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Could Vitamin B3Treat Glaucoma?

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Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness and affects 80 million people around the globe. Currently, the only available glaucoma treatments are eye drops, oral medication or surgery. There is no cure for the disease, and glaucoma-related vision loss is irreversible.

What Causes Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by optic nerve stress, often associated with elevated eye pressure. No one knows what causes optic nerve degeneration, and glaucoma can be a tricky disease to diagnose. It usually does not cause pain or other symptoms. An eye doctor’s goal in treating glaucoma is to detect the disease early and treat it promptly to prevent permanent eye damage.

Emerging Glaucoma Treatments

Glaucoma researchers continually seek new treatments that will prevent the death of retinal cells and regenerate diseased fibers in the optic nerve. They have found that a molecule called NAD declines in the retina as people age, and this puts retinal cells at risk for degeneration.

Studies have shown nicotinamide, a water-soluble form of vitamin B-3, prevented NAD depletion and reduced the risk of glaucoma in animals. Nicotinamide is found in foods like poultry, fish, eggs and cereal grains.

A study in Sweden is exploring a potential neuroprotective therapy for glaucoma. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and St. Erik Eye Hospital are testing nicotinamide, also known as niacinamide, on animal and cell models for glaucoma.

Should I Supplement With B3?

If you have glaucoma, you may think you should begin taking vitamin B3. However, you should not start any new supplements or vitamins without talking to your provider.

If you have questions about new glaucoma treatments or natural treatments, call to make an appointment with your eye doctor. All medications can have side effects and can interact with other drugs.

Find an Ophthalmologist Near You

Are you under the care of a board-certified ophthalmologist? You deserve the best vision care possible. A comprehensive eye exam is an essential part of preventive care and can detect many common eye diseases like glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration. Here is a list of qualified professionals near you. Call to make an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam today.

Vision Impairment Could Shorten Your Life

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The leading causes of vision loss in the world are cataracts and refractive errors, or the need for glasses. Eighty percent of vision problems are correctable; however, millions of adults and children experience vision impairment.

Your Vision Affects Your Health

According to a recent study published in The Lancet Global Health, vision impairment is linked to mortality. After studying 48,000 people from 17 different studies, the meta-analysis found that patients with severe vision impairment experienced a higher risk of mortality than patients with normal vision or mild vision impairment.

The mortality risk for those with mildly impaired vision and severely impaired vision was 29 percent and 89 percent, respectively, compared to those with normal vision.

Joshua Erlich, MD, MPH, was the lead author of the study. “It’s important these issues are addressed early on because losing your vision affects more than just how you see the world; it affects your experience of the world and your life,” Ehrlich said. “This analysis provides an important opportunity to promote not only health and wellbeing, but also longevity by correcting, rehabilitating, and preventing avoidable vision loss across the globe.”

Comprehensive Eye Exams are Essential for Wellbeing

Have you canceled or delayed your eye exam due to COVID-19? Healthy vision is not just a luxury. It is a medical necessity. A comprehensive eye exam offers so many more benefits than just adjusting your eye prescription. It can detect and diagnose:

  • Focusing problems, including presbyopia
  • Refractive error: farsighted, nearsighted or astigmatism
  • Eye diseases, such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy
  • Vision problems, such as amblyopia, strabismus, or binocular vision
  • Other conditions, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, can often be detected in an eye exam

Need Help Finding a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist?

Perhaps you have not scheduled a comprehensive eye exam because you need to find a new eye doctor. We have a network of board-certified ophthalmologists who are accepting new patients. Our doctors are ready to assess your vision needs and provide you with exceptional care as well as state-of-the-art treatments.

New Study Says Ocular Hypertension Can Prevent Glaucoma

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Elevated inner eye pressure can cause glaucoma and vision loss, but not in all patients, according to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a general term for a family of diseases that damage the optic nerve and can cause permanent vision loss. The most common type of glaucoma is primary open-angle glaucoma. In this type, the channels that drain the eye’s fluid become gradually obstructed, causing the pressure within the eye (intraocular pressure) to rise.

In angle-closure glaucoma, fluid builds up suddenly and causes dangerous pressure spikes.

Open-angle glaucoma has few symptoms, so it is essential to detect glaucoma in the early stages to prevent irreversible eye damage. Once symptoms are present, vision loss has already occurred.

Ocular Hypertension

In most patients with glaucoma, elevated intraocular pressure would prove to be quite dangerous. However, according to a new study from LSU Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center of Excellence and the University of Copenhagen, a subset of glaucoma patients does not have this same sensitivity: those with ocular hypertension.

