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Site-Search: Home "I think my eyes are improving. Night driving is better, it seems to me. And I have the impression that part of the cataract may be less opaque. If I look through just a pinhole, it looks pretty dark. If the hole is the smallest hole in a leather punch, it looks less formidable and with more clear space in the corner." -Gladys Swan, Missouri (taking remedies recommended by remote Biofield testing) |
Cataract Prevention & Reversal Cataracts are a loss of clarity in the tissue of the crystalline lens of the eye affecting about 4 million Americans. The average amount of light able to penetrate the lens of the eye at age 80 is only 25% of the level at age 20. Cataracts are the number one cause of vision loss and blindness in the States. 600,000 eye surgeries each year make cataract operations the most common of all the major surgical procedures in Medicare. Eye surgery accounts for about $3.5 billion in costs through Medicare, more than any other surgical specialty. Worldwide, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness, and are projected to blind 40 million people by the year 2025. 15% of people are affected by age 55, and 50% of people are affected by age 75. Also, about 60% of the elderly are forced to avoid night driving due to cataracts. Most of this appears to be preventable and most cataract patients are in a good position to focus on prevention. Only 3.3% meet the current guideline of 20/50 or worse visual acuity for recommending cataract surgery. A healthy 91.7% even retain vision of 20/25 or better and have the highest likelihood of success with preventive measures. Because doctors themselves lack training in nutrition, most cataract patients are not presented with the existing research in prevention and reversal of cataracts. In fact, only 5% of eye surgeons even believe that it is very likely that anti-cataract compounds could be developed in the future. Impaired visual performance is known to begin at 20/30 or worse acuity in one eye, since there is 3 times the normal rate of falls resulting in hip fracture at this level of visual impairment. This is a risk following cataract surgery as well, due to a sudden change in magnifaction of the entire visual field of one eye. In addition, 8% of patients going through cataract surgery experience complications according to researchers at Harvard Medical School. Beyond all this, the average patient lives only 5 years following cataract surgery. Obviously, surgery does nothing to actually promote health or longevity. Nutritional and other preventive measures, in contrast, produce many side-benefits, including the potential of certain supplements including Vitamin C and Chromium to significantly increase life expectancy. The tissue changes involved in various types of cataract formation include fibrous metaplasia of the lens epithelium (in posterior synechia following iritis), liquefaction of lens fibers (in cortical spoking and water clefts representing about 75% of cataracts), sclerosis of fibers (in nuclear cataracts, representing about 25% of cataracts), and posterior migration and swelling of epithelial cells (in posterior subcapsular cataracts, or PSC). Brunescent cataracts involve yellowing of the lens due to deposition of fat soluble waste material called lipofuscin related to inability of the liver to break down and eliminate fat soluble toxins. Circulation and Movement: Maintaining flexibility in the focusing of the crystalline lens not only improves lens nutrition and detoxification, while preventing cataract. It is also in itself strongly linked to longevity. Aging of the lens involves cross-linking of collagen fibers, resulting in hardening and reduced flexibility to shift focus. This process is similar to hardening of the arteries, and is often associated with similar changes in the joints, which like the lens, rely heavily on good regional blood circulation, since they are composed of avascular tissue. All movement of nutrients and wastes must therefore diffuse through many cell layers to maintain the metabolism of the cells. This passive movement of fluids is greatly aided and dependent on general body movement in the case of the joints, and general ocular motility, and especially accommodation, in the case of the eye lens. Toxins: Many toxins, including synthetic chemicals and pharmaceuticals are known to cause cataract. Steroid medications, even when used topically, are a common trigger. Steroids, such as prednisone, block normal metabolism