Cataracts - Treatment, Nutrition, Self Help

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Table of Contents | Reviews | Summary

Natural Eye Care:

A Comprehensive Manual for Practitioners of Oriental Medicine

by Marc Grossman, O.D., L.Ac, and Michael Edson, M.S., L.Ac.Pub. Visionworksusa, Inc., 2002, 230 pp.

Sample Section: Cataracts

A cataract can be described simply as an opaque spot on thelens of the eye that you cannot see through. At best, you seemto be looking through a cloud or a haze. As this haze can vary in

size, density and location, its effect on vision will vary. Manypeople experience a general reduction in vision at first; theyneed more light to read by or they have difficulty with streetsigns when they're driving. A cataract also can affect depthperception. This can be a particular danger to older peoplewhose risk for injury from falls and accidents is greatest.

Cataracts tend to worsen over time. They are the major cause ofblindness in the world. Almost 40 million people in the UnitedStates suffer from cataracts. Only 15 per cent of people areaffected with cataracts by age 55, but the figure jumps to 50per cent by age 75, and 90 per cent by age 85. Cataract

removal is the most common surgical procedure covered byMedicare with almost 600,000 surgeries performed per year.

Of all the eye diseases, cataracts are the most amenable totreatment with conventional medical methods. The standardtreatment is to remove the lens using a technique calledphacoemulsification. A surgeon uses an ultrasonic beam to breakup the hardened lens, and then vacuums up the pieces from theeye with a suction device. An artificial lens, called an intraocularlens or IOL, is inserted to replace the cataract lens.

Though I recommend cataract surgery to my patients with

severe vision loss, I believe that a cataract is a symptom of anunderlying condition. It signals that the natural processes ofyour body are breaking down on some level, and that thenormal flow of nutrients into the eyes and waste products out ofthe eyes has been compromised. Treating the underlyingcondition that causes the cataract is vital. Even people preparingfor cataract surgery should seek to improve their overall healthbefore they go through this invasive procedure. Becausecataracts progress slowly over many years, there is often timefor preventive measures to work quite successfully.

In the early stages of a cataract, surgery may not be necessary.Through nutritional and other complementary medicaltreatments, it is possible to slow and even reverse the growth of

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cataracts.

What causes senile cataracts?

Free radicals are responsible for most cataracts. Free radicals arethe natural byproducts of metabolism. These highly reactivechemicals cause oxidation, which in turn causes aging. In ahealthy eye, the body removes these free radicals by delivering"free radical scavengers" to the eyes in the form of nutrientssuch as vitamin C and glutathione. In addition, as the lens ofthe eye ages, it hardens and loses its ability to focus. Thisprocess is similar to hardening of the arteries.

Conventional Treatment

Cataract surgery is performed when the cataract is considered"ripe enough."

Complementary Approach

Diet: (Follow Vision Diet described in Chapter 9)

Whenever possible, a nutritional program should be maintainedfor at least three to four months before considering cataractsurgery. Maintaining a low calorie diet is clearly beneficial.Animal studies show that cutting calories 20 to 40 per centresults in a 30 to 50 per cent reduction in cataracts, as well as a30 per cent increase in longevity, increased immune functionand decreased risk of cancer.

High levels of sugar in the blood contribute to cataractformation, so it is not surprising that people with diabetes arethree to four times at risk for getting cataracts. Blood sugarinterferes with the lens's ability to pump out excess fluid fromthe eye and maintain its clarity. With too much dietary intake ofsugar, this function can become difficult and sometimesimpossible. Cataract prevention is especially important forpeople with diabetes, because diabetic retinopathy canaccelerate for six months following cataract surgery.

Dietary Recommendations

Reduce or eliminate all types of refined sugars (particularlywhite sugar, but also fructose, sucrose, fruit juiceconcentrates, maltose, dextrose, glucose and refinedcarbohydrates). This includes "natural" drinks that containa lot of sugar, including all fruit juices. Even milk sugar,lactose, found in all dairy products, can contribute tocataract formation, as it destroys gluthathione and VitaminC in the lens.Drink eight glasses of water per day (preferably filtered or

purified). This is optimally taken as a four-ounce glass ofwater every half-hour-to equal 16 four-ounce glasses. Our


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bloodstream can only handle being diluted by about fourounces at any one time. When you drink more than fourounces at a time, this means more work for the kidneys tofilter water that hasn't had a chance to travel through thelymph system and clean body tissues. Adequate water

intake helps to maintain the flow of nutrients to the lensand to release wastes and toxins from tissues.Eat foods high in beta-carotene, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.These substances are called antioxidants, and most of thenutritional components of cataract prevention and reversalare related to boosting antioxidant levels. Antioxidants areone of the most important combatants against freeradicals, a major cause of cataract formation. A good dietsupplemented with antioxidant vitamins and minerals canhelp prevent oxidation.Eat foods high in antioxidants, including garlic, onions,beans, vegetables, celery, seaweed, apples, carrots,

tomatoes, turnips and oranges.

