About 2.5 million Americans are visually impaired. More than a million people over 40 are blind from eye disease. 17% of Americans aged 45 and older report some type of vision impairment. At age 75 and older the figure rises to t26%. And an additional 5 million Americans have vision problems related to diabetes. Furthermore:
25 to 30 million people are affected with Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) worldwide.
Women tend to be at greater risk than men.
Smoking increases the risk of AMD.
Family history of AMD puts you at greater risk.
AMD is the leading cause of blindness for people over 50 in the Western World.
If you have been seeing an optometrist for routine eye exams and measurements for glasses or contacts, you're probably ok as long as nothing unusual is noted. However, at the first hint of any irregularity at all, it would be advisable to see an opthalmologist.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG!
Blurred vision
Distorted vision
Pain and redness in or around the eye
Night blindness
Restricted visual field
Excess tearing
Stinging, itching, or light sensitivity; glare
Red, swollen eyes or lids
Dry eyes, eyelids, or crusting
Watery discharge
Heaviness
Increase in floaters
Light flashes
Corneal crystals (yellow shiny deposits on the retina)
Headaches and tired eyes
Mouth sores
OPTHALMOLOGIST - OPTOMETRIST; WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
Opthalmologists are medical doctors with specialized training in eye care and treatment. The bulk of an opthalmologistst's practice is concentrated in surgery. Optometrists are legally qualified to treat the majority of eye diseases and will refer you to an opthalmologist when encountering a problem requiring specialized care. It costs no more to consult an opthalmologist. While your local optometrist puts a healthy markup on the glasses prescribed, the opthalmologist has no interest in selling glasses. Consulting one will leave you with a prescription you can take to your nearest discount center. On the other hand, the optometrist will, more often than any discount center, see that your glasses are correctly fitted. Few opthalmologists take the time to do this. It all comes down to this: If you're comfortable with your optometrist, follow directions.
LeQuadrillage would add a personal cautionary note here. Optometrists who are members of the American College for the Advancement of Medicine (ACAM) would be our preferred providers for treatment that goes beyond prescribing and fitting glasses and contact lenses. Most optometrists are professional and sincere, but on occasion a patient can encounter one who is tempted to step beyond the limits of the discipline. Two of our staff have been diagnosed with non-existing cardiovascular disease by optometrists, and we feel that serious eye diseases might be better left for the opthalmologist. We want to emphasize here once more, this is strictly on a personal note.
Among the medications most prescribed for eye diseases are Corticosteroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs or Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs like Ibuprofen). These drugs can actually cause vision damage, especially when in the form of eye drops, nose drops, or inhalants. They have been shown to elevate introcular pressure putting people at risk for serious eye deterioration.
WATCH THESE DRUGS AND NASAL SPRAYS!
The nasal sprays Flonase and Veramist , to the dismay of many optometrists, are being irrefutably linked to cataracts in patients that are simply too young to have them. Both these nasal sprays contain the corticosteroid fluticasone. Cataracts are currently being reported as side effects of this drug. Other medications being linked to cataracts are any of the inhaled steroids like Advair, Flovent, Pulmicort, and Symbicort. The blood pressure pill Cozaar (losartan), and the asthma inhaler Spiriva (tiotopium) have also been identified as the cause of cataracts. Most physicians and patients are unaware that cholestrol lowering drugs such as Crestor, Lipitor, and Simvastatin are also being linked to an increased risk of cataracts. There are no warnings in the official prescribing information and the only references available at this time are in the British Medical Journal, May 20, 2010.
OTHER DRUGS COMMONLY PRESCRIBED
Antibiotics, to combat certain bacteria. Sulfacetamide, Erythromycin, Gentamicin, Tobramycin, Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin
Antivirals - Triflurthymidine, Adenine arabinoside, and Idoxuridine
Anti allergy medications - Livostin, Patanol, Cromolyn, Alomide, Pheniramine
SIDE EFFECTS
Eye drops can cause ocular side effects such as redness, stinging, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, constriction of the pupils, headaches, stomach cramps, diarrhea and sweating.
Anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroids may cause cataracts, glaucoma, and other eye infections.
Decongestant drops like Visine and Murine plus can cause acute glaucoma.
Anaesthetic drops can severely damage the cornea
Beta-blockers; Timoptic, Betagan, Betoptic, may cause radical slowing of the heart rate, asthma attacks, plunging blood pressure, loss of memory and loss of sex drive.
ALL OF THIS SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT MOTIVATION TO AVOID DEVELOPING EYE PROBLEMS IN THE FIRST PLACE, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. IF IT ISN'T, KEEP READING
Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): Associated with aging, it gradually destroys the sharpness of your central vision.The greatest risk is to people over 60. Click on the link above for details.
