Dr. Grossman’s Blog

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Diabetic retinopathy is a potentially blinding condition that affects almost 5% of diabetics. Peer reviewed scientific research has found that the following nutritional supplements may help people who are concerned about diabetic retinopathy and diabetes in general.

Chromium: 73% of type I and II diabetics who took chromium supplements reduced their requirement for insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents. Taking chromium and niacin together reduced fasting blood sugar levels and improved glucose tolerance.

Bilberry: 79% of 37 patients with visible diabetic retinal abnormalities improved after taking 160 mg of bilberry extract twice daily, compared to 0% of the placebo control group, and 86% of those with abnormalities of angiography findings showed moderate to considerable improvement.

Ginkgo Biloba: According to the following double blind study, gingko biloba can help improve diabetic retinopathy by improving the flow of blood to the brain and extremities.

For more studies of natural compounds that can help those dealing with diabetic retinopathy, visit our research pages.

The University of Miami has sent  its high-tech mobile eye clinic over to help the people of Japan.  The 12-meter van, which was created in 2004 to help aid in the early detection of amblyopia, glaucoma, and macular degeneration in people who do not usually have access to health care, will remain in the tsunami and earthquake stricken areas for three months.

Specifically, the Vision Van is expected to help people who have suffered eye injuries as well as contact lens wearers whose corneas have been damaged after wearing their lenses for weeks on end.  They will also help people who have lost their glasses during the disaster and people who were previously diagnosed with eye diseases.  The van will be staffed by Japanese doctors.  Source: The Mainichi Daily News

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High doses of vitamin D may help women under age 75 fight off macular degeneration (AMD).

Because of its abilities to fight inflammation and support immune health, vitamin D may help suppress t”he cascade of destructive inflammation” that happens during the early stages of AMD.

Women between age 50 and 79 in the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study were evaluated to determine protective effects of vitamin D intake in the forms of food, nutritional supplements, and sunlight.  Taking vitamin D in supplement form proved to be more helpful in preventing the onset of macular degeneration than exposure to sunlight.  Source: OSN Supersite

For perspectives on how natural macular degeneration protocols worked for our clients, please visit our website.

Many people come in to the office concerned about eye floaters.  A lot of patients have probably been told that there is nothing that can be done about these annoying speck and streaks that move across the field of vision, but you can take steps to reduce and prevent eye floaters.

Here is some dietary advice I offer my patients.  For more tips on how to reduce and eliminate floaters please visit our website.

• Eat brown rice and other whole grains instead of refined and processed grains (such as white bread and pasta).
• Use unsulfered molasses and fruit juices for sweetening instead of white sugar, chocolate, or honey.
• Drink rice, almond, or soy milk, herb tea or unsweetened, diluted fruit juices instead of coffee, tea, alcohol, or dairy drinks.
• Steam or bake foods instead of frying them.
• Eat lots of vegetables, but avoid the nightshade family (e.g., tomatoes, green peppers, white potatoes and eggplant).
• Minimize your use of salt.

To see a video about what floaters are, click here.

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A study of over 5,000 American from various racial and ethnic backgrounds shows that across the board, an estimated 6.5% of Americans are likely to develop macular degeneration (AMD).

Unlike glaucoma, which affects a disproportionately high number of African Americans, macular degeneration is shown to be much more common in white Americans than it is in blacks.

The results of this 2005-2008 study show that fewer people are developing macular degeneration than back in the period between 1988 and 1994 when researchers reported a prevalence rate of the disease of 9.4%.  This drop in macular degeneration rates (down to 6.5%) could be due to methodological differences, but study authors do state that their findings do support the assertion that incidences of AMD are on the decline.  Source: Archives of Ophthalmology,Vol. 129, No. 1

Learn more about macular degeneration – watch this video at our website.

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!

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Glaucoma tends to affect some racial groups more than others.  In the US, African Americans are more than twice as likely to develop the disease than non-Hispanic whites.  It has also been known for some time that Latinos have an elevated risk of glaucoma as well.

