Dr. Grossman’s Blog

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

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.

A team of scientists and surgeons from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London and the Moorfields Eye Hospital in London has developed a stem cell therapy to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of vision loss in the elderly.
“Under the new treatment, embryonic stem cells are transformed into replicas of the missing cells,” writes The Times of London. “They are then placed on an artificial membrane which is inserted in the back of the retina.”

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced this week that it will fund the development of the therapy; UCL professor Pete Coffey, who led the research team, predicts the therapy will be available as part of a simple, one-hour procedure within six or seven years.The researchers are applying for approval to conduct a clinical trial on humans; it would be just the second-ever trial conducted on humans using embryonic stem cells. Laboratory trials completed by the British team have demonstrated that stem cells can prevent blindness in rats with a similar disease to AMD. They have also successfully tested elements of the technology in pigs.

For natural approaches to help prevent the onset of macular degeneration as well as help preserve vision for those with macular degeneration, visit the Natural Eye Care web site

A small study by Japanese researchers demonstrates an increased blood supply to the retina upon stimulation of certain acupuncture points. Needles were inserted near the posterior base of the thumbs of volunteers while investigators used a laser to scan the retinal blood flow. Both volume and velocity increased in these patients. The work was done at the ophthalmology department at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine.

Reported by Dr. Kazuhiko Mori at the annual meeting of the Association for Vision and Ophthalmology in Fort Lauderdale this past May.

For more related information on natural eye care, go to www.naturaleyecare.com

The 73-year-old, known only as Ron, had the experimental surgery seven months ago at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital and is now able to see flashes of light, follow white lines on the road, and sort grey and black socks.

The eye known as the Argus II, which was developed by US company Second Sight, uses a miniature camera mounted on glasses to transmit images to the back of the eye.

An “artificial retina” consisting of an array of electrodes sends messages along the optic nerve to the brain.

So far 18 patients around the world have undergone the surgery as part of trials and Ron, who lost his sight in his forties due to the hereditary eye disorder retinitis pigmentosa, was one of three patients to have the device fitted at the London hospital.

As he starts to get use to the device his life will be transformed even more as he gradually learns how to use the artificial eye.

He said: ‘For 30 years I’ve seen absolutely nothing at all, it’s all been black – but now light is coming through.

‘It gives me grades of bright light to black and anything in between. I can actually sort out white socks, grey socks and black socks.’

In people with the highest level of consumption of lutein and xeaxanthin (from leafy greens, eggs, red and yellow peppers), risk of Macular Degeneration (AMD) was 35% of the risk in people who ate less greens. Zinc was also protective. This in a study by J.S. Tan, et al. in Opthalmology, February 2008.

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

Data in US Twin Study also shows consumption of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids helps fight AMD

In a study of male twins, research shows that those who smoke have an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.  Men who ate more fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids had a lower risk of developing the disease.

Researchers collected data on 681 elderly male twins from the National Academy of Sciences National Research Council World War II Veteran Twin Registry.  The twins were given an eye exam and completed a food frequency and a risk-factor questionnaire.  222 of the twins had intermediate and late-stage age-related macular degeneration, while 459 of the twins had no signs of the disease.

The study showed that current smokers had a 1.9-fold increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, while past smokers had about a 1.7-fold increased risk.

Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from fish reduced the risk of AMD, particularly if two or more servings of fish were consumed each week.

Although researchers noted that genetics are important in determining who will get AMD, lifestyle choices, such as smoking, play a role as well. 

What can you do to reduce your risk of AMD?  Eat a healthy diet, including omega-3 fatty acids from fish such as mackerel, lake trout, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon.  Experts also recommend exercising, refraining from smoking, and maintaining a normal healthy weight.

Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Read more studies about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for healthy vision

SOURCE:  Seddon, et al; Cigarette Smoking, Fish Consumption, Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake, and Associations With Age-Related Macular Degeneration; Arch Ophthalmol. 2006;124:995-1001.

A new European study suggests that the combination of low levels of antioxidants and blue light exposure from the sun is associated with certain forms of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The EUREYE study, led by Astrid Fletcher, Professor of Epidemiology of Ageing at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, is the first to report an adverse association between sunlight exposure and AMD in people with low levels of antioxidants.

It is known that the eye is vulnerable to the damaging effects of sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by the lens, but visible or “blue” light penetrates to the retina, enabling us to see. Protection against the harmful effects of blue light is provided by antioxidant enzymes—including vitamins C and E, the carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) and zinc.

Researchers measured levels of these nutrients in the blood of 4,753 older adults (average age 73.2) who were part of the European Eye Study. Participants were interviewed about their lifetime sunlight exposure and had photographs taken of their retinas to detect AMD.

Participants with the lowest concentrations of antioxidants in the blood were found to be most at risk of AMD due to blue light exposure. In fact, participants with the combination of blue light exposure and low levels of zeaxanthin, alpha tocopherol and Vitamin C were nearly four times more likely to develop AMD. Researchers also noted that blue light exposure in middle age might be more damaging than at younger ages.

Professor Fletcher comments: ‘In the absence of cost-effective screening methods to identify people in the population with early AMD, we suggest that recommendations on protecting the eyes, ensuring that diets contain the right nutrients and antioxidants, are targeted at the general population, and especially middle-aged people’.

Study authors don’t advise people to stay out of the sun altogether — sunlight is important for its role in vitamin D synthesis. However, they do recommend avoiding exposing eyes to too much sunlight by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses when outdoors.

In addition, study authors advise consumption of key antioxidants, which can be accomplished by consuming recommended dietary intake levels of vitamin C and zinc and increasing consumption of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables.

Learn more about macular degeneration

Read more about antioxidants and nutrient food sources for good eye health

SOURCE: Fletcher AE et al. Sunlight exposure, antioxidants, and age-related macular degeneration. Archives Ophthalmology 2008; 126:1396-1403.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have created the first animal model of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) caused by a mutation known to produce disease in people.

AMD is the most common cause of vision loss in elderly people, affecting more than 10 million people in the U.S. and about 50 million world-wide. Because AMD develops late in life (patients typically show symptoms of AMD after age 60), it is a difficult condition to investigate.

Although some forms of AMD are inherited, one type is thought to be caused by a mutation in the Efemp1 gene. Researchers introduced the disease-causing mutation into the Efemp1 gene of mice. These Efemp1-mutant mice develop the same basal deposits as people with AMD.

It is believed that these mice will provide a means to study how basal deposits form and what they are made of. The mice can also be used to test potential treatments to prevent basal deposit formation.

“To better develop treatments for preventing the progression of AMD, we need to understand the real biochemical details of how AMD occurs,” says lead author Eric A. Pierce, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Penn’s K.M Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology. “To do that, we need a model, and now we have one.”

Learn more about age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Read other studies about macular degeneration

SOURCE: Model To Study Age-related Macular Degeneration Could Pave Way For Better Treatment, Pierce et al, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (2007, October 10).