Amblyopia (lazy eye): The vision in one eye is reduced due to the eye and the brain being out of sync. This occurs in early childhood and if not corrected before the sixth year of life will persist over the lifetime.
Behçet's Disease: An autoimmune disease that attacks the blood vessels, particularly the veins of the eyes.
Blepharitis (granulated eyelids): A common condition causing inflamation of the eyelids. There are 2 types of Blepharitis: Anterior Blepharitis; affecting the outside of the eyelids, caused by bacteria or dandruff, and Posterior Blepharitis; affecting the inner eyelids, caused by problems with the oil glands in the eyelids.
Cataracts: Usually affecting those over 60, this is a thickening of the lens which causes loss of vision. Click on the indexed link above for details. Note that BILBERRY EXTRACT has been shown to be particularly effective in slowing cataract growth.
Corneal Disease: Stemming from allergies, especially those related to pollen, and from Conjunctivitis (pink eye), caused by environmental irritants or by bacterial or viral infection.
Dry Eye: A comon eye condition that manifests itself with fewer than normal tears, causing discomfort, redness, and burning sensations.
Diabetic Eye Disease: Diabetes is a very very serious disease and it cannot be stressed enough that anyone with diabetes must take regular eye tests, at least once a year! Diabetes can cause major organ problems like heart disease, kidney failure, amputations, and blindness. Patients with diabetes can suffer from diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, glaucoma, and retinitis pigmentosa. {Click on the links above for details).
Floaters: Small, dark, shadowy shapes that float in your field ov vision. They are elusive spots that move around in front of your eyes, appearing to move with you as you look around, but darting away when you try to look right at them.
Glaucoma: (For details,click on the indexed link above) In this disorder the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes gradually rises, resulting in nerve damage and eventual loss of vision.
Presbyopia: A slow loss of ability to see close objects or small print.
Retinal Detachment: Where the retina is lifted from its normal position at the back of the eye. Untreated, this can cause permanent vision loss. Three types of retinal detachment are commonly seen. Rhegmatogenous, where a tear in the retina permits fluid to get underneath, allowing the retina to easily lift away; Tractional, where scar tissue on the retina contracts, causing the retina to lift; and Exudative, where fluid leaks into the area under the retina.
Vitreous Detachment: The back of the eye is filled with a thick, jelly like material called the vitreous. This material slowly shrinks when a patient is afflicted with this disorder. Fibers then pull on te retinal surface and break. Most common in people over 80, it can affect those in their 50's. Nearsighted people are most at risk.
Usher Syndrome: An inherited condition that causes gradual vision loss. IIt is part of a group of diseases in which the retina degenerates, bringing about night blindness, and peripheral vision loss.
NOTHING ON THIS WEBSITE, HERE OR ON ANY OTHER PAGE, IS TO BE TAKEN AS MEDICAL ADVICE. BEFORE ACTING ON ANY INFORMATION FOUND HERE, YOU ARE URGED TO CONSULT WITH YOUROWN DOCTOR AS THE ONLY PERSON QUALIFIED TO GIVE YOU MEDICAL ADVICE
MACULAR DEGENERATION
THE AMSLER GRID
TWO TYPES OF MACULAR DEGENERATION
WET AND DRY
Dry Type: Parts of the macula are dying, leaving small holes in the image the retina is receiving. This can create the appearnce of wavy lines in your vision. A door or window frame, traffic stripes etc, can be early indicators. It can cause blurry lines on signs and when reading. Check the Amsler Grid. If you see an opthalmologist and are found to have early or incipient macular degeneration, you will be given one. At this point, the only thing an opthalmologist can do is follow the progress of the condition. You'll be instructed to return in six months or a year for further evaluation. When you use the grid, check your eyes one at a time. Focus on the black dot. and watch to see if the lines remain straight or start to bend, bow, or waver Are any of the lines wavy? Do some of them look crooked or do the seem to fit incorrectly? Any irregularities need to be brought to the attention of an opthalmologist
Some scientists believe that oxidation is a big player in this and the absence of antioxidants in the diet over the years may be a significant factor in the condition and the advance of the dry type of macular degeneration may be retarded or stopped by the addition of antioxidants to the diet. Without a doubt, proper nutrition can be a controlling influence.
There are a lot of supplements out there claiming to stop macular degeneration. Some of them are very pricey. the most powerful antioxidant you can get, is probably also the cheapest. Grape Seed Extract is fifty times more potent than Vitamin E and anyone with incipient macular degeneration should lose no time in making this a regular part of the diet.
Wet Type:Unlike the Dry Type of Macular Degeneration, which progresses slowly, the less common Wet Type may result in severe loss of vision in one or both eyes. This type also manifests itself by causing straight lines to look wavy and severely wiggley. Black spots in the central vision will often appear. Check the Amsler Grid. Irregularities need to be reported to your opthalmologist without delay.
