Cataracts and Macular Degeneration

 “It is estimated that over 100 million people worldwide will go blind this year. Cataracts and aged-related macular degeneration — the two leading causes of eyesight loss in this country — will rob over 33 million Americans of their vision.” –Dr. Russell Blaylock, M.D.

            Even though millions of people all over the world are suffering from cataracts and macular degeneration, most of us (if you are anything like me) do not know much about these diseases unless you are directly involved with someone who already has these problems or are suffering from them first hand.  I want to give a brief explanation about these two diseases and how they come about, and then we will discuss some health efforts that can help combat against cataracts and macular degeneration.

            The lens in the human eye is very similar to the lens of a camera.  There is one major difference though and that is that the lens in our eye can change shape which allows us to see things both near and far away from us.  Overtime, the lens in our eye begins to lose its elasticity because of free radicals. http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/antiox.html is a website that gives a great explanation of what a free radical is.

“Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed these highly reactive radicals can start a chain reaction, like dominoes. Their chief danger comes from the damage they can do when they react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may function poorly or die if this occurs. To prevent free radical damage the body has a defense system of antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged. Although there are several enzyme systems within the body that scavenge free radicals, the principle micronutrient (vitamin) antioxidants are vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Additionally, selenium, a trace metal that is required for proper function of one of the body's antioxidant enzyme systems, is sometimes included in this category. The body cannot manufacture these micronutrients so they must be supplied in the diet.”

These free radicals will enter into the lens of the eye and start attacking the proteins there.  This causes the lens to become stiff and cloudy.  This cloudiness in the eye is what is known as a cataract.

Macular degeneration is the deterioration of the macula in the eye.  The macula is a small portion of the retina that is extremely sensitive and is in charge of the detailed central vision.  When this deterioration or degeneration occurs, the nerve cells in the macula die off and so does the most vital part of our eye sight.  Everything begins to go blurry, especially in the center of vision, and colors begin to go dull.  It is not completely known why macular degeneration occurs, but it is known that this disease is linked to high levels of free radicals, just like cataracts. 

            Luckily, with cataracts, there have been some medical advancements, such as lens replacements, that can help with the treatment of this disease—or maybe we aren’t so helpful after all.  With macular degeneration, there isn’t really much that modern medicine can offer for those who are going blind.  According to Dr. Russell Blaylock, in his May 2006 newsletter, he states that there is new research showing people who have had lens replacements to help with their cataracts are at a 3.8 times greater risk for developing macular degeneration then those who have not had lens replacements.  So what is there to do if the latest medical advancements in eye health actually will cause more severe diseases to the eye further down the road? 

            How about turning, instead, to our diet and focusing more on good nutrition. There is significant evidence that shows these diseases are actually caused by poor nutrition, so lets change our diet and save our eye sight at the same time.  Many people think that the deterioration of the eye is just part of aging, but it is not.  Researchers in the field of ophthalmology agree that gradual loss of vision is actually a process coming from disease.  

There are many factors that will increase the risk of contracting these terrible eye diseases.  A very common factor that almost everyone deals with is the sun.  Even though the sun is one of the strongest natural healers on the planet (I will discuss this more later), it can be very damaging to the eyes if the UV rays are too strong.  This radiation will cause more free radicals to develop in the eyes and further the progression of cataracts and macular degeneration.  Another strange fact is that people who wear eyeglasses (especially if they do not have UV protection) are at greater risk for these eye diseases than those who do not wear them.  This is due to the fact that the sunlight is magnified through the lenses and can be more destructive to the eye lens and retina.

            Another risk that can have a very large influence on the development of these diseases is sugar.  Most people don’t put these two things together, but when sugar is consumed in high quantities, it causes inflammation in the body.  Having constant and excessive inflammation in the body causes free radicals.  And now we are right back to where we started from.  We all need sugar for our bodies to function, but we should be getting this sugar from natural whole foods.  Refined sugars, processed sugars, and especially artificial sweeteners are extremely detrimental to our health.  Not only do they contribute to eye disease, but also to heart disease, stroke, cancer, and brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

