% wear contact lenses, eyeglasses or both.   However, 26% of the responders hadn’t visited an eye doctor or eye care specialist within the past two years.

The AOA points out that early diagnosis and treatment of eye and vision problems are important to maintain good vision and eye health, as many eye and vision problems have no obvious signs or symptoms.  

It’s not only vision problems that can be diagnosed during eye exams:  optometrists can also detect signs of diabetes, hypertension, brain tumors, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and multiple sclerosis.

“Every adult should have a comprehensive eye exam at least every two years, but it’s even more important for people who already use corrective lenses,” said Dr. James Kirchner, optometrist and AOA’s Eye Health Expert. “Too often we see people who have put off eye exams because they assume they just need a different lens prescription, when they really have a more serious problem. With eye diseases and disorders, as with most health issues, early detection and treatment are often the keys to avoiding permanent problems.”

Regular comprehensive eye exams are especially important later in life, when more people develop chronic conditions and begin taking medications more frequently. Individuals with diabetes or hypertension (high blood pressure), or people taking medications that have eye-related side effects are at greater risk for developing vision problems.

The AOA recommends annual eye examinations for everyone over age 60.

Read more about maintaining healthy vision at the Natural Eye Care website , and learn about a new CD providing information on natural approaches for 29 of the most common eye conditions

SOURCE:  American Eye-Q® Survey Indicates Strong Need to Educate Consumers About Eye Health, SURVEY, American Optometric Association, Oct. 9, 2008, http://www.aoa.org/x11023.xml

Patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) experience a deterioration of their central vision. Two thirds of AMD patients have problems with visuomotor and balance skills resulting in clumsiness and increased risk of falls.

A new study investigates the link between balance training and improved visual, vestibular and somatosensory functions involved in balance control. The investigation, published in the Journal of Vestibular Research, measured the impact of balance training on several visuomotor functions and reading speed.

Balance status statistics of 54 AMD patients were compared to 55 normal controls. Sixteen of these patients and 14 controls subsequently received balance training sessions on a postural platform. Researchers assessed postural sway, pointing accuracy, reading performance and, for the AMD patients, the effect of low vision training and balance training on the shift from several spontaneous Preferred Retinal Loci (PRLs) to one or more Trained Retinal Loci (TRL).

Even after a limited number of sessions of cross-modal balance training, the results show a significant improvement for the vestibular input and fixation stability, leading to the conclusion that more training sessions may help AMD patients gain more significant improvement of visuo-motor functions.

Learn more about AMD, including diet, nutrition, self-help and alternative treatment information at the Natural Eye Care website

Read other studies on AMD prevention and treatment options

SOURCE: Balance training and visual rehabilitation of age-related macular degeneration patients, Radvay, et al, Journal of Vestibular Research, Volume 17, Number 4, 2007, pages 183 – 193.

A miniature telescope mounted into a spectacle lens can now help people with vision loss from macular degeneration. The device, which is about the size of a pencil eraser, can improve vision by about three and a half lines on an eye chart.

A telescope surgically implanted directly into the eye is expected to be approved by the FDA later this year, however the “spectacle” mounted telescope is available now without the safety concerns associated with a surgical procedure.

Additional information on telescopic glasses and Dr. Paul’s research is available at http://www.LowVisionDoctor.com

Almost 4% of men in the United States develop dry eye disease (DED) after age 50, while almost 7.7% of men over 80 develop the disease, making it one of the most common eye conditions in the country.  By the year 2030, DED is expected to affect more than 2.79 million US men.

Typical symptoms of dry eye include dryness, grittiness, irritation, difficulty reading for long periods of time, burning and even the seeming contradiction of excessive tearing or watering.

In the study, published in June issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, researchers analyzed data on 25,444 men over the age of 50 who participated in the Physicians’ Health Study I and II.  DED was defined as the presence of clinically diagnosed dry eye or severe symptoms (both dryness and constant or frequent irritation).   About 3% reported a previous diagnosis of dry eye, while 6.8% said they had constantly or frequently experienced at least one symptom such as dryness or irritation. Roughly 2.2% reported both symptoms constantly or frequently.

