Cataracts are the result of aging in the eye accelerated by toxic stress, dehydration and heavy metal poisoning. Tests reveal high concentrations of heavy metals in the lens of the eyes. In fact it is often three times higher in eyes with cataracts. Heavy metals such as bromide, cobalt, cadmium and nickel and lead. Cigarette smoke is a leading source of cadmium.
The three most important steps you can take to reduce the growth and reverse cataracts are the following:
1) Change your diet to organic living foods. Avoid all preservatives, GMO foods and corn fructose.
2) Maintain proper hydration. Cataracts are denatured lens protein (denatured = dehydrated). Proper hydration is also the best way to reduce your toxic load.
3) Be tested for heavy metal poisoning and if heavy metals are present have them treated. Hair analysis is a waste of money and it is very inaccurate. The only way is to have a 6 hour urine challenge test with a provocative agent to measure the heavy metals. If you have elevated heavy metals you need to undergo chelation therapy. See www.acam.org for doctors who do this challenge test.
There is no short cut to stopping or reversing a cataract. Vitamins are a short cut that might help briefly but unless the underlying conditions are addressed the cataracts will progress. The above 3 basic steps must be undertaken to regain your sight.
Many patients are taking CAN-C to reduce their cataracts. The problem with CAN-C is that the NAC does not penetrate through the cornea into the lens. Even if a small amount does pass through the cornea into the eye, the human lens does not have any blood supply to carry the NAC into the cataractous lens. The oxidative properties in NAC might help reduce superficial inflammation on the cornea and improve the tear layer which would result in better vision. I also have an issue with CAN-C, the company stating that lutein should be avoided when taking NAC. Stopping lutein in animal studies have shown to lead to macular degeneration, certainly a more serious condition than cataracts.
In terms of eye drops I have had success with the following eye drops in the early stages of cataracts.
Dr Robert Rowen, editor of Second Opinion, has developed the following formula which uses DMSO a solvent which has an extremely high rate of tissue permeability. This helps the active ingredients Glutathione and Vitamin C to penetrate into the eye. According to Dr. Rowen, cataracts can be reversed and this is what he suggests doing: Have a pharmacy prepare the following formulation to be used three times a day.
DMSO—6.25 percent
Vitamin C—1.25 percent
Glutathione—1.25 percent
There is another eye drop called OcluMed which I have also seen to benefit and reverse early cataracts. This product has a combination of antioxidants which gives a much better effect than a single component such as L-Carnosine or N-Acetyl-L-Carnosine as antioxidants. These types of eye drop treatments have met with only very limited success because no single antioxidant developed previously has been powerful enough to compensate for all the compromised systems in the eye. The OcluMed contains the following ingredients:
L-Carnosine is used in the formula to provide immediate neutralization of existing free radicals.
N-Acetyl-L-Carnosine provides a longer-term of protection due to its longer residence and activity time in the cells.
L-Glutathione was added, as it may be the single most important antioxidant in the lens.
Cysteine Ascorbate was developed to provide a water stable source of both Vitamin C (an important antioxidant in the eye) and L-Cysteine.
L-Cysteine is used to regenerate or reduce oxidized L-Glutathione in the eye.
Topical chelation therapy a very promising study
Topical chelation therapy showed to be a potential treatment for cataracts. Dr. Ansari at the University of Texas Medical School presented data at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology at the May 2009 meeting in Ft. Lauderdale. His research group showed that by removing certain metals with EDTA, diabetic cataracts could be reversed. Research has determined that transitional metal ions (metals that can produce a positive charge) play a role in the development of oxidative stress resulting in pathology such as cataracts. There is an increase level of these metal ions in cataractous lenses. The authors studied the effects of topical EDTA and MSM, a permeability enhancer, on the effects of reducing cataract changes. In a rat study they applied various concentrations of EDTA and MSM to assess the effectiveness of the combination in preventing or diminishing diabetic cataracts. The authors reported a significant amelioration of cataract formation. This study suggests that topical EDTA eye drops might be a more effecivet method of treating cataracts.
Other methods which I have found to be effective include Microcurrent, light therapy and homeopathy.
Microcurrent can be useful in reducing cataracts and improving visual function. The mechanism of microcurrent is to improve blood flow, increase cellular function, detoxify the eye and reduce scar tissue. There are numerous articles in the medical literature to support this.
The second therapy that I have found to be very simple and effective is light therapy. Light has effect on the atomic, cellular, hormonal and on the autonomic nervous system. Light has the ability to penetrate all the levels of the eye into the human lens to have a therapeutic effect. The College of Syntonics is a 73 year old organization that has studied the effects of light on the visual system. There are certain wavelengths of light that have the ability to detoxify the tissue and improve function. I have found that this can help in the treatment of cataracts
The last therapy and my favorite is homeopathy.
Homeopathy is scientific method of therapy based on the principle of stimulating the body’s own healing processes in order to accomplish cure. The basic system was devised and verified by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, nearly 200 years ago. Homeopathy’s astounding success rates in both chronic and acute diseases has resulted in not only standing the test of time, but rapidly achieving widespread acceptance in Europe, India and South America. In Homeopathy (“homeo-” means “similar”), each of us is a total. complete individual, no aspect of which can be separated from any other. In Homeopathy each patient is evaluated as a whole person- mental, emotional and physical. The prescribing remedy is based on the unique patterns found on all three levels. This means that each person is given a remedy that will stimulate their particular body to heal. Ten people with Cataracts might receive ten different homeopathic remedies.
The government of India’s Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have stated that tincture of Cineraria Maritima Succus is the drug of choice which prevents the development of cataract. I have found this product to prevent the progression of cataracts but have not seen it as an effective treatment to reverse cataracts. This eye drop is probably just as effective as CAN-C and only 1/10 the cost!
The best review article on the treatment of cataracts is The Homeopathic Treatment of Incipient Senile Cataract, with Tabulated Results of One Hundred Cases by A. B. Norton, MD published in the North American Journal of Homeopathy 1891 This was a Retrospective Study looking at the homeopathic treatment of cataracts in 295 Patients. 100 Patients were under treatment for longer then 3 months. Results: Improvement in 58% of cases, no change in 42%