            Diet is more specifically tied to macular degeneration than it is to cataracts.  Macular degeneration is considered to be age related because so many people begin to develop this disease when they get above the age of 50.  However, free radicals also build up over time; so the older you are, the more you will have present in your body—unless you do something to change that like improving your diet.  There are several foods that are harmful to your body and will produce free radical after consuming them.  These foods are: Omega-6 oils (corn, safflower, sunflower, canola, soybean and peanut oils), Trans-fatty acids (partially hydrogenated oils and many hydrogenated oils), Excess sugar, Fructose, Monosodium glutamate (MSG), Aspartame, Hydrolyzed proteins, Soy proteins, and Toxic metals.  Almost all of us eat refined and processed foods on a daily basis.  If you stop and take a look at the ingredients of those foods, you will most likely find one or two of these foods and often times they contain upwards of five or more.  Diet is a HUGE key in eliminating many of the risk factors for eye disease. 

            Taking again from Dr. Blaylock’s May 2006 newsletter, he states that,

“There are studies showing that lutein and zeaxanthin are superior protectors against cataracts. High concentrations of these two carotenoids are found in spinach and broccoli… In fact, studies involving spinach itself also elicited dramatic cataract reductions. Among the 50 or so carotenoids present in fruits and vegetables, lutein and zeaxanthin are the only two that can also be found in the lens of the eye. Vitamins C and E (E to a lesser degree) are also major protectors of the eye lens. One study published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2002 determined that elevated vitamin C intake reduced cataract risk by 64% — a conclusion confirmed after a second investigation from the Nurses’ Health Study.”

There are many other fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants that can help fight against these free radicals that are so damaging to the eye and so many other parts of the body.  Foods rich in antioxidants are: berries (Cherry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, crowberry, blueberry, bilberry/wild blueberry, black currant), pomegranate, grape, orange, plum, pineapple, kiwi fruit, grapefruit, kale, chili pepper, red cabbage, peppers, parsley, artichoke, Brussels sprouts, spinach, lemon, ginger, and red beets.

            Other vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for the health of the eye are zinc, riboflavin, B12, selenium, taurine (an amino acid), and beta carotene.  Vitamins C and E as well as all carotenoids are beneficial as was mentioned previously.  Excellent sources for these vitamins and minerals are in fresh fruits, especially cantaloupe and berries, carrots, yams, alp alpha, Icelandic moss, and super blue-green algae (from Klamath Lake in Oregon).  There are some herbs that are a great way to get these nutrients as well.  They are comfrey, evening primrose, Echinacea, blue flag, and golden seal.  You can make eye compresses out of some of these herbs too; raspberry leaves, chamomile, with grated carrots as well as hydrosols (rose, chamomile, lavender, myrtle, and sage), elder flower water, and aloe vera juice.

            As I said previously, I would come back and address the healing power of the sunshine for the eyes.  This might seem like it contradicts what I said before about avoiding the sun and the UV rays, but many people actually sun gaze to help restore their vision.  This is not done by looking directly at the sun, because yes, this would damage your eyes quite severely.  You can, however, sun gaze early in the morning or in the evening when the sun’s rays are refracted and they are not directly penetrating your eyes.  You have to start with only a very short amount of time (10 seconds) and over a period of several months you can gaze at the sun for longer periods of time.  Through this process you strengthen your eyes and the sun doesn’t harm you.  The sunlight actually will kill off the free radicals as well as heal the degeneration that has already occurred.  There are a couple different methods of this process that have shown great success for many, many people.  One method is called the Bates method and was created by

Dr William Horatio Bates.  To learn more about this and how it came about please follow this link http://www.seeing.org/index.html.  The other method which is referred to as sun gazing has been around for thousands of years and is currently being taught by a man named Hira Ratan Manek.  To learn more please go to his website http://solarhealing.com/history/.

There are many ways that we can protect our eyes, and probably the most influential thing is to eat right. 

“It is estimated that over 100 million people worldwide will go blind this year. Cataracts and aged-related macular degeneration — the two leading causes of eyesight loss in this country — will rob over 33 million Americans of their vision.” –Dr. Russell Blaylock, M.D.

This number of people is far too many.  Don’t be one of the 100 million people that will lose their vision this year.  Take control and make some changes.  They are simple and inexpensive changes that could make a difference in how you see for the rest of your life.