Dr. Grossman’s Blog

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An animal study has revealed the antioxidant properties of hawthorn tree leaves and how they may be used to fight cataracts.

Hawthorn leaf extract was dropped into the eyes of rats with selenite-induced oxidative stress.  Researchers were able to measure significant increases in antioxidant levels in the eyes after the administration of the  drops.  According to study authors, “These results may be applied in the future for the prevention and treatment of cataracts.”

One of the leading causes of cataracts is the presence of free radicals.  The natural byproducts of metabolism,  these highly reactive chemicals cause oxidation, which in turn leads to the development of the opaque spot in the eye of a cataract.

Source: Biological Trace Element Research

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In an attempt to determine how to increase the public’s lutein intake, Spanish scientists have been studying how lutein fortified bread and muffins may effectively deliver the nutrient to consumers.  Findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry show that using high-lutein wheat and corn flower in bread products resulted in “reasonable amounts” of  this powerful  antioxidant still available in the cookies, muffins, and breads.

Lutein is a carotenoid used in the retina and lens of the eyes. Studies have shown that low lutein levels can be a factor in the development of macular degeneration. Also, those with high concentrations of lutein in their systems are 50% less likely to develop cataracts.

Research on lutein supplementation in food is still ongoing and study authors say that “more research is being carried out to evaluate antioxidant properties of these wholegrain high-lutein food products.”

Source: http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Muffins-and-bread-show-lutein-carrier-potential-for-eye-health

Studies have shown beneficial effects of lipoic acid treatment on cataracts in rats. It may be of therapeutic use in preventing human cataracts and their associated complications. Lipoic acid has also been used to treat glaucoma.

Lipoic acid, also known as alpha-lipoic acid, is a sulfur-containing fatty acid. It is found inside every cell of the body, where it helps generate the energy that keeps us alive and functioning. Lipoic acid is a key part of the metabolic machinery that turns glucose (blood sugar) into energy for the body’s needs.

Lipoic acid is an antioxidant, which means that it neutralizes naturally occurring but harmful chemicals known as free radicals. Unlike other antioxidants, which work only in water or fatty tissues, lipoic acid is unusual in that it functions in both water and fat. By comparison, vitamin E works only in fat and vitamin C works only in water. This gives lipoic acid an unusually broad spectrum of antioxidant action.

Source: HealthLibrary

For more research on cataracts, please visit our Research Pages.

Retinitis Pigmentosa (pigmentosis) is a progressive degenerative disorder of the retina that can cause a profound loss of vision. The typical symptoms include decreased night vision and peripheral vision, usually starting in the first or second decade of life.

A 2006 study found that high doses of antioxidants (vitamins E, C, alpha lipoic acid others) significantly reduced oxidative damage in cones, increased cone cell density and preserved cone function. These results, according to the Johns Hopkins authors, suggest that the gradual cone death that occurs after rod cells die is due to oxidative damage, and that antioxidants could provide benefit those suffering from Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Learn more about antioxidants here.

According to an article published in The Journal of Pineal Research, evidence from a number of sources supports the assertion that increased free radical generation and altered nitric oxide (NO) metabolism contribute to glaucoma and uveitis. Data indicates that melatonin is an efficient antioxidant that has the ability to fight free radicals and break down nitric oxide and plays ” a promising role in the treatment of these ocular dysfunctions.”  Melatonin has few side effects even at high doses and can potentially do a great deal to protect ocular tissue.

For more on vision wellness, visit us at NaturalEyeCare.com.

Source information: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123439574/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Further studies indicate that bilberry and pine bark extracts can reduce ocular hypertension, a condition related to visual impairment and glaucoma (source: Clinical Ophthalmology, 2010, Volume 4, Pages 471-476).

Bilberry is also associated with improving other eye conditions including cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration.  Both cataracts and macular degeneration in particular have been attributed to damage caused by free radicals that can be combated through increased intake of antioxidants. Bilberry’s flavonoids are known as potent antioxidants that can scavenging free radicals and help ward off multiple age-related eye diseases.

Oral supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin with coantioxidants may improve vision at 36 months for those at high risk for progression to late age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

In the Carotenoids and Co-Antioxidants in Age-Related Maculopathy (CARMA) study, presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2009 Annual Meeting, researchers examined the effects of supplementation with serum lutein and zeaxanthin plus coantioxidants (vitamins C and E and zinc) on visual function and the progression from early to late stages of AMD.