Why do patients with ocular hypertension not have the optic nerve damage that is glaucoma? After all, ocular hypertension is when intraocular pressure is higher than what is in the “normal” range.

The study found patients with ocular hypertension possess “increased antioxidant capacity and higher levels of anti-inflammatory, omega-3 derived chemical messengers involved in sustaining cell function in their plasma compared to patients with normal-tension glaucoma and age-matched controls.”

Having an increased amount of omega-3 fatty acid chemical messengers seems to lower oxidative stress in the eye and prevent the optic nerve’s deterioration.

This new research could provide exciting new therapies for glaucoma patients: “The study opens avenues of therapeutic exploration highlighting the significance of the omega-3 fatty acid chemical messengers’ antioxidant capacity as a potential diagnostic biomarker and as a novel treatment to prevent glaucomatous neurodegeneration,” notes Dr. Nicolas G. Bazan, Boyd Professor, Ernest C. and Ivette C. Villere Chair of Retinal Degeneration, and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine (Medical Xpress).

Facts about Glaucoma

This study’s results are exciting, but the fact remains that glaucoma is a complex disease that can affect anyone. Here are some essential facts about glaucoma:

  1. Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness in the world.
  2. Glaucoma affects more than three million Americans, but over half are unaware they have the disease.
  3. African Americans are 15 times more likely than Caucasians to have glaucoma-related vision loss.
  4. Risk factors for glaucoma include being over age 60, having diabetes, having a family member with glaucoma and being severely nearsighted.

Call Your Ophthalmologist

You can protect your vision by making annual appointments for a comprehensive eye exam. During your exam, your eye doctor can test your inner eye pressure and tell you whether you have ocular hypertension or are at risk for glaucoma.

Early glaucoma detection can help preserve your eyesight so you can maintain an active, independent lifestyle. Call an ophthalmologist today to schedule your annual eye exam.

Natural Glaucoma Treatment Like Vitamin B3 May Improve Vision

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New research suggests vitamin B3 could protect optic nerve damage that associated with glaucoma and blindness.

Glaucoma is a family of diseases characterized by elevated eye pressure that damages the optic nerve and can cause permanent vision damage. There is no cure for glaucoma, so an ophthalmologist’s goal is to detect glaucoma early and treat it with eye drops or surgery to reduce inner eye pressure.

Professor Jonathan Crowston and Dr. Flora Hui of the Center for Eye Research Australia conducted a recent study on patients with glaucoma. The researchers gave glaucoma patients high doses of vitamin B3 every day for 12 weeks, in addition to the patients’ daily medication to lower eye pressure. At the conclusion of the study, patients showed significant improvement in their vision.

“For the first time, we have shown that daily high doses of vitamin B3 can lead to early and significant improvements in patients who are also receiving traditional treatments to lower eye pressure,” Dr. Hui said. “As a safe therapy that is well tolerated by patients, vitamin B3 has potential as a clinical supplement to support patients who are receiving glaucoma treatment” (Medical Express).

Dr. Hui is optimistic that vitamin B3 can protect nerve cells from damage and help repair cells that have already begun to deteriorate. She likens taking daily vitamin B3 to adding oil to a car engine to help it run smoothly. The next step, she explained, is to conduct a larger trial to evaluate whether patients can continue to improve and slow the progression of glaucoma over time.

Should I Start Taking Vitamin B3?

You may wonder, “Should I begin taking daily vitamin B3 to protect my vision?” Before you begin any new medication, even a supplement, call your eye doctor. Your doctor can discuss natural glaucoma treatments that you can take in addition to your daily medication. Remember that all medicines can have side effects and can interact with other drugs. Always ask your doctor before beginning any new supplement or medicine.

What are the Symptoms of Glaucoma?

Even if you think your eyes are healthy, you could still be at risk for glaucoma. More than three million Americans have glaucoma, but only half are aware they have the disease. Because glaucoma rarely shows symptoms in the early stages, it is a difficult disease to diagnose. Most people do not notice any pain with elevated eye pressure. One of the first noticeable symptoms of glaucoma is peripheral vision loss, but most people do not realize it until they have lost a significant amount of vision (Glaucoma Research Foundation).

How to Prevent Glaucoma

There is no way to prevent glaucoma, but you can protect your vision by scheduling annual comprehensive eye exams. Comprehensive eye exams include a pressure test using a method called tonometry. If your pressure is high and your doctor diagnoses you with glaucoma, you can begin your treatment immediately.

