Dr. Grossman’s Blog

A team of Harvard researchers found that women who took a combination of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 had a 35% to 40% lower risk of developing age related macular degeneration (AMD) than women who took a placebo.

A group of 5442 female health care professionals 40 years or older (of whom 5205 did not have a diagnosis of AMD at the beginning of the study) received either a combination of folic acid/B6/B12 or a placebo.

After more than seven years of treatment and follow-up, 137 women were diagnosed with AMD.  Of these 137:

• 55 had been taking the supplements; 82 had been taking the placebo.
• 70 had ‘visually significant AMD’, including 26 who had been taking the supplements and 44 who had been taking the placebo.

Researchers concluded that daily supplementation with folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) may reduce the risk of AMD.

Learn about good food sources for nutrients such as folic acid and vitamin B

Find nutritional products and supplements to supply folic acid and vitamin B

SOURCE:  “Folic Acid, Pyridoxine, and Cyanocobalamin Combination Treatment and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Women”, Christen et al, Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(4):335-341.

University of Liverpool scientists claim that macular degeneration could be reduced by up to 20% by increasing the amount of fruit, vegetables and nuts in the diet.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness, as individuals gradually lose their central vision due to the failure of cells in the macula (the light sensitive membrane at the center of the retina).

Professor Ian Grierson, Head of Ophthalmology at the University of Liverpool, said: “Poor eating habits have a huge impact on health in general and the health of your eyes is no exception. Eye problems such as AMD, cataract and even glaucoma can all be affected by what we eat. But a relatively minor change in diet – adding a little more fruit into our meals – can make a profound difference and can keep eye diseases like AMD at bay for up to 20% longer.

“There are of course other risk factors related to AMD such as age, light exposure, smoking and being overweight. But if we can improve the kind of food that we eat, we could dramatically reduce the number of people who may suffer from eye diseases in the future.”

Grierson recommends incorporating fruits and nuts as minor additions to what we already eat, such as peaches with ham or ginger with melon.  He believes this will help slow down or even prevent the degeneration process by increasing micronutrient, vitamin and antioxidant intake in the diet.

Learn more about food sources for nutrients important to eye health

SOURCE:  “Diet Could Reduce Onset Of Eye Disease By 20%”, University of Liverpool (2009, February 18),  http://www.liv.ac.uk/news/press_releases/2009/02/Diet-could-reduce-onset-of-eye-disease.htm

AMD associated with higher Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Waist-Hip Ratio

People with early or intermediate stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) make up a large and growing segment the elderly population.

Researchers interested in identifying preventative measures to help this group lessen their risk of advanced AMD conducted a survey of 261 participants from a hospital-based retinal practice.  Participants were aged 60 years or older, with some sign of nonadvanced AMD and visual acuity of 20/200 or better in at least 1 eye.

The results of the study showed that obesity (measured in body mass index) greatly increases the risk for progression to the advanced forms of AMD. 

In addition:

• Higher waist circumference was associated with a 2-fold increased risk for progression, with a significant trend for increasing risk with a greater waist circumference
• Higher waist-hip ratio also increased the risk for progression
• More physical activity tended to be associated with a reduced rate of progression (25% reduction for 3 times per week vigorous activity compared with no activity)

Study authors believe that the results provide new information regarding modifiable factors for individuals with the early or intermediate stages of this disease.  Although overall and abdominal obesity increased the risk for progression to advanced AMD, increasing physical activity tended to decrease risk.

Learn other natural preventative measures to lesson your risk of AMD

SOURCE:  Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Seddon, et al, Arch Ophthalmol. 2003;121:785-792

A recent study shows that higher doses of vigorous exercise are associated with lower risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).  AMD is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States.

Paul Williams, an epidemiologist in Berkeley Lab’s Life Sciences Division studied 41,708 runners (29,532 men and 12,176 women) more than seven and a half years.  He tracked their average daily running distance (kilometers per day), their cardiorespiratory fitness, their body mass index (BMI), cigarette use, and diet.  This data was collected in the National Runners’ Health Study.

The results?