Although research has shown DED is more common among women, about 1.68 million men over age 50 in the United States now have the disease.

Researchers also noted that DED risk increases with age, hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia (a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate), and antidepressant use.

Learn about vitamins and other nutritional products recommended for dry eye, and review a list of drugs that can cause dry eye symptoms at the Natural Eye Care website

SOURCE:  “Prevalence of Dry Eye Disease Among US Men,” Schaumberg, et al, Arch Ophthalmol. 2009;127(6):763-768.

In the first study, Jennifer S.L. Tan, MBBS, BE at the University of Sydney, Australia and her colleagues evaluated data from 2,454 participants in the Blue Mountains Eye Study of men and women aged 49 and older. Those who consumed one serving of fish per week were shown to have a 31 percent lower adjusted risk of developing early AMD compared with those who consumed less.

In the second article, Elaine W. T. Chong, MD, PhD, of the Centre for Eye Research Australia and her associates evaluated data from 6,734 men and women aged 58 to 69 who participated in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Dietary questionnaires completed between 1990 and 1994 were analyzed for the intake of various foods and individual fatty acids. Follow up examinations conducted between 2003 and 2006 detected 2,872 cases of early age-related macular degeneration and 88 cases of late disease.

A high intake of trans-unsaturated fats was associated with a significant increase in late macular degeneration, with those whose intake was categorized as among the top 25 percent of participants having a 76 percent greater risk than those whose intake was among the lowest fourth.

Olive oil emerged as protective against late disease. When those who reported consuming at least 100 milliliters per week olive oil were compared with those who consumed less than 1 milliliter per week, they were found to have a 52 percent lower risk of late AMD.

For early AMD, those whose omega-3 fatty acid intake was among the top 25 percent had a 15 percent lower risk compared with those whose intake was among the lowest quarter.

For more information on nutrition and macular degeneration and related research studies, see NaturalEyeCare’s Section on Macular Degeneration.

Although open-angle glaucoma (OAG) has been previously associated with some of the risk factors of stroke development, researchers at the Taipei Medical University in Taipei, Taiwan have now linked OAG with an increased risk of stroke development.

Researchers collected data from the 1,073,891 subjects in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.  They compared 4032 patients with a diagnosis of OAG to 20,160 patients without OAG over a five year period.

Of the group of patients with OAG, 14.9% had strokes within the 5-year follow-up period, compared with 9.5% of patients in the comparison group.   After adjusting for patients’ demographic characteristics, patients with OAG were found to have a 1.52-fold higher risk of having a stroke than the matched comparison cohort.

Study authors concluded that patients with OAG demonstrated a significantly increased risk of stroke development during the 5-year follow-up period.

Learn more about glaucoma including self-help tips

Read other studies about glaucoma

SOURCE:  “Open-Angle Glaucoma and the Risk of Stroke Development. A 5-Year Population-Based Follow-Up Study”, Ho, et al, PubMed, 2009 May 21, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19461039

Researchers at the University of Western Australia recently examined the effects of wearing swimming goggles upon intraocular pressure (IOP).

In this study, holes were drilled into the faces of 13 different goggles to allow IOP measurement by applanation tonometry. IOP was measured before goggles wear, two minutes after goggles application, twenty minutes after goggles application, and after goggles removal. Multiple types of goggles were tested.

IOP increased while wearing goggles by a mean pressure of 4.5 mm Hg with this pressure rise being sustained for the duration of goggles wear. Swim goggles with a smaller face area were consistently associated with greater IOP elevation.

Although these measurements were not taken while swimming, study authors suggest that some swimming goggles can elevate IOP. The full article can be read in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Learn more about natural eye care at www.naturaleyecare.com

NaturalEyeCare™ provides a practical approach to keeping your eyes healthy, emphasizing prevention rather than cure, based on the latest scientific research.

SOURCE: “Wearing swimming goggles can elevate intraocular pressure”, Morgan, et al, Br J Ophthalmol. 2008 Sep;92(9):1218-21.