Vitreous Detachment
Facts:
Certain nutrients such as Glucosamine Sulfate and Vitamin C, help strengthen the connective tissue, and can help fortify the retina against the natural effects of aging that can result in vitreous detachments. Other nutrients also help strengthen the retina such as ginkgo biloba which helps improves circulation, lutein, zeaxanthin, bilberry, lycopene which all support healthy vision.
Overview:
The vitreous humor is a jelly-like substance filling the inside of the eyeball that gradually degenerates and liquefies with age. There are attachments of the vitreous to the retina at various points, including the macula and the optic nerve.
As the vitreous liquefies, it can detach from the macula and optic nerve. Posterior vitreous detachments occur in about 25 percent of people in their sixties, and in up to 65 percent of people in their eighties. Vitreous detachment is slightly more common in women.
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Symptoms:
Sudden detachment of the vitreous from the macular area usually causes the person to see flashes and floaters. The flashes may look like lightning or electric sparks, and the floaters may look like threads or specks.
Symptoms may last days to weeks. At the first sign of any of the above signs and symptoms, you should always get an immediate dilated retinal examination by your eye doctor.
Causes:
Conventional Treatment:
There is no specific treatment for vitreous detachment.
Complementary Treatment:
Shopping Tips
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Doctor's Choice:
Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula -
Dr. Grossman's whole food formula for retinal support and overall eye health.
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Essential: Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula -
Dr. Grossman's whole food formula for retinal support and overall eye health.
Essential: Carlsons Super Omega-3 250 - 1000 mg gelcaps -
Omega-3 250 gelcaps 1,000mg per gelcap - Natural Lemon Flavor
Essential: Ligament Restore 120 caps -
Ligament Restore 120 caps - excellent product for helping preserve, maintain and restoring collagen (connective tissue). Natural anti-inflammatory properties as well.
Essential: Vitamin C Complex 1000mg 120 vcaps -
1000 mg 120 vtabs with natural buffers to help the body utilize the vitamin C more efficiently,
Very Important: Viteyes Complete -
Viteyes Complete is the most comprehensive eye multivitamin available, and serves both as a multivitamin and an eye multivamin.
Helpful: Retinal Support - 2oz -
based on classic Kidney and Spleen Chinese medicine formulas to help support the retina by building blood, improving circulation, eliminating dampness, and strengthening overall energy.
Helpful: Dr. Grossman's Whole Food Multivitamin 90 tabs -
Dr. Grossmans Whole Food Multivitamin
Dietary Supplement 90 tabs made from organic botanicals and food
The perfect compliment to Dr. Grossman's Advanced Eye and Vision Support Formula
Helpful: Fruits N Greens 180 gm -
180 gram organic formula loaded with fruits, vegetables and herbs.
Recommended Vitamins, Supplements, Herbs & Other Nutritional Products
Since we consider most eye conditions to be a reflection of the health of the whole body, lifestyle choices and diet can play a major factor in getting and maintaining good vision. Here are some recommendations:
Diet & Nutrition
- The Vision Diet - recommended in Natural Eye Care: An Encyclopedia on CD, authored by Marc Grossman, O.D., L.Ac. and Michael Edson, MS, L.Ac. This CD covers 29 major eye conditions including vitreous tear/detachment with specific nutrient, diet, exercise and juicing instructions by eye condition, plus much more.
- Reduce or eliminate drinking caffeine and sodas, avoid aspartame (labeled diet foods)and man made fats (corn oil and safflower oil, trans fats and hydrogenated vegetable oils including canola oil).
- Eliminate deep fat fried foods, monosodium glutanate (MSG) used as a flavor enhancer which is a potential retinal toxin (Inv Oph 1996; 37: 1618-24), and fat blockers like Olestra which impair the absorption of carotenoids (Argus, August 1996;19:18:July 1996;19:22).
- Limit your alcohol consumption to 1 glass of red wine at night. Alcohol interferes with liver functions, reducing protective glutathione levels (Alcohol 1993;10;469-75).
- Supplement your diet with an excellent eye multivitamin such as Dr. Grossman's Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula and an organic green drink daily such as
Nanogreens
Lifestyle & General Health
- Eliminate smoking. Smoking among other things produces cyanide, a retinal toxin.
- Limit the amount of medications (both prescription and non-prescription as much as possible. Make sure to work closely with your doctor.
- Exercise daily - do at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise daily. Walking and swimming are two excellent forms of exercise.
- Manage your emotional health This is very important in maintaining physical health. Fear (fear of failure, responsibility, of being alone, of death, etc.) is at the root of many of life's problems, and is a major factor in many diseases. Take up the practice of meditation, yoga, tai chi, walks in the woods or prayer on a daily basis.