Currently there is no treatment that will effectively deal with the Dry Type AMD. This is the most common form, with about 90% of AMD patients in this group. All an opthalmologist can do is track the condition. Our own consulting opthalmologist, a very forward looking doctor, is of the opinion that the condition can be slowed, stopped, and even reversed, through diet, supplementation, and exercise. The results to be achieved, she contends, are merely a function of the individual patient's determination to follow through. Those patients who are heeding her advice are achieving some very encouraging results. It would be a very good idea to enlist the help an an alternative physician who can help with nutrition and supplement selection as well as possibly IV Therapy in cases of severe deficiency of vitamins and minerals.
If you have the Wet Type AMD, there are a number of treatment options available, none of them very good.There are Laser Surgery, Radiation, Angiogenesis Drugs, & Retinal Cell Transplants.
LASER SURGERY: This procedure uses a small laser beam to stop the growth of sight-threatening new blood vessels that are growing over the retina, cutting off vision. This seals up the small leaks in the retinal blood vessels by cauterizing them. This will temporarily prevent the spread of the vision blocking leakage. It cannot restore lost vision and will probably cut your vision a bit more by also destroying some of the good blood vessels. This procedure is done only as a last resort.
RADIATION: The same treatment that is used for cancer patients. The objective is to kill unwanted cells, but in the process, healthy cells are also killed. Since there are only a limited number of cells in the small area treated, the additional cell loss can be serious. While this procedure can help delay the growth of new blood cells over the retina, it must be repeated, with additional loss of healthy cells each time. As with Laser Surgery, this is a last reaort treatment for those seriously impaired with Wet AMD.
ANTI-ANGIOGENESIS DRUGS: A relatively new form of treatment, these drugs are used to stop the new growth of blood vessels in the eyes of patients afflicted with the Wet Type AMD. Thalidomide and interferon are among the drugs currently being used and so far, these drugs seem to be relatively safe. On the other hand, nothing has been shown to indicate any success either and the drugs are very expensive. Interferon has some serious and fairly prevalent side effects such as flu like symptoms, fever, muscle aches and chills.
RETINAL CELL TRANSPLANTS: Still in the experimental stage, this procedure proposes to transplant healthy retinal cells to replace the cells that have died. If this procedure actually works, it could go a long way in repairing the damage caused by macular degeneration.
PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY: Another highly experimental therapy in which surgeons cause the production of free radicals in the retina by using special molecules that make cells more sensitive to light. A growing number of alternative physicians are using this therapy for various purposes and it might be worth asking about. At this point it is a very extreme procedure and not readily available.
ALTERNATIVES
Supplements, along with good dietary habits, can and do slow the rate of progression of AMD. Reversing the progress in this manner seems entirely possible, given the current state of research into the subject. If your doctor actively discourages you from pursuing this thought, find another doctor. Get a nutrition oriented physician who understands the interactions of vitamins in your body given the state of your own health and the other factors which make you an individual. This is important. Then, preferably with professional help, put yourself on a regimen of supplement bolstered diet and exercise. What have you got to lose?
AMD PATIENTS (and others) NEED THESE VITAMINS AND MINERALS
VITAMIN C; Absolutely essential and plenty of it. Preferably with biioflavonoids. Healthy individuals should take 2,000 mg daily. Increase this to 10,000 mg when you're sick.
VITAMIN D: Sunlight, cod liver oil, and salmon are good sources. Too much can cause problems. You need 400 IU DAILY.
VITAMIN E; Alpha tocopherol only, NOT the synthetic alpha tocopheryl. At least 800 IU daily.
BETA-CAROTINE: Take it along with VITAMIN A; 15,000 to 25,000 IU. Pregnant women should limit to 15K IU.
ZEAXANTHIN1 & LUTEIN:2Absolutely essential! Believe it! Spinach, collard greens, kale, turnip greens and mustard greens have loads. You need this!
NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine): To keep your glutathione levels where they belong take 200 mg three times daily.
ZINC: 15-30 mg daily, to help your liver release Vitamin A.If we were to pick the one substance that directly manifests itself in improved vision and the retardation of AMD, it would be Zinc!
BETA-CAROTINE; Tske it with Vitamin E. Indispensable for night vision and absolutely vital to your sight. 10,000 IU daily.
BORON: Helps with maintaining strong bones and your general health. 1 mg at least.
MANGANESE; A trace mineral you don't need much of, but it's important to get enough. Make sure you get at least 10 mg daily.
FISH OILS: For Vitamin A and D. Make cold water fish such as trout, tuna, mackerel, cod, and sardines an important part of your diet.
MAGNESIUM: Extremely important for virtually all body functions. 300 to 500 mg at bedtime.