Be proactive in preventive care by scheduling an annual comprehensive eye exam. If you are not under the supervision of a licensed eye care professional, you can find an eye doctor in your area and schedule an appointment today.

Low Carbohydrate Diet May Lower Your Glaucoma Risk

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A new study finds a diet rich in protein and healthy fats and low in carbohydrates could reduce the risk for glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness.

Glaucoma is associated with abnormally high eye pressure due to a reduced ability of the eye to regulate fluid drainage. Poor eye fluid drainage causes elevated pressure, which can damage the optic nerve over time. This is known as primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), the most common form of glaucoma in the United States.

According to the research from the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing proteins and plant-based fats can lower the risk of POAG with early central vision loss by 20 percent.

Plant-Based Diet Helps Prevent POAG

The researchers analyzed data from more than 185,000 participants of three cohort studies from 1976 to 2017. The researchers surmised that substituting protein and fat for carbohydrates would help maintain optic nerve function.

The participants answered health-related questions and completed food frequency questionnaires every two to four years. The team looked for patterns in carbohydrate intake across plant-based and animal-based fats and proteins, as well as other sources.

Plant-based sources gave more favorable results in preventing POAG than animal-based sources for a low-carbohydrate diet.

Diet Cannot Reverse Glaucoma

Dr. Louis R. Pasquale, co-corresponding author and deputy chair for ophthalmology research for the Mount Sinai Health System, said, “It’s important to note that a low-carbohydrate diet won’t stop glaucoma progression if you already have it, but it may be a means to preventing glaucoma in high-risk groups. If more patients in these high-risk categories, including those with a family history of glaucoma, adhered to this diet, there might be fewer cases of vision loss.”

Dr. Pasquale asserts a low carbohydrate diet is therapeutic for many other conditions such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. However, more research is necessary, as this was the first study looking at how diet relates to POAG development, and it was an observational study and not a clinical trial.

What is Your Glaucoma Risk?

Did you know certain individuals are at increased risk for glaucoma? Here are some of the risk factors for glaucoma:

  • Family history of glaucoma
  • 45 years of age or older
  • African American
  • History of elevated inner eye pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Nearsighted
  • Farsighted
  • History of steroid use

More than three million Americans have glaucoma, but only half are aware they have the disease. Glaucoma, aptly nicknamed “the sneak thief of sight,” often does not have symptoms in the early stages, so it is important to get an early diagnosis before permanent eye damage occurs.

Make an Appointment for a Comprehensive Eye Exam

There is no cure for glaucoma, but your eye doctor can detect glaucoma early if you stay current with your annual comprehensive eye exams. An eye exam is more than just an evaluation of your vision. It offers a window into your overall health. Call an ophthalmologist today to schedule your annual eye exam.

Eye Exams and Procedures Delayed by COVID-19 Could Result in Vision Loss

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If you had to cancel your eye procedure or eye exam due to COVID-19, you should reschedule your appointment as soon as possible. Delaying annual eye exams can result in later diagnoses of glaucoma, which causes blindness, and cataracts, which can be easily treated by undergoing cataract surgery.

A recent U.S. study revealed that during the initial months of the pandemic, of all medical service lines, ophthalmology had the greatest patient volume loss. In an analysis of more than 2 million patient visits and encounters from 228 hospitals in 40 states, the study, released by Strata Decision Technology, showed ophthalmology lost 81 percent of patient volume year-over-year when comparing two-week volumes in March and April 2020 versus the same period in 2019.

Cataract surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States. About 3.6 million cataract surgeries take place annually. The study found cataract surgery volume decreased by 97 percent, the largest reduction of any surgical procedure. Glaucoma procedures dropped by 88 percent for inpatient and outpatient procedures.

Many Americans have also had their comprehensive eye exams canceled in the past several months. If you missed an eye exam and have had to reschedule, it is important to keep the rescheduled appointment. Millions of patients will be calling to make appointments for comprehensive eye exams this month, so it will only get more difficult to see your eye doctor.

What Can I Do While I am Waiting for Surgery?

If you are waiting for your eye procedure to be rescheduled, you may have to ask for help from family members and friends, while taking precautions to protect against COVID-19. It is easier for loved ones to help you if you provide them with specific requests. You may want to ask people to help you with:

  • Shopping
  • House cleaning
  • Lawn and yard care
  • Driving you to and from your eye appointments and doctor appointments

Call your eye doctor today to reschedule your eye procedure or eye exam.

