Short Answer: No clinical evidence supports that Lanosterol or Can-C are effecitve in reversing Cataracts. These eye drops are ONLY potential treating options for cataracts, but there’s really no strong evidence that N-acetylcarnosine or Can-C eyedrops will actually reverse cataracts. He thinks more study needs to be done.

Read on for detailed discussion on these Eye-drops.

Lanosterol eye drops has been always associated with the reversal of chronic eye disorder; Cataracts. There has been a lot of excitement about this because it has shown to actually reverse cataracts. If you look at the studies, these cataracts were reversed in vitro. “In vitro” means the cataracts were taken out of the eye, put in a petri dish and soaked with the lanosterol, and it reversed cataracts. However, the big problem is getting the lanosterol inside the eye.

Studies suporting Reversal of Cataracts with Lanosterol

There was an animal study that looked at the effect of lanosterol in dogs. It did show that lanosterol reversed cataracts in dogs. Interestingly in this study, the lanosterol was injected inside the eye. This was an intravitreal injection. In other words, a small needle was injected inside the eye so the lanosterol could be put directly on the back surface of the lens. These animals also received a topical drop. To date, there has been no study to show that topical lanosterol drops can reverse cataracts.

It’s kind of exciting to hear that there is a substance like this to reverse cataracts, but right now there has not been any human study. Therefore, Dr. Kondrot suggests not be misled. There are some companies selling lanosterol drops for animals, and there have been some bad reports in terms of allergic reaction and chronic inflammatory changes in the eye. You must be very careful with these lanosterol eyedrops.

Dr. Kondrot on Cataract Eyedrops

Talking about cataract eyedrops. Can they help reverse cataracts?

“I would caution you from using lanosterol. First of all, it’s not approved for use in the human eye. In the studies that were done, the cataracts were improved by taking them out of the eye and putting them in an artificial environment, a petri dish, and then bathing them in the lanosterol. One animal study showed that cataracts can be reversed, but they were injected inside the eye.”, said Dr. Kondrot.

With the above-explained study, Dr. Kondort shares one of his interesting observation.

I just returned from an eye surgical mission in Africa, and the group I was working with on the Mercy ship is beginning to use intravitreal injections inside the eye after cataract surgery, which seems to be one of the best ways to get those antibiotics and steroids into the eye. Of course, this is a very common procedure that many ophthalmologists are using for wet macular degeneration.

Just by observation, one of the biggest problems we have with these eyedrops is getting them to be absorbed into the eye, getting them to the cataract to cause a beneficial effect. It may be in the future that intravitreal injections of these substances will be the key to reverse cataracts. It will not be the eyedrops.

Is Can-C better alternative for reversal of Cataracts?

I have talked to and observed literally thousands of patients who are taking Can-C or N-acetylcarnosine eyedrops. To be honest with you, I have not seen any beneficial effect with these drops.

I have seen maybe a slowing of the progression of cataracts with these drops, but I have not seen any reversal. I know there have been some studies that were published in the Russian literature that demonstrated an improvement of vision and decrease in symptoms, but there was no clinical documentation of any exact changes in the actual structure of the eye itself.

I think a lot of this interest in N-acetylcarnosine and Can-C is that it is felt that cataracts are caused by inflammatory changes. If we can reduce the inflammation and introduce antioxidants inside the eye, that will help slow the progression of cataracts or even reverse it. That is why there’s so much interest in vitamin C. Can-C will not hurt you. The danger of taking any eyedrop is the risk of infection or contamination. Therefore, Dr. Kondrot advises discussing what eyedrops to use with your ophthalmologist.