Some of you might be wondering how focal scurvy can cause cataracts. Scurvy is characterized by generalized weakness, anemia, and a generalized breakdown of the integrity of the connective tissue throughout the body. It then results in the easy bleeding of the gums and into the soft tissues. So what links scurvy and cataracts? We’ll discuss it further as you read through!
Scurvy Can Cause Cataracts, A Rare But Terrible Problem
In this article:
- How Does Scurvy Affect the Body?
- Is Scurvy Still a Problem Today?
- How Does Focal Scurvy Cause Something As Specific As Cataracts?
- A Vitamin C Deficiency in the Lenses of the Eyes Results in Cataracts
- Can Increasing Vitamin C Intake Help Cure Cataracts?
- Vitamin C Therapy
How Does Scurvy Affect the Body?
A world-renowned eye doctor found that scurvy can cause cataracts. Cataracts is an eye disease which clouds the lens, therefore, affecting vision. There are seven different types of cataracts. They are classified according to where and how they continue to develop in the eye. Cataracts are more common than you think and it can even affect one or both of the eyes if not treated or corrected with cataract surgery. In serious cases, it can even lead to blindness.
The primary cause of scurvy is a vitamin C deficiency in the diet. It can cause anemia, weakness, and malfunction of connective tissue in the body. The eye is one of the most affected parts of the body when you have scurvy. But the most pertinent issue in scurvy-ridden patients is uncontrollable hemorrhaging due to problems with collagen integrity. Deaths following contracting scurvy are often in relation to hemorrhaging or the festering of infected sores.
Is Scurvy Still a Problem Today?
Today, even the most basic of diets contain sufficient vitamin C to avoid the obvious expression of scurvy. Scurvy rarely ever occurs anymore. Moreover, several packaged foods use sufficient vitamin C as a preservative to keep classical scurvy at bay. But in the event that rare cases of scurvy occur, they are usually correctly diagnosed and treated first before it can even result in death caused by infection or malnutrition.
How Does Focal Scurvy Cause Something As Specific As Cataracts?
It’s easy to assume that Vitamin C deficiency in one area is an indication of an overall deficiency in the body. However, this is not always the case. In fact, if an organ disease is found to be from a considerable vitamin C deficiency, the rest of the body most likely has minimum vitamin C, but not as low as in the affected organ.
Focal scurvy in the mouth produces periodontal disease. Moreover, focal scurvy in the lining of the heart arteries results in atherosclerosis. Additionally, this condition that manifests in the bones results in osteoporosis. Also, focal scurvy in different areas of the brain results in Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s. Given these, focal scurvy in the lens of the eye causes cataracts.
A Vitamin C Deficiency in the Lenses of the Eyes Results in Cataracts
When a cataract develops, the levels of ascorbic acid decrease in the aqueous humor. It’s the area that surrounds and bathes the lens with nutrients and oxygen. The most effective method of cataract treatment (without cataract surgery) involves supplementation of ascorbic acid as well as glutathione.
Can Increasing Vitamin C Intake Help Cure Cataracts?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to take oral vitamin C much higher than 3 to 5 grams a day. Any amount greater than this can lead to significant gastrointestinal distress. It can be quite unpleasant. However, this does not mean that vitamin C should be eliminated completely as an option for treatment.
Vitamin C Therapy
The treatment of cataracts is done through the intravenous administration of vitamin C to patients. This usually involves quite an increased quantity of vitamin C (25-100 grams). The treatment may prevent cataracts from worsening. It’s done once a day for a total of five days. This method of administration allows for more vitamin C to be introduced into the body. At the same time, it avoids any problems involving gastrointestinal irritation.
Still curious about scurvy as a cause of cataracts? Watch this video by VHFILM!
It is a very recent discovery that focal scurvy can cause cataracts. This can affect the vision of one or both eyes. If it is not treated, it can worsen and lead to vision loss, or to put it simply, blindness. This discovery proved to be a turning point in understanding the underlying metabolic causes of cataracts. It can help act as a springboard for new breakthroughs in developing methods to prevent cataract formation.
For more information, I would suggest reading Dr. Thomas Levy’s book, Curing the Incurable: Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, and Toxins
What do you think about focal scurvy contributing to cataract formation? Let us know in the comments below!
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 17, 2018 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.