Dr. Grossman’s Blog

A recent study published in the journal “Archives of Ophthalmology” showed an inverse link between vitamin C and cataracts. This Indian study was a population-based cross-sectional analytic study measuring the plasma vitamin C levels in 5638 people 60 years of age or older. These people were checked for cataracts and type of cataracts.

Low levels of lutein, zeaxanthin, retinol and vitamin C all showed to be correlated to cataracts. However, low vitamin C levels had by far the strongest association and were also consistent by type of cataract.

Ref: Ophthalmology. 2011;118(10):1958-1965

Editor’s Note: For more related information, go to Cataracts and Nutrition, Diet, Lifestyle

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Traditional Chinese Medicine offers invaluable tools for diagnosing and treating conditions of the eyes.

This information is from a chapter of our book, A Comprehensive Manual for Practitioners of Oriental Medicine.

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Blueberries and their European cousins, bilberries, have long been used to regulate blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.  Recent studies of mice are convincing researchers of the bilberry’s potential in helping people deal with diabetes.

A study published in Nutrition Journal describes a trial involving the examination of the effect of consuming oat meal drinks that contained bilberries or rosehips on healthy young adults.  Researchers specifically looked at how these drinks influenced individuals’ glycemic indexes and insulin levels.  The drinks with bliberry induced a lower insulin response.  Scientists credit either the bilberry or the oat meal base.  Source: Nutrition Journal (Published: 21 May 2011).

Bilberries are also known to impact eye health in remarkably positive ways. mostly due to their antioxidant properties.  Studies show it has helped patients who suffer from diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, just to name a few conditions.

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Are cataracts just an inevitable part of getting older?  There is a lot of scientific research that indicates your diet and lifestyle choices actually have a lot to do with your risk of developing cataracts.

One study indicates that sugar of all kinds can impinge upon the eye’s ability to keep the lens clear.

Another study points to cigarettes as being a major cause of cataracts.  In fact, smoking is implicated as the cause 20% of all cataracts cases.  Men who smoke more than a pack a day increase their risk for cataracts by 205%!  For female smokers, that risk increases a still substantial 63%.

For more research studies on the causes of cataracts and how to prevent them, please visit our research pages.

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People who have diabetes often suffer from cataracts as well; in fact, they are more likely than the general population to develop cataracts.  Diabetics considering cataracts surgery need to consider their increased risk factors before they chose to undergo the procedure.

It is very important that patients’ blood sugar is well-controlled before surgery to increase their post-surgical healing ability.  It is especially important that patients’ inflammation levels are monitored and kept as low as possible during and after surgery.

According to Rupert Menapace, MD, of OSN Supersite, “We need atraumatic surgery to minimize the inflammatory response and avoid induction or exacerbation of diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. Even in uneventful cataract surgery, the risk of developing macular edema is high in diabetic patients, up to 10%.”  Macular edema is swelling of the macula, the small area of the retina responsible for central vision, of which the central 5% of the retina is most critical to vision.

Source: “Cataract surgery with comorbidities requires careful surgical management” at http://www.osnsupersite.com.

The following is an excerpt from my article that appears in the program foe next weekend’s Whole Health Expo in Northampton, Massachusetts.

There seems to be a broadly held perception that eye disease is unavoidable.  Though people will work hard to control their weight and cholesterol, they tend to have a “what will be will be” attitude about their eyes.  The truth is, there are numerous peer-reviewed studies that show clearly that eye conditions can respond to proper diet, lifestyle adaptations, and nutritional supplementation, and that people can preserve their vision.

You can read the rest of the article here to learn about how certain eye diseases including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration can respond to dietary and lifestyle adjustments.

Stop by an visit our booth for a complementary vision evaluation.  I will be speaking at 2:00 on Saturday, April 16.  My topic: 10 Ways to Preserve Eyesight Naturally.

I look forward to meeting you!

If you have been concerned about your chances of experiencing dry eye syndrome post cataracts surgery, your fears may be warranted.

A new study finds that people who have had cataracts surgery are more likely to suffer from dry eyes than is usually reported.  An assessment of 143 people who underwent cataracts surgery showed that while only 22.1% of patients received a dry eye diagnosis, more than 30% reported stinging, burning, dryness and foreign body sensation, while 40% reported itching, sensitivity to light, blurred vision and fatigued eyes. Source: OSNSupersite

Learn more about natural strategies to cop with dry eyes at our website.

Also, read about natural ways we have helped people suffering from cataracts.

In addition to removing a cataract, cataract surgery can also lower eye pressure.  Eye pressure or intraocular pressure is often (but not always) associated with the development of glaucoma.

A study presented at the American Glaucoma Society meeting explains how patients who had ocular hypertension before cataracts surgery exhibited a marked decrease in eye pressure after the procedure. Their pressure readings decreased by 18%.  They were not taking any medication to lower their eye pressure.  Source: OSN Super Site

It is possible to avoid what has become the most common surgery in the US – cataract removal – through a combination of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes.  Learn more about how to prevent cataracts naturally. Fighting free radicals by boosting you antioxidant intake is a great place to start.

You can also learn more about how to prevent glaucoma by reading up on other studies on our glaucoma research pages.

March is the American Dietetic Association’s National Nutrition Month.

This year, the theme is “Eat Right with Color.”  That seems particularly fitting since seeing color is one of the things we value most about our eyes.  The colors of the foods we eat – we are specifically talking about fruits and vegetables here – are often indicative of the nutrients they will deliver.

Check out the ADA’s guide for what colors indicate what great health benefits.

What’s an optometrist’s favorite color?  Blue.

Bilberry (a cousin of the blueberry) is the ultimate eye food, mainly because it contains carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants.  Getting your does of blue foods will help anyone concerned about Poor Night Vision, Glaucoma, Myopia , Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy , Cataracts , or  Computer Eye Syndrome.

Learn about how to prevent and treat diabetes naturally at our website.

Also, get the facts about the related condition, diabetic retinopathy.