A new study published in the journal Ophthalmology shows that Asian Americans also run a higher risk of developing glaucoma than their white American counterparts.  Asian Americans have about a 6.5% chance of getting glaucoma.

The report also offered some specific details by ethnic group as well.  People of Japanese decent are 10 times more likely to develop normal-tension glaucoma (when the intraocular pressure is not elevated; IOP has generally been considered the telltale sign of glaucoma, but you can have the disease without having elevated eye pressure.  Source: Medical News Today

For further information on who is at risk for glaucoma, visit our website.

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Prevent Blindness America reminds us that women are more likely to suffer from dry eye syndrome than men.

Their organization has designated April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness month.  They quote Lynn K Gordon, MD, PhD, president of the national organization, Women in Ophthalmology, ““Not only do more women have Dry Eye, they are also more likely to develop eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.  And, because of increased longevity, women are more likely to develop macular degeneration. It is imperative that women of every age make an appointment with their eye doctor as soon as possible to ensure that they are protecting their vision for the future.”  Source: Prevent Blindness America

So, what can a woman (or a man) who wants to prevent dry eyes do?

• Make sure to eat lots of green leafy vegetables.
• Avoid sugar and/or artificial sweeteners: Consumption of more than 3 2/3 tablespoons of sugar a day has been linked to dry eye syndrome (one can of soda has abpit 3 tablespoons of sugar). Sugar is included in most processed and refined foods including cereals, ketchup,and other condiments, and salad dressings.
• Avoid toxic fats found in commercial red meat, dairy products, fried foods, and hydrogenated oils (such as margarine and shortening). These fats interfere with the proper metabolism of essential fatty acids in the body and are indirect causes of dry eye syndrome. Eat organic products whenever possible.
• Limit coffee and stop smoking.
• Avoid hydrogenated and transfatty acid containing foods
• Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day.
• Avoid any foods to which you may be allergic.
• Supplement your diet with a good multivitamin and/or an organic green drink daily.

For more on what helped our clients deal with dry eye syndrome, please take a look at this page.

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An international team of scientists have published a report that could change the way we look at dry eye syndrome.

There is news from the International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, which has spent two years formulating an evidence-based evaluation of meibomian gland structure and function in health and disease.  According to report authors, MGD is an extremely important condition, conceivably underestimated, and very likely the most frequent cause of dry eye disease.  More than 50 experts from around the globe worked together, mostly using technology to connect across great distances to develop a contemporary understanding of the definition and classification of MGD.

According to the report, researchers now understand that the meibomian gland is a key component in the etiology of dry eye and contributes to the evaporative status of the tear film.

“MGD may well be the leading cause of dry eye disease throughout the world. Although this condition influences the health and well being of millions of people, there has not previously been a global consensus on the definition, classification, diagnosis or therapy of MGD,” explained Dr. David A. Sullivan, PhD, TFOS President.

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Do brains and eyes work differently in various parts of the world?

A team of scientists has discovered that the eyes of Chinese and British people move differently.  Recognizing that Chinese people exhibit a specific eye movement that is rare in British people shows that different populations could have different brain mechanisms.  It was thought that a particular eye movement was a mark of brain injuries when the research sample was based on a largely European population.  This study shows that this eye movement was in fact common in 30% of the Chinese people studied.  These findings, published in the journal Experimental Brain Research, will keep physicians from misdiagnosing brain injuries now that it is know that certain eye movements, called saccades, are actually normal in certain populations.

According to Dr. Paul Knox, “There could be a number of explanations for this and further investigation is needed to fully understand why populations differ. It could be that culture – where we grow up, the education, work and social activities we are exposed to – influence these particular biological responses even though our physical make-up is the same…. The other possibility is that there are basic differences in brain structure and function that produce the kind of behaviour we identified. Maps of the brain were developed many years ago and were largely based on European populations. This became the blueprint for brain structure, but there could be differences between various populations.”

Source: Medical News Today