GARLIC: Eat at least a clove a day. Worried about your social life? It also comes in pills.
SELENIUM: Protect your cell membranes! a little ügoes a long way. 200 mcg daily is OK.
TAURINE; For eyes & blood. 1,000 mg daily, between meals only. This is a very essential Amino Acid.
COENZYME Q-10: A powerful antioxidant. Oxidation is a big big factor in the progression of AMD.
VITAMIN B: All of them! B-1 through B-12, and Biotin, Choline, Folic Acid, and Inositol.
CALCIUM: Men take 500 mg daily; women, take 1,200 mg.
CHROMIUM: A trace mineral that helps synthesize fatty acids and cholesterol and works to balance sugar and insuliun. 200 mcg.
COPPER; For good oxygen transfer and metabolic control. 5 mcg.
SELENIUM: A trace mineral with many functions. Absolutely vital for the prevention of oxidation. Works together with Vitamin E. 25 mcg daily.
1The Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, UK. 2The Institute fur Physiologische Chemie, Dusseldorf.
CATARACTS
If you're over sixty, chances are good that you have some stage of cataracts. If you're lucky, you're not noticing them yet, but if you live long enough, you will. Very few people live into their eighties to escape this condition. A cataract is a thickening and loss of flexibility of the eye's lens, slowly turning it opaque and ultimately leading to loss of sight. As we age, this happens to most of us, and now that people are living longer, cataracts are becoming more common.Poor nutrition and extended, intense exposure to the sun are major contributors to this condition of the eye.
Diabetics, with excess sugar in their blood, are especially susceptible to cataracts, because sugar has a strong affinity to the eye's lens and tends to accumulate there, accelarating the thickening process
If you have early stage cataracts, you may believe your eyes are just changing and you need your glasses changed. These changes of glasses will become increasingly more frequent. Other warning signs are the annoying glare you might receive from the headlights of oncoming vehicles at night, or other glares that you never noticed before. Things begin to look hazy and you might notice a disruption of color vision. Less and less light is getting through the lens to hit the retina and your world gets progressively darker. Often, before the serious impairment of sight occurs, you may experience a period where your eyesight becomes incredibly sharp. You believe that somehow you've managed to beat the condition. You're pleased with yourself. This can last for six months to a year; possibly a little longer. Then the condition comes back worse than ever. Optometrists are inclined to call this "second sight." Sorry, it won't last.
As is the case with many conditions, antioxidants can be major players in the prevention of cataracts. Free radicals formin the lens, causing its protiens to clump together, thickening the lens. Antioxidants tend to sweep away the free radicals, preventing or delaying the formation of cataracts. .
TREATMENT THE EARLY WAY
In the "good old days," cataracts were treated by the surgical removal of the lens in a procedure requiring a somewhat lengthy and uncomfortable recovery time. Cataract glasses were then prescribed, which weren't much more comfortable than the surgery. These were very thick and awkward glasses often referred to as "coke bottle glasses" due to their appearance like the bottoms of the old coke bottles.
MODERN DAY SURGERY INTRAOCULAR LENSES
Today things are a lot better. Now the lens can be removed with a procedure known as phacoemulsification. Here a small tube is inserted through a 3mm incision in the cornea. The tube ultrasonically shatters the diseased lens and sucks out the debris. When all the fragments have been removed, a new plastic lens is inserted and the cornea closed. The entire procedure takes less than an hour and the patient can be on his way with a dressing over the eye (most surgeons prefer to do this one eye at a time, although both eyes can be done at the same time if there is a compelling need). The dressing can be removed the next day. Then the opthalmologist will prescribe eye drops to be placed in the eye for the next couple of weeks. Anyone undergoing this procedure can expect fresh new eyesight, with vision of about 20/40. This can be tweaked up with glasses.
CONTACT LENSES
On occasion, a patient for one reason or another, cannot be fitted with an intraoccular lens or IOL. In such cases, soft contact lenses can be prescribed which provide an acceptable alternative.
EARLY WARNING SIGNS.
Here's What to Look For
Difficulty distinguishing colors
Double vision
Hazy vision in one eye or the other, or in both eyes
Glasses needing frequent changing
Disturbing glare from sun, vehicle headlights, or street lamps
Difficulty with reading, or watching TV
One eye lags the other in following.
If you notice any of these problems, get to an opthalmologist.
AVOIDING THE PROBLEM
Well, if you want to avoid cataracts, you'd better start young enough, at just the time in your life where you don't want to commit to the required regimen. Cataracts develop slowly, imperceptively over time. You'll need to...
Avoid the sun in your eyes like the plague! That's probably the most important thing you can do.
Make a very positive and determined effort to eat right. That probably means staying away from all your favorite foods at a time in your life when you're very hung up on them. Foods like barbequed ribs, hamburgers, french fries, sausages, deli, and all the foods that generate free radicals should be avoided. (Visit our page on Antioxidants.)