of connective tissue of which the lens is composed. Antihistamines should also be avoided. Among the potentially toxic compounds observed to trigger cataracts include: naphthalene (moth balls), acetone, dinitrophenol (formerly approved for weight loss), cresol and paradichlorobenzol (insecticide) as well as numerous chemicals and solvents. Many drugs can contribute to cataracts, including tranquilizers, radiomimetic drugs, myleran, nitrogen mustard, triethylene melamine (TEM), quinoline, trenimon, endoxan, methotrexate, mevacor, mimosine, corticosteroids (such as prednisolone and cortisone), oral contraceptives, miotics such as pilocarpine, used to treat glaucoma, DFP, phospholine iodide, mintacol, tosmilen, iodoacetic acid, triparanol, dibromomannitol, pantocain, ergot, sulfanilamide, streptozotocine, methoxsalen, accutane. About 25% of cataract patients are on diuretics such as thiazide, which deplete vitamin C and other water soluble antioxidants, while also combining with sunlight to damage and discolor the lens. Among the drugs that have been used to treat or prevent cataracts are: aspirin (not recommended due to side effects; see also herbal section on willow) and catalin (a Japanese eyedrop). Smoking over a pack of cigarettes a day increases cataract risk by 205% compared to not smoking at all in men and increases the risk by 63% in women. Quitting smoking alone, without detoxification, however, does not appear to completely eliminate the risk. Former smokers still show a 40% elevated risk of posterior subcapsular cataracts in men, and women�s risk of cataract doesn�t decrease even 10 years after quitting. Smoking causes increased lipid peroxidation and depleted antioxidant levels. Low dietary intake of antioxidants further increases the risk posed by smoking. It is estimated that smoking causes about 20% of all cataracts. Herbal programs for smoking cessation have been developed which have proven to be 99% effective for quiting smoking in just one week. Mercury appears to be a very common trigger. Mercury binds to sulfhydryl groups, including those in the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase especially needed to protect the lens from free radicals produced by light, since the eye tissue is the only tissue in the body other than the outer layers of the skin which is not protected from the oxidative effects of light by the pigment melanin. A sunglass lens containing melanin has been developed. Another key sulfhydryl group attacked by mercury is found in the enzyme Na,K-ATPase. This enzyme is responsible for pumping fluid out of the lens to maintain a state of relative dehydration necessary for the maintenance of clarity of the lens. When this enzyme is poisoned, the lens swells up with excess water and becomes cloudy. Mercury is retained in the lens longer than any other tissue. Young people with diets low in carotenoids, yet who frequently consume large, long-lived predatory fish which accumulate high levels of methyl mercury, such as tunafish, swordfish, shark, mahi mahi, striped bass and pike show an increased risk of posterior subcapsular cataracts. Methyl mercury can also increase risk of progressive nuclear cataract formation. Other important protective enzymes affected by mercury include SOD, catalase, and G-6-PD. Other heavy metals are found at increasing levels in the lens with aging and cataractogenesis, including cadmium, bromine, cobalt, iridium, and nickel. Cadmium is 2 to 3 times higher in lenses with cataracts than in clear lenses of the same age. Cadmium displaces zinc, and like mercury, binds to sulfhydryl groups, thus potentially deactivating antioxidant functions as well as the Na+, K+ -ATPase pump. Cadmium can come from cigarette smoke, which has been shown to cause cataracts. Additional minerals which in certain forms and dosages can become toxic and cause cataracts include: thallium, zinc sulphate, cobalt chloride, sodium selenite, copper, iron, lead, silver and gold. Oral or intravenous chelation with EDTA or vitamin C may be beneficial to help eliminate heavy metal accumulations. Sugar: Diabetes is a common contributor to cataracts, increasing risk by 3 to 4 times. High sugar levels in the blood cause inceased sugar penetration into the crystalline lens. Once inside the lens, the glucose molecules are phosphorylated (chemically bound to a phosphorus group, making a larger molecule) and can then no longer diffuse back out of the lens even after sugar levels in the blood may have returned to normal. The increased sugar in the lens