Retinopathy (RP) - Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders

Retinopathy (RP)

Retinopathy (RP) is a disease in which capillaries that nourish the retina leak fluid or blood that damage the rod and cone cells of the eye. At least 60% of patients suffering from diabetes for 15 years or more have some form of RP. Diabetic RP affects approximately seven million people in the U.S., and causes blindness in about 7,000 Americans annually. Patients with diabetes must make sure to undergo regular eye examinations to detect the onset of RP because laser surgery to seal leaking blood vessels can now prevent vision loss.

A new form of intensive therapy has been developed for diabetics which corrects elevations in their blood sugar levels. Dr. Ping Wang, director of a research study at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, reported in the May 23, 1993 edition of The New York Times that this therapy significantly prevents the long-term consequences of diabetes-related eye diseases, such as RP.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapies.     In a controlled study involving 601 patients with common forms of RP, Dr. Eliot Berson, professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, found that high doses of vitamin A can slow down the loss of remaining eyesight by approximately 20% per year. In the study, reported by David Tenenbaumin the September 1993 issue of American Health , a typical 32-year-old embarking on this therapy, for example, could retain vision until age 70 instead of losing it at age 63. However, people taking vitamin supplements to prevent RP should be careful not to combine vitamins A and E. While high daily doses of vitamin A appeared to be effective in Berson's trials, large doses of vitamin E (400 IU) seemed to worsen the disease. Berson urges people with RP to consult an eye specialist before beginning any treatment. He also suggests that people who take large doses of vitamin E consult an ophthalmologist to ensure they are not developing RP.