9 Tips to Protect Children from Digital Eye Strain

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After the holidays, many homes are full of exciting new electronics loaded with the latest apps and games. Kids of all ages are likely having a blast as they learn the amazing new capabilities of their devices. If you have children who are spending more time on digital devices this season, take a moment to notice just how much screen time they are getting and if, during all of this excitement, they begin complaining that their eyes hurt.

What is Digital Eye Strain?

While new tablets, smartphones, computers and TVs can provide hours of entertainment and discovery, they can also have an adverse effect on our vision. Staring at digital screens can cause hazy, blurred vision and can make eyes burn and feel dry, itchy and irritated. This condition is known as digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome. Other symptoms of digital eye strain can include:

  • Problems focusing
  • Neck and shoulder pain
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Words moving on the screen (due to underlying eye alignment issues)

According to Sarah Hinkley, associate professor at Ferris State University Michigan College of Optometry and spokeswoman for the American Optometric Association, digital eye strain is a nationwide problem, and it is occurring more frequently in kids. “As children acquire cellphones at younger ages and are using them more frequently during the day,” Hinkley explains, “we are seeing the symptoms presenting in younger children more than we have before” (Source: Gunnar).

Don’t Banish the Device. Train the Operator

Electronics are great tools for education and leisure. Children do not naturally set boundaries for themselves, so adults can help by teaching moderation. It begins with having conversations with kids about digital eye strain and how electronic devices affect eye health. You can even ask them to help set guidelines for electronics and come up with a family plan. Here are some tips to get you started:

  1. Listen to the experts. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Health recommended that children under two years of age should not be in front of a screen at all, and over that age, the maximum leisure screen time should be no more than two hours a day (Source: Tech Advisor).
  2. Model good habits in front of your kids. In a survey conducted for the Vision Council, 70 percent of American adults say they have experienced digital eye strain, and 60 percent of respondents said they looked at screens at least 6 hours per day. If you limit your kids to an hour of screen time in the evenings, try to adhere to the same guidelines yourself.
  3. Create a “bedtime” for devices. Too much screen time can interfere with natural sleep cycles, so turn off all devices at least one hour before children go to bed. Have a designated place like the kitchen where you charge all devices at night. This is a great way to avoid temptation!
  4. Remember 20-20-20. Teach your children this rule of thumb: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at an object at least 20 feet away.
  5. Blink! Staring at digital screens decreases our blink rate. Remind your kids to blink their eyes more often than they think they need to, and this will help keep their eyes moist.
  6. Teach your kids about the importance of positioning. Create sufficient distance between the screen and your eyes. Keep hand-held devices a good distance from the eyes and just below eye level.
  7. Adjust the brightness of screens. Change the background color to cool gray. Consider adding a blue light filter to smartphones and tablets.
  8. Increase text size on screens.
  9. Try not to use “more screen time” as a reward. Keep within your agreed-upon family limit.

Teaching kids about moderation is an important life skill, so feel confident in setting healthy boundaries. If you have any questions about digital eye strain and eye health, talk to your ophthalmologist. If you would like to find a board-certified ophthalmologist in your area, use our Find a Physician locator.

Is Screen Time Affecting Your Eye Health?

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Do you have a screen addiction? Your eyes could be paying the price. According to the Washington Post, 50 percent of teens admit that they feel addicted to their mobile device, and 27 percent of their parents admit they can’t put down their smartphone either. You may not think that you spend too much time on your phone, but think about all the screens you view daily: smartphone, desktop computer, laptop, tablet, game system, and LED TV.

Many of us spend more time looking at screens than sleeping. The average American clocks 444 minutes of screen time (7.4 hours), compared to 317 minutes for Italians and 540 minutes for Indonesians.

It’s easy to see that dependence on digital devices is a worldwide problem. Over 50 percent of people who work in front of a computer screen experience a condition called digital eye strain. Common symptoms of digital eye strain include eye fatigue, dry eye, irritated or itchy eyes, red eyes, and headaches. These symptoms are thought to be caused by overexposure to high-energy visible light or “blue light” emitted by digital devices. Blue light has a wavelength of 380 nm to 500 nm, which means it is one of the shortest, highest-energy wavelengths that humans can perceive. These waves penetrate deep into the eyes and create a glaring effect, which results in irritation and strain.