Fresh fruits and vegetables need to be king! Take Brewer's Yeast tablets. Eat seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, sesame.
Get a juicer and make carrot and celery juice to drink daily. Add wheat germ to your cereal.
Take bilberry extract regularly. Also take ginkgo biloba and grapeseed extract. Drink aloe vera juice.
Watch for more suggestions coming up in our Food Savvy page soon. Basically the same vitamin regimen as outlined for Macular Degeneration pretty well apply to the general health of your eyes under all circumstances.
GLAUCOMA
Glaucoma: This disease of the eye can be developing slowly and silently for years with no manifestations of its progression whatsoever. Then, without warning, it strikes and you are blind. In one eye, or both eyes. This is a disease to be feared and watched for. It is a disease that is not well understood and you need to be aware of this.
Probably due to any number of developing systemic disorders and structural faults, pressure within the eye builds to the point where it damages and kills the light sensitive nerve cells on the retina. Loss of sight is the result.
These days most optometrists routinely check your eye pressure with a quick, simple "puff air" test which measures the intraocular pressure (IOP) of your eyes. This method finds impending glaucoma unfaiingly and everyone should have this test every time the eyes are measured for glasses.
The Mechanics of Glaucoma
As mentioned before, glaucoma is caused by pressure building within the eye. The technical explanation for this process involves a rather tedious discussion of ocular anatomy, so we will treat this subject with just the basics. This, in general, is how things work:
Normally the eye, which is filled with fluid, undergoes a constantly draining and replacement of that fluid, much as your car undergoes regular oil changes, and for basically the same reason. In your eyes this is done automatically in an on going process.
New fluid is normally introduced into the eye at the same rate that the older fluid is drained, thus maintaining the eye's normal pressure.
In what is probably the most common type of glaucoma (there are more than a dozen types), the fluid draining from the eye is partially, but not completely blocked. The fresh fluid entering the eye continues at its same normal rate. This is called open angle glaucoma.
When the drainage canals are completely blocked so that no fluid can escape the eye, the disease is referred to as closed angle glaucoma. This is often caused by the mechanical structure of the eye, or by a change in that structure for some reason.
African Americans seem to be particularly susceptible to open angle glaucoma and should have their IOP checked regularly. So is anyone who drinks heavily, has clogged arteries, high blood pressure diabetes, or anemia. This is one very major reason you should not let high blood pressure go untreated!Open Angle Glaucoma is a very serious disease since there are no sypmptoms and no pain. It progresses slowly over the years and a lot of your vision can be lost before it is diagnosed.
Secondary Glaucoma:
A disease, other than the glaucoma itself, often causes that glaucoma. This then is referred to as a secondary glaucoma. Very little is understood about the causes for these conditions.
Exfoliation Syndrome: As with just about every secondary condition, this is not fully understood. Here the cells inside the eye flake off and settle in the trabecular meshwork, the central drainage area for exiting fluid. When this meshwork gets clogged, fluid cannot drain and pressure buildup quickly follows. This condition is difficult to diagnose and if left untreated can lead to blindness.
Uveitis: Again, no one knows what causes this. It is an inflamation of the interior of the eye. Some believe it is an auto-immune disease that, much like rheumatoid arthritis, finds the body's immune system attacking its own tissues. This condition is especially puzzling. Not everyone who has it will develop glaucoma. However, careful monitoring is required, not only for glaucoma, but also for structural changes in the eye. Early treatment is critical here. An optometrist can tell if you have it. Don't wait for a referral to an opthalmologist. Just go!
Normal Tension Glaucoma: A very puzzling condition. The pressure within the eye is normal, but the optic nerve is dying. Theories about its reasons abound, ranging from cardiovascular disease to neurological disorders. A complete and thorough physical is indicated here. Some opthalmologists try to treat it by lowering the eye's normal pressure even more. Everyone is literally working in the dark on this.
Neovascular Glaucoma: Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, carotid blockage, hardening of the carotid arteries, and blockage of the central cause this condition. Neovascular means "new blood vessels." This happens in the eye when the balance between the stimulation and inhibition of the carotid arteries and the central retinal vein becomes upset. The circulation of heart to head is impeded or blocked, causing the blood vessels to the retina to be starved for oxygen. When this happens, the body tries to compensate by forming new blood vessels, which often grow wildly within the eyes, blocking the retina, the iris, and even the optic nerve. These new blood vessels are fragile and easily ruptured, causing massive interference with vision.
Central Retinal Vein Occlusion: Usually associatedwith people over 60, this condition is manifested by a blockage of the central retinal vein that normally transports blood back to the heart. As in neovascular glaucoma, the retina becomes starved for blood, resulting in new, unwanted and wildly growing new blood vessels. There are usually no symptoms of the blockage and glaucoma usually develops within a six month period. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and other conditions that affect blood flow invite this condition.