Some foods, particularly dairy products, can exacerbate eyeproblems by causing sinus congestion, which can impair lymphand blood drainage from the area around the eyes. When lymphand blood can't flow in and out of the eyes, nutrients don'treach the eyes, and toxins and metabolic wastes aren'teliminated as efficiently. Try avoiding dairy for a month to seewhether you become less congested. Then reintroduce dairyproducts one at a time to identify your specific problem foods.

Eye exercises: (See Chapter 8, Section 5 for specific eyeexercises)Nutrients: (See Appendix 19 for recommended dosages andproducts)

An optimal potency multivitamin is an important foundation ofany cataract prevention program. The following describes therole of some of the essential nutrients in treating cataracts.

Vitamin C: We have long known that Vitamin C can bothprevent and heal cataracts. The normal, healthy lenscontains a higher level of Vitamin C than any other body

organ except the adrenal glands. When cataracts areforming, however, the Vitamin C level in the lens is verylow. Similarly, the Vitamin C level in the aqueous humor,which supplies nutrition to the lens, is also low whencataracts are forming. This reduction in Vitamin C is due tothe eye's impaired ability to secrete Vitamin C into theaqueous humor and the body's overall Vitamin C deficiency.bioflavonoids: bioflavonoids, such as quercetin and rutin,are important antioxidants. They are synergistic withVitamin C, meaning they need each other to workefficiently. Quercetin seems to be the most effectivebioflavonoid in the prevention of cataracts. We recommend1,000 mg per day.Glutathione: Low levels of glutathione are found in almost


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every person with senile cataracts. Glutathione isconsidered the most important antioxidant made by thebody and is integrally involved in maintaining good vision.Glutathione is composed of three amino acids: cysteine,glycine and glutamic acid. Several nutrients can help

increase glutathione levels, including N-acetyl-cysteine(NAC), alpha-lipoic acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin B2, VitaminB6, selenium and zinc.Alpha-lipoic acid: Alpha-lipoic acid has incredible benefitsfor healthy eye function. Dr. Lester Packer of the Universityof California at Berkeley has published important researchon the ability of this antioxidant to halt complicationsresulting from blood sugar imbalances and hardening ofthe lens.

Dr. Packer's research has confirmed that oxidative damageresults in cataract formation, and that increasing antioxidants,

particularly alpha-lipoic acid, can help prevent or stop cataractformation. Other research has demonstrated alpha-lipoic acid'sability to protect the lens in newborn rats subjected tohardening and opaqueing substances.

Healthy Tips

Avoid microwaves. Radiation leakage from microwaveovens are a direct cause of cataracts, so avoid constantpeeking into the open door window while you cook. Inaddition, food proteins exposed to microwaves can becometoxic to the lens that is made mostly of protein.

Wear 100 per cent ultraviolet blocking sunglasses and ahat, since ultraviolet light from the sun can cause damageto the lens of the eye.Many synthetic chemicals and pharmaceuticals can causecataracts. Steroids, for example, taken internally or appliedto the skin, are a typical cause of cataracts because theyblock the normal metabolism of connective tissue of whichthe lens is composed.Cigarette smoking causes about 20 per cent of allcataracts. Men who smoke more than a pack a day increasetheir risk for cataracts by 205 per cent. For female

smokers, the risk of getting cataracts increases 63 percent. Quitting without supplementing the diet withadditional vitamins and minerals doesn't seem to eliminatethe increased risk for almost ten years, probably due tosmoking having depleted antioxidant levels in the eye.

Oriental Medicine Approach

In TCM, senile cataracts often are seen as a result of adeficiency in the kidney and liver meridians. This causes areduction of the energy and blood flow to the eyes, which leadsto poor eye nutrition, resulting in opacity of the lens. The spleenmeridian also plays a role in the nourishment of the eyes and, ifdysfunctional, it can cause cataracts.


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Chinese Herbal Formulas(See Appendix 7 for more details on theformulas and sources):

Dendrobium Pill for Night Vision (Shi Hu Ye Guang Wan) -Extinguishes liver wind and enriches the yin.Brighten the Eyes (Ming Mu Di Huang Wan) - Nourishesthe liver, enriches the kidneys and improves vision.Preserve Vistas Pill (Zhu Jing Wan) - Tonifies and nourishesthe liver and kidneys, enriches the yin and improves vision.Lycium Fruit, Chrysanthemum and Rehmannia Pill (Qi Ju DiHuang Wan) - Tonifies kidney yin, tonifies blood and clearsthe eyes.

Chinese Acupuncture Points:

Points BL 1, BL 2, GB 1, ST 1, GB 37, LI 4, SP 6, CV 4, ST 36,KI 3, Yu Yao, Qiuhou


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Cataracts - Treatment, Nutrition, Self Help

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