Eye care specialists can treat the symptoms of digital eye strain, but there are no studies yet that can prove long-term damage. Some laboratory studies suggest that increased exposure to blue light can damage retinal tissue, but many researchers refute this assertion and claim that electronic devices emit only small amounts of energy.

Interestingly, rates of nearsightedness have increased worldwide. Is this a coincidence, or could it be a direct result of our growing screen addiction? In the UK, for example, 16.4 percent of children are nearsighted today compared to only 7.2 percent in the 1960s. Until we have more evidence from longitudinal studies, there will be more questions than answers regarding the specific effects of screens and blue light on our vision. In the meantime, perhaps a simple principle of moderation can lead to wisdom in how we use electronics in our careers, personal communication and hobbies (Source: Financial Times).

Alcohol and Your Eyesight: 4 Ways Excessive Drinking Can Affect Your Vision

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There’s nothing like a glass of Chianti with your favorite pasta dish or a cold draft beer while watching a sporting event. A glass of wine, beer or cocktail will not have any lasting negative effects on your health or vision, but occasional drinking can slowly grow into a habit without even realizing it. Besides the harmful damage that alcohol can do to your body systems, excessive drinking can cause permanent eye damage.

Heavy drinking and vision problems often go hand in hand, so let’s explore how alcohol abuse impacts your eyes.

  1. Muscle weakness. Alcohol weakens the muscles of the eyes and can permanently damage the optic nerve which transmits visual images to the brain. Prolonged alcohol use can cause involuntary rapid eye movement.
  2. Neurological disruptions. Alcohol slows down the communication between the eyes and the brain. This can cause double vision, decrease reaction time of pupils and impair the ability to see color shades.
  3. Unsightly appearance. Bloodshot eyes is one of the most common physical characteristics of a heavy drinker. Alcohol dilates ocular blood vessels, which makes them look larger and gives the eyes a reddish color.
  4. Sharp pain. Alcohol can make the eyes extremely sensitive to light and cause migraine headaches.

Alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation without any adverse effects to the eyesight. It is important to remember that your body’s tolerance of alcohol may be vastly different than someone else’s. As a general rule of thumb, men should consume no more than 4 units of alcohol in one day and women should consume no more than 3 units of alcohol per day. It is healthiest for your body and your eyes to reserve alcohol for special occasions, holidays and celebrations (Source: Medical Daily).

Tips to Reduce Hazard of Blue Light

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Everyone knows that sunscreen and sunglasses help protect your eyes from the ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) of the sun, but those same blue violet rays can also be emitted from electronic devices. Some examples of artificial sources of blue violet light, commonly known as blue light, are smartphones, computers, tablets, LEDs, and CFLs.

As we increase our use of digital devices, we put our eyes at risk for retinal damage. Humans can only perceive a portion of the wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum between wavelengths of 390 nm to 700 nm. Blue light has a wavelength of 380 nm to 500 nm, which means it is one of the shortest, highest-energy wavelengths. These waves create a glaring effect on the eyes and can lead to eye fatigue, dry eye, blurred vision, headaches, and nearsightedness. Continued exposure to blue light can cause photochemical damage, which in turn can harm retinal cells and makes us susceptible to age-related macular degeneration (Source: Business Standard).

How can we protect ourselves from eye damage associated with blue light if digital devices surround us on a daily basis? Here are some practical ways to protect your eyes from blue light damage:

  1. Limit screen time when you are not working. It is impossible to avoid digital devices in the workplace, but you can reduce the amount of time you spend on electronics when you are not working. Digital devices often provide a passive “escape” from reality that seems enjoyable, but it can be a poor use of your time and can just increase eye fatigue and muscle strain.
  2. If you use your devices at night, download a blue light filter app. There are several free apps in your App Store that will put a filter on the screen of your smartphone or tablet to reduce glare at night. This will help reduce eye fatigue.
  3. Try not to use your devices directly before bedtime. Overexposure to blue light can cause restlessness and insomnia. Set a limit of turning off your devices at least one hour before bedtime and charge your devices in a different room so you are not tempted to turn them back on.
  4. Blink, blink, blink. One reason that we are more susceptible to dry eye when using electronics is that our blink rate is reduced significantly. Put a post-it note on your computer screen that says “Blink”! Blinking more often will keep your eyes moist and refreshed.
  5. Get regular comprehensive eye exams. There is no substitute for an eye exam by a licensed specialist. Schedule regular eye exams to ensure your vision stays clear and healthy. You can also talk to your ophthalmologist about prescribing protective lenses with blue light filters to reduce eye strain.