Carotid Artery Occlusive Disease: Located along either side of the neck, the carotid arteries carry blood tothe head, brain, and retina.Blocked or restricted carotid arteries can cause stroke as well as causing retinal cell death, leading to blindness.
Treatment and Prevention
Conditions that evolve as a function of restricted blood flow can be effectively prevented, first with proper diet and lifestyle, and second, by supplementing any lapses in lifestyle with the preventive strategy of taking a course of oral chelation for about four months every year. This is actually a good routine for everyone to follow, given the state of our diets and the numerous unhealthful foods that are thrust on us by their advertisers every day. Chelation Therapy will clear blocked blood vessels wherever they are, and the first ones to be cleared are the capillaries and smaller blood vessels as found in the eyes. This can prevent many blood flow conditions including heart attack, and stroke. An excellent preventive product that has the unqualified endorsement of the staff here at LeQuadrillage is Cardio-Klenz. For advanced conditions of diseases involving restricted blood flow of any kind, visit our Chelation Information page. Even when a patient is undergoing opthalmological treatment, it simply cannot hurt to supplement the treatment with a course of Chelation Therapy, either oral of IV.
Beyond that, you will be faced with taking drugs. Sympathomimetic eye drops are among the medications for glaucoma. These drops usually contain epinephrine, which steps up the flow of fluid draining from the eyes. Many opthalmologists are hesitant to prescribe these drugs because of some dangerous side effects. Patients with diabetes, or a history of high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, stroke, or hyperthyroidism need to be very careful when taking these drugs. They can cause an increase in blood pressure, a racing heart, and angina pains. It is not unusual for patients to feel light headed when using these drops. There are other drugs coming on the scene now that do not seem to have these side effects while doing the same job. There are other ways of treating glaucoma. Here are some of them:
Beta Blocker Eye Drops: These work by slowing down the production of fluid as opposed to accelerating its drainage. If you're already taking beta blockers you cannot increase the total dosage with the eye drops. You cannot take beta blockers if you have asthma. The side effects aren't much fun either. Decreased sex drive, lowered heart rate, depression, breathing problems, and sometimes, loss of balance.
Parasympathomimetic Eye Drops (Miotics): These drops work by stimulating the muscles in the eye to reduce the size of the lens. This allows increased drainage of the fluid. These drops are not for patients with secondary glaucoma. Urinary tract obstructions, ulcers, hyperthyroidism, Parkinsons Disease, heart problems, high or low blood pressure, stomach cramps, are also disqualifiers. Miotics can cause a detached retina and night vision will plummet.
Prostaglandin Eye Drops; Relatively new on the market, these drops are rapidly becoming the favored treatment among many eye doctors. Side effects seem limited to temporary blurred vision and burning when first dropped in. Also, anyone with blue or green eyes should be prepared to have them turn brown while using the drops. The active ingredient is Xalatan, which increases the drainage of the aqueous humor inside the eye and thus reduces the fluid pressure.
Beyond the Drugs; Laser and Conventional Surgery
LASER SURGERY: To help drain the fluid from the eye and restore the pressure to normal, a procedure known as a trabeculoplasty can be performed. This is a last resort attempt to save your sight and it will not free you of the need to continue taking your glaucoma medications. This is a laser procedure, usually done in the opthalmologist's office. It's relatively quick, minimally uncomfortable, and you'll be able to return home immediately after. Several follow up calls will be required to evaluate the results. This procedure should return your eye pressure to normal, for about two years, after which it will need to be repeated.
CONVENTIONAL SURGERY: After all else has failed, a procedure known as a trabeculectomy can be performed. Here the surgeon removes a small piece of tissue from the white of the eye, effectively fashioning a kind of pressure relief valve. The channel so created is then covered with the conjuctiva, the clear tissue covering the white of the eye and the channel remaining is left to drain fluid from the eye. A clinic or hospital operating room is reuired for this surgery. You will be able to return home after an hour or two, but you will need to insert eye drops for several weeks after to control the swelling and keep infection at bay. There is a possibility that the opening may grow shut, but the surgery can be repeated. This surgery is about 90% effective and it's good for about five years, after which it will need to be done again.
When the eye fails to respondto any of these treatments, one other last ditch attempt to save your sight can be made. The surgeon will then insert a synthetic drain into the site of the blockage.
