The Trumpet Medical Advisor
To contact me, please click on my email address in blue, at the right, for any health or health related problems or questions that you have. You will get a personal and confidential response from me.

PatPatricia Naeder, RN, BS.

pat@billbaur.com/public

    

July, 2010 Edition ew3

CATARACT FACTS
    

1-  Cataracts occur in the lens of the eye. The lens is normally clear like a glass of water. When changes take place within the cells, it can slowly darken from clear to yellow to tan to brown.

2-  Why some people get cataracts and others don’t is unknown but the process seems to involve oxidation, protein reactions, cellular signaling, and cell failure.

3-  There are high risk categories such as smoking.

4-  Free Radical damage from oxidation may be involved, therefore the intake of antioxidants may be helpful. An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation or deterioration of other molecules.

5-  Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent which can produce Free Radicals which can start a chain reaction that damages your cells.

6-  Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by interfering and inhibiting oxidation reactions.

7-  Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant.

8-  Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables will raise your antioxidant level.

9-  Some, but not all, contributors to cataract formation can be:

a.    Long term exposure to UV light.

b.   Trauma earlier in life.

c.   Diabetes mellitus.

d.   Hyper Vitaminosis D.

e.   Low thyroid.

f.   Wilsons Disease.

g.  Lens protein denaturation.

h. Hypertension.

i.  Use of corticosteroids, and other drugs.

j.  Bring your list of Medications and supplements to your Opthalmologist,  when you have your eyes checked, to see if they’re safe.

 

10-  Treatments that have been recommended: Antioxidants, walk 30minutes daily 4 times a week to increase circulation, ask your Opthalmologist for updated antioxidant information. Low fat, low sugar diet. No smoking. Wear sunglasses to cut Ultraviolet rays. If the lens becomes too dark your Opthalmologist surgeon can insert an Intra-occular-lens (IOL) to replace your opaque lens which will restore clear vision for you.

   

Investigative Studies ongoing:

1-  Acetyl Carnosine which is said to reduce oxidative damage to the lens by reducing crystalline cross linking. It competes with proteins for the binding sites.

2-  Quinax  is said to slow progression of cataracts with it’s effects on oxidation and proteins in the lens.
 

Good Health to You!
 

Patricia Naeder, RN, BS

Medical Advisor
 
This column is for informational purposes only, and represents the opinion, and reporting of the author only. Any discussions with the Author should be presented to your own personal Physician for his/her Professional opinion. It is not meant to substitute for seeing one's own Medical Doctor, Psychiatrist, or Psychologist for Professional care.