Dr. Grossman’s Blog

Image by Redster

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

Photo by Gastonmag

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

Researchers have discovered a link between the popular anti-depression herb St. John’s wort and the development of cataracts.

Published in Current Eye Research, the study describes the results of questionnaires sent to over 31,000 people over age 40 about cataracts and their use of herbal remedies and treatments over the prior year. Those who reported that they had cataracts were 59% more likely to also report they had used St. John’s Wort.  Researchers do make clear that this questionnaire format has limits and further study is necessary to determine whether the correlation is dose dependent and learn more about the timing of taking the supplement and developing the cataract.

In earlier research, Hypericin, an active ingredient in St. John’s wort, was linked with crystallization of the eye’s lenses. But, to date, the association had not been evaluated in humans.

St. John’s wort is a European weed whose extracts have been used for the treatment of mental disorders, particularly depression. It is usually taken as an herbal tea or tablet.

Source: http://news.injuryboard.com/study-links-st-johns-wort-to-cataracts.aspx?googleid=274170

For more research on cataracts causes, treatments, and cures, please visit our website.

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.

The most common causes of pediatric cataracts include: intrauterine infections, metabolic disorders, and genetically transmitted syndromes. Infectious diseases such as rubella, measles, chicken pox, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, poliomyelitis, influenza, Epstein-Barr virus, syphilis, and toxoplasmosis can also be culprits.  Pediatric cataracts affects children worldwide, but it is 10 times more common in developing countries than in developed nations.

The American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus indicates that small cataracts that do not affect vision do not need to be removed, though those that cause vision loss should be removed as early in life as possible.  Early treatment is vital because the part of the brain that processes visual stimuli will not develop properly if a cataract causes the images to blur.  

For more information on ways to naturally treat and prevent cataracts, please visit our website.

Sources: http://www.pediatriccataract.org/about.html and http://www.aapos.org/faq_list/cataract

In the July 28, 2009 issue of the journal Biochemistry, Italian researchers reported that the dipeptide carnosine can potentially treat and prevent cataracts.  Enrico Rizzarelli of the University of Catania and his colleagues tested the effects of D- and L-carnosine on bovine cultured alpha-crystallin, the major structural protein in the lens of the eye. This discovery further supports those of other researchers over the past decade, including that of Chinese researchers who, in 1999, discovered that carnosine has pronounced effect on primary senile cataracts (an effective rate of 100%) as well as mature senile cataracts (the effect rate was 80%).

For more on cataracts research and potential treatment and cures, please click here.

New study found that medications that increase sensitivity to the sun,  including antidepressants, diuretics, antibiotics and the pain reliever naproxen sodium (commonly sold over-the-counter as Aleve) increase the risk of age-related cataract.

The results of this study will be in the publication in the August print issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.

Editor’s Notes: The lens cells are similar to skin cells which may be why additional light sensitivity can contribute to or cause cataracts.

For more information on nutrition, diet and cataracts, Click Here

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

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.

Three of the eight strains of the herpes virus can cause vision loss, including varicella zoster virus (VZV), which causes chickenpox and also shingles, and herpes simplex virus-1 and -2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2).  Shingles, which can affect older adults who have had chickenpox earlier in their lives, is marked by a rash that wraps around one side of the body, generally on the face or trunk.  When the rash appears on the face it can affect the corneal tissue and this can lead to keratitis (inflammation and scarring of the cornea), inflammation of the retina or optic nerve, glaucoma, or cataracts, any of which may also result in blurred vision or blindness.

Both HSV-1 (transferred through saliva) and HSV-2 (genital) can cause ocular herpes, a recurrent infection, and the most common cause of corneal blindness in the United States.  Once people develop ocular herpes, they have a 50% chance of recurrence within weeks or years, possibly triggered by fever, stress, sunlight, or eye injury. Approximately 400,000 Americans have ocular herpes, with 50,000 new or recurring cases every year. In 12% of cases, both eyes are affected.

Source: http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/vision/1538-1.html