Preventing and Treating Cataracts - Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders

Preventing and Treating Cataracts

Cataracts develop slowly and often do not reach the point where they interfere with a person's normal vision. The most important ways of preventing cataracts are to consume nutrtional foods and supplements which maintain the integrity of the central nucleus and soft outer cortex of the lens, and prevent the lens from being damaged by chemical toxins and the sun's ultraviolet rays. The FDA is now considering adopting national regulations that will require all new sunglasses to block 99% of ultraviolet B radiation.

Nutritional Therapies.     Dr. Glen Swartwout, an optometrist in Hilo, Hawaii, reports in Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide that cataracts in many of his patients directly result from nutritional imbalances and are further aggravated by smoking, drinking alcohol, and the use of some prescription drugs (especially cortisone and other steroids). Two-thirds of his patients in one study showed improved vision within four weeks after changing their diet and adding nutritional supplements.

To prevent cataracts, Swartwout advises his patients to restrict processed, high-fat foods, along with alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and nicotine. In their place, he recommends increasing the consumption of legumes (which are high in sulphur-containing amino acids), yellow vegetables (carotenes), and vitamin E- and C-rich foods (particularly fresh fruits and vegetables).

Vitamin and Mineral Therapies.     Several studies have shown a link between deficiencies of vitamins A, E, and C and the development of cataracts. Preliminary research suggests that vitamin C can prevent changes in proteins in the eye associated with cataracts. In one study reported in the July 1992 issue of Environmental Nutrition , people who took several vitamin supplements, including vitamin C, had four times less risk of developing cataracts than those who took no supplements. Research on vitamin C's role in preventing cataracts is still inconclusive, however, as other antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin E and betacarotene help prevent cataracts as well.

A Finnish study reported in the July 13, 1993 issue of Your Health , for example, found a strong link between low nutrient levels of vitamins A and E and the likelihood of needing cataract surgery. The study collected blood samples from 1,419 people between 1966 and 1972, and concluded that people with low levels of vitamins A and E were nearly “twice as likely to need cataract surgery compared to those with high levels.” The investigation concluded that “free radicals contributed to the growth of cataracts and vitamins A and E appeared to neutralize free radicals.” Similar results, according to the Your Health article, were reported in a study of 660 people in Baltimore. Those with the most vitamin E in their blood were least likely to develop the most common form of cataracts.

Many holistic physicians believe that cataracts are caused by free radical damage to some of the sulphur-containing proteins in the lens. The lens is dependent on adequate levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione (GSH). When a cataract begins to form, these protective nutrients are damaged by free radicals. Glutathione levels can be increased by taking cysteine, glutamine, or glycine supplements which have proven beneficial in cataract treatment.

Zinc supplements may also be helpful in treating cataracts. Zinc is a well-known antioxidant believed to be essential for normal lens functioning. In addition, betacarotene may act as a filter, protecting against light-induced damage to the fiber portion of the lens. People with cataracts also have 15% of the selenium levels of people who do not have cataracts, which suggests that taking selenium supplements may retard the progression of cataracts.

Botanical Medicines.     The Chinese herbal formula hachimijiogan has been shown to increase the glutathione content of the lens and has been used in the clinical treatment of cataracts in both China and Japan. In one Japanese clinical study, 60% of the subjects who used hachimijiogan did not develop cataracts, while 20% showed no progression and 20% developed cataracts. An extract of ginkgo biloba (EGb) produced in Austria may also help prevent the formation of cataracts. It is known for its anti-aging properties, and is now being tested as a treatment for degenerative eye disorders.

Traditional Chinese Medicine.     According to Maoshing Ni, vice president of Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Santa Monica, California, acupuncture and herbs can relieve both cataracts and glaucoma. He suggests in Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide that dietary changes combined with acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and stress management can reverse the growth of cataracts in some patients.

Surgery.     Severe cataracts which impair vision usually require surgery. Modern cataract surgery typically takes less than an hour and involves making a small incision through the cornea and sclera that permits the surgeon to remove the cloudy lens, leaving the lens capsule in place. In 90% of cases, according to Jane Brody, writing in the July 21, 1993 edition of The New York Times , an artificial lens can be slipped in to replace the one that was removed, and most patients are able to go home the same day.