Dr. Grossman’s Blog

Measuring serum lycopene levels may help doctors diagnose and evaluate patients with diabetic retinopathy.

A recent study finds that lycopene levels were significantly lower in individuals with diabetes. According to the study, “subjects with proliferative diabetic retinopathy had significantly lower lycopene levels than subjects without diabetic retinopathy or with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.”

This study and others have found that oxidative stress is related to the  development of microvascular complications (conditions related to diabetes including include diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy)  in patients with diabetes.  Lycopene has been found to play a role in the prevention of oxidative stress-related disease.

Lycopene is found in its high levels in tomatoes, but apricots, guava, watermelon, papaya, and pink grapefruit are also significant sources.

For more on diabetic retinopathy, please visit our website: http://www.naturaleyecare.com/diseases.asp?d_num=4

Scientists at the Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research have found that the regular consumption of specific “protective nutrients” in conjunction with  a low-glycemic-index, or “slow carb,” diet protected study participants from age-related macular degeneration. A food’s glycemic index is an indicator of how fast the carbohydrate it contains will spike blood sugar levels.

Vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA taken as part of a diet rich in low-glycemic-index foods reduced the risk of developing AMD.

Source: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/100701.htm

For more ways to eat your way to healthier vision, please click here.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine asserts that retinopathy progresses at a slower rate when people with type 2 diabetes adhere to intensive blood sugar control rather than standard blood sugar control. There can be risks associated with intensive blood sugar control regimes that bring glucose levels to near-normal levels including increased the risk of death and severe low blood sugar, so patients should work closely with their doctors when considering a new treatment plan.  Source: LA Times

For more information about diabetic retinopathy and natural treatment options, please visit our website.

Resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, grapes, blueberries, peanuts and other plants, can help preserve vision in those suffering from diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.

Researchers have found that resveratrol impedes the growth of new blood vessels in the eye, a condition called angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is linked to eye diseases as well as cancer and atherosclerosis.  Resveratrol can inhibit this process; abnormal blood vessels disappears in the eyes of mice to which it was given.  Previous studies have reported how resveratrol can work on other blood vessels in the body, but this is first to document the effect in the eyes specifically.

Reported in The American Journal of Pathology. Source: http://www.elements4health.com/resveratrol-could-prevent-eye-diseases-such-as-diabetic-retinopathy.html

We all grew up hearing that carrots were good for our eyes.  It’s the beta-carotene in carrots that helps your vision and it can also be found in spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, and mangoes.  The body turns beta-carotene into vitamin A which in turn protects the retina and lens from free radicals, unstable molecules that can cause cell damage.  Carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin also contribute to eye health and those can be found in green leafy vegetables, corn, and eggs.

Learn more about foods that prevent eye diseases at NaturalEyeCare.com‘s nutrition pages.

A recent study n the June issue of Archives of Ophthalmology shows that eating right can reduce the chance of developing cataracts in women aged 50 to 79.

Study authors state: “Diet was the strongest risk factor related to reduced risk of nuclear cataract in this sample of postmenopausal women… Smoking and obesity were also contributors. Lifestyle improvements that include healthy diets, smoking cessation, and avoiding obesity may substantively lower the need for and economic burden of cataract surgery in aging American women.”

Learn more about Dr. Grossman’s Vision Wellness Program! Click here.

Source information: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/723624

Recurrent erosion syndrome (RES) refers to repeated episodes of superficial spontaneous abrasions that cause eye pain. Erosions are “scratches” on the surface of the cornea. The cornea is more susceptible to scratches when the cells of the outer layer of the cornea are loosely attached to the underlying tissue. Often, there is no identifiable cause for these erosions.

Symptoms include mild to severe eye pain, redness, tearing, and light sensitivity and occasionally blurred vision. Most patients report symptoms after waking. During REM sleep, contact between the moving cornea and the eyelid can cause abrasions.

People who suffered an eye injury in the past, from a fingernail scratch or a paper cut, for example, are more likely to develop RES but the condition can point to an underlying case of  corneal dystrophy.

Source: Digital Journal of Opthamology

For more on how nutrition can promote eye health visit Natural Eye Care.

About 33 million Americans in all age groups experience varying degrees of dry eye symptoms. The symptoms may include dryness, grittiness, irritation, burning and even the seeming contradiction of excessive watering or tearing.

Dry eyes are a condition of the entire body, not just the eyes, and should be addressed as such, meaning that those who suffer from this condition should consider making changes to their diet and introducing nutritional supplements.  One of the most important aspects for people who suffer from dry eyes is the prohibition against sugar and/or artificial sweeteners. Sugar increases the risk for dry eyes.

For further information, please visit Dr. Grossman’s page on Dry Eye treatment and prevention.

“Floaters” are those small dark shapes that appear before your eyes and float through your field of vision.  Floaters are often the result of vitreous tears or detachments often experienced by seniors, but for some these clumps of protein can be the result of candidiasis, an overgrowth of the yeast-like fungus Candida albicans. Antibiotics, birth control pills, and an improper diet can all lead to candidiasis. The best way to start to counteract yeast overgrowth and the eye floaters and other health issues that this condition can cause is by eliminating sugar and yeast containing foods from the diet and introducing probiotics.