Meanwhile, good nutrition and top quality supplements need to be an integral part of your life. The supplements in the table above apply to all eye diseases; all ocular health issues as well as general health. The LeQuadrillage staff are planning a special Nutrition for Eye Health section on our Food Savvy page soon, and you may want to check this out too. Exercise is not be be neglected, and for this we highly recommend the practice of Yoga. This pleasant discipline has uncountable benefits for everyone. Find everything you need for
The devastating effects of diabetes are manifest in just about every system of the body. Nothing is beyond its reach. Blood vessel diseases leading to amputations are far from uncommon, as are heart disease, kidney disease, and of course, eye diseases. Excessive glucose in the blood can cause macular edema, a swelling around the macula. This leads to the destruction of vision cells. New but very fragile blood cells begin to grow on the surface of the retina. These easily ruptured blood cells promote retinal hemorrhaging into the vitrious gel. Rarely are there any symptoms and the patient remains unaware of any developing eye problems. For this reason, everyone with diabetes should have a vision checkup every six months, or as advised by an opthalmologist.
EVOLUTION OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY:
Small, ball like bulges in the capillaries may appear. These progress in size until they can be referred to as "cotton wool spots." This means that retinal cells are dying. Hemorrhaging is occuring. In general this does not affect the vision and the patient goes along unaware that anything is amiss. This is just one very strong reason for getting regularly checked by an opthalmologist. This spells trouble!
With the on going leakage of blood into the macula, the retinal tissues will swell, leaving fatty deposits on the macula and the patient wiil notice a slight blurring of vision, signifying macular edema. This is a serious condition! The retinal capillaries become severely damaged and useless in a very short time., New blood vessels, fragile and easily ruptured, continue to form as the body attempts to stabilize the condition. Futher hemorrhaging occurs and blindness soon follows.
TREATMENT
Treat the diabetes first and do not - do not - neglect the exercise! It is very important to maintain good strong blood ciculation throughout the entire body. Yoga and aerobic exercises are especially beneficial. Anyone with diabetes needs to be fanatic about controlling blood sugar levels. Nutritional supplements and proper diabetic diets need to be strictly maintained.
An opthalmologist will conduct a detailed examination which will probably include a flourescein angiogram. In this a dye is injected into into a vein in the arm and the bloodstream will carry this to the eye. This will clearly establish whether or not you have diabetic retinopathy. With this test, the opthalmologist can clearly see and blood vessel leakage and where it is going.
A somewhat complex laser treatment can then be used to cauterize and seal the ruptured blood vessels. This is a delicate procedure, it cures nothing, but it can postpone loss of vision for several years. The surgery can have some serious side effects such as reduced peripheral vision, reduced dim light vision, and night blindness.
A different procedure is used if the eye is found to be leaking blood and fluid into the vitrious humor in the middle ofthe eye. To treat this, the doctor will perform a vitrectomy. Delicate precision instruments are used to pull the blood out of the vitrious humor, opening up the eye for clear passage of light to the retina.
RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA
Presently incurable and ultimately leading to blindness, RP is a truly unfortunate disease. The progession of RP may possibly be retarded with hyperbaric oxygen, but this is still in the experimental stages and no definitive answers are available today. Scatter Laser treatment has been shown to sometimes help delay its advance. Anyone afflicted with this disorder will eventually go blind. Forward looking opthalmologists and alternative medicine doctors are of the opinion that nutrition and appropriate supplementation can be instumental in slowing its progress. Experiments with retinal transplants are being conducted but so far have yielded only minimal encouragement to continue along this line. Perhaps the future will bring about a solution.
Retinitis Pigmentosa is not a disease! It is a disorder, a series of conditions of the retina with apparently genetic roots. Mostly is shows up in childhood and terminates in total blindness during the 40s and 50s. To complicate matters further, about 50% of RP patients will develop cataracts and have problems with reading, focusing, and adjusting to changing light levels. Bright lights will be especially bothersome. Depression, anxiety, headaches, and anger continue to plague most patients. This is not an optimistic outlook.
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
Simply put, the visual pigments of the retina under normal conditions, undergo a constant rotation of cells, where the older cells die a programmed normal death and are sloughed off to be replaced by new, living cells. In RP the old, dying cells begin clumping to the retina and resist being washed away. Eventually, light traveling to the retina is blocked out by the dead cells adhering to it.
CAN ANYTHING BE DONE?
Alternative physicians and forward looking opthalmologists are in agreement that there are measures definitely worth a try. None of these will yield a cure but they can definitely ease the symptoms and delay, perhaps for a very long time, the inevitable conclusion.
As with most retinal problems, the root cause can be traced to cellular oxidation. So it would seem logical to assume that the intake of antioxidants could be beneficial.
Boost the glutathione levels: Our own bodies make it and every living cell uses it. It can be boosted dramatically by an intake of alpha-lipoic acid. The amino acid cysteine is another glutathione booster.
Biological sulpher, available in health food stores as MSM Powder is useful.
