Questions and Answers

In 2002, I had major surgery to treat the retinal detachment in my left eye. My right eye had small tears (one early symptom of retinal detachment) and was treated with simple laser surgery. I now have a scleral buckle (a permanent means of fastening the retina in place) around my left eye and I regained my entire peripheral vision. However, my doctor says the vision in my left eye might not get back to normal. Do you have any advice for me to improve my vision and to prevent future illness in my eyes?

Stansbury responds: While I am optimistic that herbs and nutritional agents can preserve your vision and help protect the retinal blood vessels from further damage, I am not sure damage from the detachment can be resolved. When retinal detachment occurs, surgery is urgently necessary to prevent the entire retina from being loosened, which can cause permanent and total loss of vision. The emergency surgery is similar to a spot weld, in which the detached portion of the retina is fused to the back of the eye using a laser, which scars the tissues together. This scar causes a permanent loss or distortion of vision in that spot and unfortunately, is not correctable.

To preserve and protect your blood vessels, keep your blood pressure and blood sugar within normal limits. Get a general physical and have your blood pressure and cholesterol level checked. Aim to optimize your overall health, which will help support the health of the blood vessels. Limit your exposure to pollution, food and environmental chemicals, and other oxidating agents that over a lifetime injure and damage blood vessels. Take antioxidant nutrients, such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and zinc. We should all eat well and regularly get these substances in our food, but you might also consider supplementing these nutrients to complement what you’re getting in your diet.

Many supplements help protect the blood vessels from oxidative damage and help prevent scarring, and the related loss of tissue integrity. Beta-carotene and all the carotenoids long have been credited with the ability to improve vision. A group of blue and purple bioflavonoids known as anthocyanins also protect the blood vessels and promote microcirculation. Bilberries and blueberries are well researched for protecting the retinal blood vessels in cases of diabetes and improving vision due to macular degeneration. Ginkgo contains flavonoids, is antioxidant and improves circulation to the head. Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) contains a group of flavonoids well researched for their positive effects on the heart and blood vessels. All these flavonoid plants can be consumed in tandem-the more, the better. Some products on the market made specifically for the eyes combine a number of these nutrients in capsules. You can also supplement such products by eating plenty of carrots and other orange and dark yellow foods, or with additional herbal tinctures, solid extracts or herbal teas.

Willard responds: Eye health can be dramatically and positively affected by proper diet. Remember when your mother told you to eat your carrots so you could see better? It turns out she was right: Carrots are excellent for eye health.

For general eye health, a whole foods diet is necessary. Include in your diet broccoli, whole grains, carrots, cauliflower, green vegetables, squash, cabbage, sunflower seeds and watercress. As much as possible, avoid white flour, dairy products and sugar. It is important to supplement with essential fatty acids (2,000 to 3,000 mg twice daily). Black currant oil, borage, flax or evening primrose oils are excellent sources. You can also protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses with UV protection.

The most important nutrients for the eyes are carotenoids, which are found in foods like carrots. The dominant carotenoids in the retina are lutein and zeaxanthin. Zeaxanthin is concentrated in the macular region, whereas lutein is dispersed throughout the entire retina. Carotenoids in the retina have an important role to play in the health of the eye. They stop the generation of free radicals in the retina. Free radicals are a consequence of the simultaneous presence of light and oxygen. Both animal experiments and observations in humans show that carotenoids also have a protective role in the retina. This is especially true in age-related macular degeneration. Nutritional intervention in this condition can be quite successful by taking lutein (6mg, twice daily) and zeaxanthin (300 mcg, twice daily).

Botanicals that are most beneficial for this condition are bilberry, eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) and raspberry leaves (Rubus idaeus). Bilberry contains anthocyanins (usually concentrated to 25 percent), which have been shown to improve several visual disorders. These flavonoids also increase the strength of blood capillaries and reduce their permeability. Studies indicate that bilberry helps reduce diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and varicose veins. Taking 60 to 120 mg twice daily of the concentrated extract will help improve the retina.

Eyebright soothes and strengthens the eyes. The typical dosage is 300 to 400 mg twice daily. Raspberry leaves also have been used traditionally to strengthen and soothe the eyes. The typical dosage is 200 to 300 mg twice daily. You will be able to find several combinations of these herbs in your local health-food store.