A total of 433 participants in the United Kingdom with early AMD in at least one eye, or any level of AMD in the study eye and late-stage AMD in the fellow eye, received either carotenoids plus coantioxidants or a placebo.

Study participants were examined at 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months. Although no statistically significant difference was seen in best corrected distance visual acuity (BC DVA) at 12 months, at the 36 month follow-up researchers did note an improved BC DVA.

Investigative team member Usha Chakravarthy, MD, PhD, from Queens University of Belfast in Northern Ireland concluded that supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin results in better macular function in patients with early AMD. He also noted that the eyes of people who had high serum (lutein) demonstrated a less severe early AMD change over time, and suggested that supplementation may prove beneficial in preventing progression to late AMD.

Learn about self-help for macular degeneration, including recommended diet and supplements containing lutein and zeaxanthin at the Natural Eye Care website

SOURCE: ARVO 2009: Lutein, Zeaxanthin Supplements May Result in Better Macular Function in Early AMD, Chakravarthy, et al, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), May 4, 2009.

Antioxidant and omega-3 supplements continue to be a simple, low-cost, effective therapy for AMD

A study designed to measure changes in visual function in subjects with atrophic (dry) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) found that three-quarters of the subjects receiving a nutritional supplement demonstrated stabilization or improvement of visual acuity at 6 months.

Dry, atrophic, or non-exudative, AMD is the most common form of macular degeneration.  Risk factors for dry AMD include:

• age greater than 50
• Caucasian race
• poor nutrition
• smoking
• atherosclerotic vascular disease
• genetics 
• sunlight exposure.

Multiple studies have suggested that nutritional factors can play a significant role in slowing the onset or limiting the effects of AMD.  The Taurine, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Zinc, Antioxidant, Lutein (TOZAL) study tried to identify the potential benefits of a new supplement designed to limit the risk of AMD and progressive vision loss.

In this study, published in BMC Ophthalmology, 37 mixed gender patients (average age 76 years) at 5 independent study sites received a nutritional supplement specifically formulated to combat AMD.   This supplement included natural beta-carotene, vitamins A and E, zinc, and copper.   Results were compared to subjects in other tests who had been given placebos.

76.7% of subjects receiving the nutritional supplement demonstrated stabilization or improvement of visual acuity at 6 months.

Read other studies about AMD

Learn more about antioxidants and food sources for nutrients important for good eye health

SOURCE:  TOZAL Study: An open case control study of an oral antioxidant and omega-3 supplement for dry AMD, Cangemi, BMC Ophthalmology 2007, 7:3doi:10.1186/1471-2415-7-3.

Researchers predict age-related macular degeneration (AMD) will increase substantially by 2050, as the U.S. population ages, but the use of new and existing therapies can mitigate the effects of the condition.

A significant preventative therapy named in this study is the use of antioxidant vitamins to slow the progression of AMD from early to late stages.  Other treatments reviewed include laser and photodynamic therapies and anti-VEGF injections.

Scientists from the Research Triangle Institute International in North Carolina simulated cases of early AMD, choroidal neovascularization (CNV), geographic atrophy (GA), and AMD-attributable visual impairment and blindness with 5 universal treatment scenarios:

1. no treatment;
2. focal laser and photodynamic therapy (PDT) for CNV; 
3. vitamin prophylaxis at early-AMD incidence with focal laser/PDT for CNV; 
4. no vitamin prophylaxis followed by focal laser treatment for extra and juxtafoveal CNV and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment; and 
5. vitamin prophylaxis at early-AMD incidence followed by CNV treatment, as in scenario 4.

From the results of this analysis, the researchers predicted that cases of early AMD will increase from 9.1 million in 2010 to 17.8 million in 2050 across all scenarios, but that existing medical therapies have the potential to reduce the visual impairment and blindness attributable to AMD by as much as 35 percent, translating to 565,000 fewer cases of visual impairment and blindness in 2050.

Learn about good food sources of antioxidants

Read about antioxidant vitamins important in the treatment of macular degeneration

SOURCE:  Forecasting age-related macular degeneration through the year 2050: the potential impact of new treatments, Rein, et al,  Arch Ophthalmol. 2009 Apr;127(4):533-40.

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