Cataracts Quiz
What are the most effective supplements in treating cataracts?
1) Vitamin C
2) Vitamin E
3) Beta carotene
4) All of the above
The answer is 4: All of the above.
It’s easy to take your eyes for granted. After all, most of us have been blessed with the gift of sight since birth. Our eyes don’t require much maintenance, and even if you don’t have 20/20 vision, corrective lenses are an easy fix.
But things do go wrong. My patients are frequently asking for solutions to various eye problems, cataracts in particular. Here is a brief overview of this common condition and natural remedies that can help.
Cataracts Are Not Inevitable
Cataracts, or opacities of the lens of the eye, are another common problem associated with aging. More than half of all Americans in their 80s either have cataracts or have had surgery to replace the clouded lens. I’m not going to knock cataract surgery because people see much, much better afterward. But isn’t prevention a better idea?
Lifestyle Changes make a Huge Difference
Smoking, abdominal obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and a whole list of drugs are linked with increased risk of developing cataracts and other vision problems. Nutrition is also important. We’ve known for years that taking a daily supplement containing relatively high doses of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc, and copper lowers risk of cataracts and related vision loss, but nutritional research has gone far beyond these basic vitamins and minerals.
A recent study found that older women who had the highest levels of lutein and zeaxanthin were about a third less likely to have cataracts. And in a recent nine year placebo-controlled clinical trial, people who took a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement were much less likely to have developed the most common type of cataracts than those who took a placebo.
Another therapy worth trying is N-acetyl-carnosine. Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), caused by the crosslinking of proteins, is another degenerative process that damages the lens. Carnosine is a natural amino acid combo that inhibits AGE formation. Several studies show that when carnosine eye drops are used twice a day in eyes affected by cataracts, improvements are often noted in both vision and lens opacity.
The common thread running throughout is nutrition. Therefore, my number-one recommendation for both treating and staving off cataracts and other vision problems is to improve your diet and take a comprehensive supplement aimed at vision health. It’s never too early to start. Don’t wait until you’re having problems to take action—by then it may be too late.