then osmotically draws in excess water to hydrate itself, leading to swelling and water pockets. Swelling of the lens can cause fluctuating vision, and the microscopic water pockets disrupt the crystal lattice structure of the lens making it cloudy and the vision hazy. This is similar to the difference between a clear quartz crystal, and a milky quartz which lacks clarity due to the presence of impurities in the lattice structure of the silica. The lens of the eye normally pumps excess fluid out to maintain its clarity, but with too much sugar this is difficult or impossible. Refined sugar should be avoided for prevention in any type of cataract, while diabetics should avoid other sugars as well, and even reduce complex carbohydrates. Cataract prevention is especially important in diabetes, since retinal disease associated with diabetes can accelerate for 6 months following cataract surgery. Lactose, found in dairy products, can contribute to cataracts, destroying glutathione and vitamin C levels in the lens. Lactose is a disaccharide comprised of galactose and glucose. Galactose is known to cause cataracts, as in galactosemia. High galactose diets cause cataracts in animals. In one population, 22% showed difficulty handling lactose, but over 50% of those in the same population who also have cataracts are in this category. About 30% of all cataracts may be affected by this factor. 47% of people with presenile cataracts have genetic problems with galactose metabolism. Live culture yogurt, because of its beneficial bacterial content, is a preventive factor against cataract. Monosaccharides D-glucose, D-galactose (see above), D-xylose, and L-arabinose are know to be cataractogenic, and should be restricted in the diet. They enter the lens from the aqueous humour and, since they are not efficiently metabolized by the lens with its very low metabolic rate, produce alcohols which do not diffuse easily out of the lens. For example, glucose forms sorbitol, and galactose forms galactitol. These waste products accumulate, osmotically drawing excess fluid into the lens and eventually disrupting the crystalline lattice structure and rupturing lens fibers. Even subtle deficits in sugar regulation can increase the risk of cataract. Impaired glucose tolerance is common among the elderly and can be improved nutritionally. Drainage and Diet: Drinking adequate amounts of good filtered water, or even better, Microwater, helps to maintain the flow of nutrients to the lens and the drainage of metabolic wastes and toxins from the tissues. 8 to 10 glasses of water a day has been recommended. Others suggest taking half the body weight (lbs) in ounces of water each day, so that a 120 pound individual would drink 60 ounces of water daily. Dairy, along with wheat, eggs and soy are also foods that commonly contribute to congestion of the sinuses, which surround the orbits of the eyes. When the sinuses become blocked, impaired veinous and lymphatic drainage often extends to the eyes as well, leading to decreased nutrition for the eyes, as well as reduced elimination of toxins including metabolic wastes. Sleep posture often accentuates this blockage on the side on which the individual sleeps, so sleeping on the back rather than one side is recommended, when other health factors permit. A similar blockage in the movement of fluids in the eye area can be related to glaucoma, as well as being frequently triggered by focal disturbances of health in the dental area. Injuries in the vertebrae or musculature of the neck can likewise contribute to a drainage �bottleneck� for the eyes, and thus promote cataracts. Excellent lymph drainage remedies are available, such as Energessence and Lymphomyosot. Stress from any source, and particularly visual stress, also greatly inhibits drainage from the eyes by reducing eye movement and increasing muscle tension in the eyes, face and cervical spine. Body and eye movement along with drinking BEV quality filtered or ionized water are critical to maintaining efficient drainage of toxins and wastes from within the eyes. Exercise also helps improve the body mass index, which reduces cataract risk. Rebounding, which is bouncing on a mini-trampoline, is an excellent form of gentle exercise that stimulates lymphatic drainage of the entire body without stressing the joints or cardiovascular system. Beneficial foods may include those high in sulfur-bearing amino acids, such as garlic, onions and beans. Foods high in beta-carotene, such as the yellow and orange vegetables are also recommended, as