RP patients should avoid unsaturated fats and hydrogenated oils like the plague, as should the rest of us.
Avoid Iron: Do not take any multi-vitamins that contain it.
If you drink alcohol, STOP! You can't afford it! NONE! Sorry.Don't allow your doctor to prescribe any drugs that stress your liver; that's the same as drinking alcohol.
Eat cold water fish for Omega -3, Omega -6 fatty acids frequently. Salmon, cod, sardines are good.
Eat foods rich in lutein and beta-carotine.
Stay away from diuretics, Tylenol, Advil, and avoid antibiotics wherever possible.
MSG, Aspartame are NO NOs! Refined sugars and carbs are to be avoided as much as possible.
Don't smoke yourself and keep away from second hand smoke!
Don't forget to exercise! Take a walk every day. Try yoga, it's great.
WHAT ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS?
Our ConsultingOpthalmologist Recommends These Vitamins and Dosages
2000 mg VITAMIN C
200 mg COENZYME Q-10
12 mg LUTEIN/ZEAXANTHIN
(on empty stomach)
300 mg ALPA LIPOIC ACID
1000 mg TAURINE
400 mg BIOFLAVINOIDS
CAYENE PEPPER CAPS; 2 per MEAL
500 mg N-ACETYL CYSTEINE (NAC) Three X/day between meals
First a little background. Microcurrent is a battery operated physical therapy modality that was introduced in the US in 1987. Research published at the time by Ngok Cheng, MD showed that microamperage current increases the rate of energy production in cells by 500% and increases the rate of protein synthesis and waste product removal by 70%. Now in the past, all these fancy physical therapy machines that were tried and found to be worthless (after patients had spent a lot of money getting treated by them), produced currents higher than one milliamp - that's 1000 microamps) and Dr Cheng's research showed beyond any question that currents above one milliamp actually reduced energy production, and that's what made them worthless. Dr Cheng discovered that the way to increase the rate of energy production in cells, the current needs to be low enough, in microamperes, not in milliamperes! And Dr Cheng believed this principle could be used in accelerating the healing of athletic injuries and validated his thinking by doing just that, by applying this principle together with what he called frequency specific microcurrent in which he employed specific and separate frequencies of very low currents to increase the rate of healing in injured athletes.
NFL DISCOVERS FSM
Frequency Specific Microcurrent was discovered by the NFL in 2003. Bill Romanowski brought it to the Oakland Raiders with his chiropracter. Tony Parish and Terrell Owens were treated along with eight linemen from the San Francisco 49ers in August 2003 by Dr Carolyn McMakin. Today, this treatment is part and parcel of the entire NFL training staff toolkit. New injuries heal in record time, with inflamation being reduced by 62% in four minutes.
TERREL OWENS' SPECTACULAR COMEBACK
When Terrel Owens was injured in December 2004 and wanted to be able to play in the Super Bowl 6 weeks later, FSM was there when he got out of surgery and was part of the team that made his amaxing recovery and spectacular performance possible in Super Bowl 2005. An injury that would normally take 13 to 18 weeks to heal and remodel took Terrel only 6 weeks to recover.
EVIDENCE THAT EYESIGHT IMPROVES
Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) uses microamperage current to increase energy production in cells, and specific frequencies to change cellular function with electromagnetic signalling. FSM has been reported to improve sight in patients suffering from macular degeneration. While there are no controlled trials, the anecdotes from clinicians suggest that the treatment is helpful in improving visual acuity and slowing the progression of the condition. There are no known risks and no adverse reactions have been reported but anyone looking to be treated in this manner should be aware that this is a new treatment and the potential risks are not known. It is also very important to understand that when it comes to eye treatment, not every practitioner is qualified to do so. Only opthalmic practitioners should be trusted with your eyesight!
ACTIVE PRACTITIONERS
Currently there are only four practitioners in the US using FSM for treating macular degeneration.
Richard Luekenga, OD, and Dave Graff, OD, of Richfield, Utah can be reached at (435) 896-3142
Shirley Hartmann, MD, an internist using FSM has added the treatment of macular degeneration to her patient sevices. She is located in Jacksonville Florida and can be reached at (904) 268-5826
Ken Welker, MD, in Eugene Oregon can treat macular degeneration with FSM and can be reached at (541) 762-1155 The case reports of these practioners are promising, but they are just case reports at this time.
STEM CELL THERAPY
The Xcell Center in Dusseldorf Germany has had astonishing success in reversing macular degeneration using adult stem cell therapy. The cost for this is 10,545 Euros and you'll need to get to Dusseldorf and stay there for a week or two. You can get more information from them by contacting them after reviewing their preliminary information.
LeQuadrillage Research Staff would urge anyone with macular degeneration to avoid consulting any non-opthalmic practitioner for any eye treatments, regardless of the treatment offered.
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