• Men who reported having AMD were significantly more likely to have once smoked cigarettes
• AMD risk was greater in the men and women who consumed more meat and less fruit
• Men and women who reported having AMD ran for exercise significantly less than those who remained unaffected
• The relative risk for AMD decreased 10% per km/d increment in running distance.  Compared with the men and women who averaged less than 2 kilometers/day:

           - those averaging 2 to 4 kilometers/day had 19% lower adjusted risk of AMD

           - those averaging 4 kilometers/day had 42% to 54% lower adjusted risk of AMD

Williams concluded that higher doses of vigorous exercise such as running are associated with lower incident AMD risk independent of weight, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cigarette use.

Learn more about macular degeneration (AMD)

SOURCE:  Prospective Study of Incident Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Relation to Vigorous Physical Activity during a 7-Year Follow-up, Williams, Paul, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. 2009;50:101-106.

A new study shows that early diagnosis and treatment of dry eye syndrome in diabetic patients may help prevent problems such as scarring and perforation of the cornea and secondary bacterial infection.

Scientists at the Yazd Diabetes Research Center evaluated 199 type 2 diabetic patients for dry eye syndrome and other factors.  Of the 199 subjects, 108 patients (54.3%) were found to suffer from dry eye syndrome.

Although dry eye syndrome was more common in older and female patients, this association was not significant.  However, researchers did find a significant association between dry eye syndrome and duration of diabetes.   Researchers also noted that dry eye syndrome was more frequent in diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). 

Study authors concluded that dry eye syndrome in diabetic patients may be a contributor for a variety of corneal complications including superficial punctuate keratopathy, trophic ulceration, and persistent epithelial defect.   The authors recommended that examination for dry eye should be an integral part of the assessment of diabetic eye disease.

Learn more about natural relief for dry eyes

Read proactive steps you can take to reduce the effects of diabetes

SOURCE:  Prevalence of dry eye syndrome and diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetic patients, Manaviat, et al, BMC Ophthalmology 2008, 8:10doi:10.1186/1471-2415-8-10.

Eye disorders related to statins are rare, occurring in about 0.1 percent of patients (0.5 to 2.5 percent when gemfibrozil, another type of cholesterol-lowering drug, is taken simultaneously) but had not been systematically reported prior tothe study led by F.W. Fraunfelder, MD, of the Casey Eye Institute at Oregon Health and Science University. The research appears in the December issue of Ophthamology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthamology.]

Fraunfelder’s group analyzed statin-associated reports of double vision (diplopia), drooping of the upper eyelid (ptosis), and loss of full range of motion of the eyes (ophthalmoplegia) in the databases of the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects, the World Health Organization, and the Food and Drug Administration. Since statins were known to cause
skeletal muscle disorders in some patients, a similar affect was plausible in the eye muscles. The average patient age was 64.5 years, and the case reports included 143 males, 91 females, and 22 persons with gender unspecified. The average statin dose of patients who exhibited one or more eye disorder was within ranges recommended by drug manufacturers, and the average
time from beginning of therapy to developing an adverse drug reaction (ADR) was 8.3 months. There were 23 cases of loss of eye range of motion; 8 cases of ptosis, and 18 cases of ptosis in conjunction with double vision; disorders in all patients apparently resolved completely when statins were discontinued. From the ADR reports, the researchers could not determine
precisely which eye muscles were involved, or time needed to full recovery after statin discontinuation, for individual cases.

For more related research studies, see the “Research” section at <a href=”http://www.naturaleyecare.com”>Natural Eye Care</a>

Cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are both leading causes of blindness in the United States, but scientists have been uncertain if the two diseases may be linked.  Researchers have just completed a study to assess the risk of developing AMD after cataract surgery.

4,477 participants in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), a multicenter, controlled, randomized clinical trial were assessed every six months for at least five years.

Emily Y. Chew, MD, of the National Eye Institute and her colleagues evaluated the data and compared the risk of AMD in participants who had cataracts removed with those who have not had the surgery. 

Their conclusions?  The AREDS results showed no clear effect of cataract surgery on the risk of progression to advanced AMD, which may reassure patients with AMD who are considering cataract surgery.

Learn more about natural care and treatment of AMD and cataracts

SOURCE:  Risk of Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration after Cataract Surgery in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study: AREDS Report 25, Chew et al, Ophthalmology – February 2009 (Vol. 116, Issue 2, Pages 297-303.