well as foods high in vitamins C and E. Eating more than 3.5 servings a day of fruits or vegetables increases vitamin C intake and reduces the risk for both cortical and subcapsular types of cataract. In one study, spinach was found to be the most significant single food in preventing cataracts, and it provided more beta-carotene than carrots. Another study found lower cataract incidence in elderly beer drinkers, perhaps due to the circulatory benefits of small amounts of alcohol. Larger amounts of alcohol, over 7 drinks a week, increase cataract risk. Other foods that have been suggested include fish, eel, celery, green leafy vegetables, seaweed, citrus, brewer�s yeast, sprouts, apples, carrot juice and potassium (vegetable) broth, oranges, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, turnips, green vegetables, (free-ranging) eggs and (raw, unpasteurized) milk. Sardines contain beneficial nutrients such as essential fatty acids, but also contain lipid peroxides, which may increase cataract risk when catalase or vitamin E is low. It is clearly beneficial to maintain a low calorie diet. Animal studies show that cutting calories 20 to 40% results in 30 to 50% reduction in cataracts, as well as a 30% increase in longevity, increased immune function and decreased risk of cancer. Foods should be whole as much as possible, since the ratio of processed or refined carbohydrates to complex carbohydrates is a risk factor for cataract. Socioeconomic and educational factors are related to cataract incidence, perhaps through their effects on diet and health habits, as well as stress and exposure to toxicity. Next we will look at research on the role of specific nutritients and remedies in cataract prevention and reversal. ____________ Endnotes (see print version for placement): Ordy J.M. Brizzee K.R., Johnson H.A., �cellular alterations in visual pathways and the limbic system: implications for vision and short term memory,� AGING AND HUMAN VISUAL FUNCTION, R. Sekuler, D. Kline, and K Dismukes, editors, Alan R. Liss, New York, 1982, pp. 79-114. Straatsma B. Aging-related cataract: Laboratory investigation and clinical management. Annals Int Med 102:82-92, 1985. Schoenfeld ER, et al. Recent epidemiological studies on nutrition and cataracts in India, Italy and the United States. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 10(5):540/Abstract 22, 1991. Robertson J. Cataract prevention: Time for a clinical trial? British Journal of Clinical Practice 44(11):475-6, 1990. Pfoff D.S., Werner J.S., �Effect of night contrast-glare testing on cataract patients with 20/50 acuity or better,� 3rd American-International Congress on Cataract IOL and Refractive Surgery, Seattle, Wash. May 1993. Kahn H.A., �The Framinham Eye Study,� American Journal of Epidemiology 106: 17-41, 1977. Duke-Elder, W.S., �The pathological action of light upon the eye,� Lancet, June 19, 1926, pp. 1188-1254. Felson D.T., Et al, �Impaired vision and hip fracture,� Journal American Geriatrics Society 37: 495-500m 1989. Chylack L.T., Cheng H.M. �Clinical implications of research on lens and cataract,� in THE OCULAR LENS, Harry Maisel, editor Marcel Dekker, New York, 1985, pp. 439-52. Bellows JG and Bellows RT, in Cataract and Abnormalities of the Lens. Grune & Stratton, Inc., NY, NY pp230-240, 1975. Fraunfelder F.T., Drug Induced Ocular Side Effects and Drug Interactions, 2nd edition, Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia 1982. Cuthbert J, et al, �Diuretic drugs as risk factors in cataractogenesis,� Metabolic, Pediatric and Systemic Opthalmology 10: 48-54, 1987. Lerman S., Radiant Energy and the Eye, Macmillan, New York, 1980. Fackelmann K.A. �Studies smoke out the risks of cataracts,� Science News 142: 134, 1992. Smoking linked to cataracts: Up to 20% of cases could be caused by tobacco use. Medical Tribune 3: September 10, 1992. Hankinson SE, et al. A prospective study of cigarette smoking and the risk of cataract surgery in women. JAMA268(8):994-8, 1992. Christen W.G., et al, �Cigarette smoking and the risks of cataract,� Investigative Opthalmology, ARVO abstracts, April 1991. Christen W.G., Seddon J.M., �Cigarette smoking and cataract,� American Journal of Preventive Medicine 9: 65-66, 1993. Lane BC. Inv Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1984; 25(3- ARVO Suppl): 134. Lane B.C., �Fish methylmercury and human cataractogenesis,� Presentation at the American Academy of Optometry meeting, December 13, 1992. Lane BC. Fish Methylmercury and Human Cataractogenesis. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 11(5):637/Abstract 133, October 1992. Lane BC. Dietary & Nutriture Risk Factors for Change in Cataracts and Macular & Vitreous Diseases. presented to the College of Syntonic Optometry, 1995. Swanson A and Truesdale A. Elemental analysis in normal and cataractous human lens tissue. Biochem Biophys Res Comm 45:1488-96, 1971. Page LR. Healthy Healing. (Sacramento, California: Spilman Printing, 1990) p. 138. Brody JE. With cataracts on the rise, efforts are pressed to prevent them or find ways to delay surgery. p. B14. Personal Health column. Pollock A, Dotan S., Oliver M., � Progression of diabetic retinopathy after cataract extraction,� British Journal of Opthalmology 74: 638-45, 1990. Ranaldi E, et al. High Frequency of lactose absorbers among adults with ideopathic senile and presenile cataracts in a population with a high prevalence of primary adult lactose malabsorption. Lancet, Feb. 18, 1984, p. 355. Rosner L., Farmer C.J. Bellows J., �Biochemistry of the lens,� Archives of Ophthalmology 20:417-26, 1938. Mitchell, H.S. Dodge W.M. Cataract in rats fed on high lactose rations. Journal of Nutrition 1935: 9:37-49. Rinaldi E., et al, �High frequency of lactose absorbers among adults with idiopathicsenile and presenile cataract in a population with a high prevalence of primary adult lactose malabsorption,� Lancet February 18, 1984, p. 355-57. Prchal J, et al. Association of pre-senile cataracts with heterozygousity for galactosemic states and riboflavin deficiency. Lancet 1:12-3, 1978.n Halberg M. Prevent cataracts in galactosemia carriers by diet? Medical Tribune 1983:24 (12): 14. Birouez-Aragon I., et al, �The effects of sugars on the lens,� Opthalmologie, 7:51-54, 1993. Kinoshita JH. Invest. Ophthalmol. 4:786-99, 1965. Dugmore W.N., Tun K. Glucose tolerance tests in 200 patients with senile cataract. British Journal of Opthalmology 1980: 64:689-692. Gaby A.R., Wright J.B., Nutritional regulation of blood glucose. Journal of Advancement in Medicine 1991: 4(1): 57-71. Atkinson DT. Malnutrition as an etiological factor in senile cataract. Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Monthly, Feb. 1952, 31:79-83. Voll R. 2nd Supplement to the Four Volume Work: Topographical Positions of the Measurement Points of Electroacupuncture According to Voll. EAV Diagnosis of Eye Diseases, 15 New Measurement Points for Portions of the Eye, EAV Therapy for Eye Diseases, 5 New Approaches. Medizinisch Literarische Verlagesellschaft MBH, Uelzen, 1983. 96-97. BEV is an acronym for BioElectronics of Vincent, a diagnostic system in European Biological Medicine which measures the biophysical terrain of fluids including water, blood, urine and saliva. BEV quality water balances the terrain of the body as measured by pH, ORP and conductivity (ionization). Together these three factors determine the biological energy of fluids measured in microWatts according to the Nernst equation. For more detailed information on this topic see Biofields: The New Physics of Health. Schoenfeld ER, et al. Recent epidemiological studies on nutrition and cataracts in India, Italy and the United States. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 10(5):540/Abstract 22, 1991. Jacques PF, et al. Epidemiological evidence of a role for antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids in cataract prevention. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 53:352S-355S, 1990. Hankinson SH, et al. Nutrient intake and cataract extraction in women: a prospective study. British Medical Journal, 305:335-9, August 8, 1992. Munoz B., et al, �Alcohol use and cataract in a cohort of Chesapeake Bay Waterent,� Investigative Opthalmolgy 34: ARVO Abstracts 1784, Masrch 15, 1993. Page LR. Healthy Healing. (Sacramento, California: Spilman Printing, 1990) p. 138. Atkinson DT. Malnutrition as an etiological factor in senile cataract. Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Monthly, Feb. 1952, 31:79-83. Lane BC. Inv Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1984; 25(3- ARVO Suppl): 134. Friend, T. Vitamin C could cut cataract risk. USA Today, Life Section, Sept. 18, 1990. see: Science, 1986. Schoenfeld ER, et al. Recent epidemiological studies on nutrition and cataracts in India, Italy and the United States. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 10(5):540/Abstract 22, 1991. ____________ Next we will look at research on the role of specific nutritients and remedies in cataract prevention and reversal. |
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