Lattice Degeneration

Prevention and Treatment of Lattice Degeneration

information on diet, nutrition & self-help on alternative treatment

Lattice degeneration occurs in 8-11% of people, looking like a linear trail of fiber-like vessels within the retina which has atrophied into a "lattice" pattern. The result is retinal thinning.

Certain nutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin, vinpocetine, l-lysine, a number of vitamins & enzymes, and fish oil may help Lattice Degeneration.
Some research indicates that daily use of Microcurrent Stimulation may help preserve vision as well.

The retinal thinning has several effects:

the overlying vitreous will be disturbed, resulting in a pocket of liquefaction overlying the lattice lesion known as a lacuna;
the vitreous along the edges of the lattice lesion will undergo strong adhesion to the retina; and
the ischemia and retinal thinning will disturb the retinal pigment epithelium, resulting in RPE hyperplasia and a pigmented appearance.

Advanced Eye and Vision Support Formula

What is
Lattice Degeneration?
The underlying cause of lattice is not known. It appears to be due to fewer peripheral retinal capillaries resulting in insufficient blood supply (ischemia), which in turn results in the thinning of all retinal layers. Larger capillaries stiffen and fill with extracellular tissue, giving lattice degeneration its characteristic fibrous appearance.

Often the thinning becomes so profound that a full-thickness hole atrophies through the retina at the lattice lesion. The overlying liquefied vitreous has the ability to pass through the hole into the subretinal space and possibly lead to rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. This will occur in approximately two percent of cases of holes within lattice degeneration. Due to the liquefaction of the overlying vitreous, there is no vitreoretinal traction on the edges of a hole in lattice degeneration. If a posterior vitreous detachment occurs, the vitreoretinal traction along the posterior edge of a lattice lesion may result in a linear tear, with an ensuing progression to rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in 37 percent of cases.

The incidence of atrophic holes in lattice degeneration ranges from 18 to 42 percent.

Symptoms

The patient is usually over age 20 and is nearly always asymptomatic, except for possible complaints of flashing lights (photopsia). There appears to be a higher incidence of myopia in patients with lattice degeneration. There is no racial or sexual predilection.

Nutritional Supplements for Lattice Degeneration

These are the most important supplements and recommendations.

Shopping Tips

On a tight budget?

Here's our single most important recommendation:
Doctor's Choice: Advanced Eye and Vision Support Formula - Dr. Grossman's Advanced Eye & Vision (whole food) Support Formula - 60 vcaps per bottle Promotes clear vision and healthy eyes, including macula, retina and lens, supports healthy eye growth, and rejuvenation, and supports the body's natural detoxification processes with targeted, quality antioxidants for vision.

Essential: Pure Focus - Pure Focus is a liquid based formula absorbed sublingually (under the tongue) for vision health.

Essential: Carlsons Finest Fish Oil Omega 3 200 ml / 500ml option - Omega-3 200ml or 500ml per bottle - Natural Lemon Flavor This fish oil is very mild and pleasant tasting with a lemony flavor made from fish at the bottom of the food chain with lower risk of mercury, pesticide and other contaminents

Essential: Viteyes Complete - Viteyes Complete is the most comprehensive eye multivitamin available, and serves both as a multivitamin and an eye multivitamin.

Essential: Microcurrent Stimulation 100ile Purchase Option - Microcurrent Stimulation helps stimulate energy production (ATP) in the retina, improve circulation & reduce waste build-up.

Essential: Retinal Support 2 oz - Retinal Support is based on classic Kidney & Spleen Chinese medicine formulas to help support the retina by building blood, improving circulation, eliminating dampness, & strengthening overall energy.upport based on classic Kidney & Spleen Chinese medicine formulas to help support the retina by building blood, improving circulation, eliminating dampness, & strengthening overall energy.

Essential: Advanced Eye and Vision Support Formula - Dr. Grossman's Advanced Eye & Vision (whole food) Support Formula - 60 vcaps per bottle Promotes clear vision and healthy eyes, including macula, retina and lens, supports healthy eye growth, and rejuvenation, and supports the body's natural detoxification processes with targeted, quality antioxidants for vision.

Helpful: Gingko Biloba Extract (2 oz bottle) - Ginkgo Biloba has superb antioxidant & circulatory supporting actions.

Helpful: Astaxanthin 60 gels - This is a powerful antioxidant in the retina.

Helpful: Renewal Greens 10.6 oz - Comprehensive high quality all organic green drink for overall health. Includes organic vegetable blend, wheat grass blend and digestive enzymes

Conventional Treatment

There is no conventional solution. Lasers or cryoretinopexy are sometimes used prophylactically to help prevent retinal detachments.

Self Help

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. Below are some recommendations:

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 Lattice Degeneration (under Macular Degeneration) with specific nutrient, diet, exercise and juicing instructions by eye condition, plus much more.
daily juicing of vegetables and fruits (preferably organic). Our lattice degeneration recipe is some combination of the following: ginger, garlic, leeks, parsley, beets, cabbage, carrots, celery, spinach, apples, grapes, raspberries, lemon, chlorophyll, wheat grasses - (not too much fruit). See more on juicing
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, and especially margarines).
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). Eating greater amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol appear to increase the risk retinal problems.
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).
Eliminate smoking. Smoking, among other things, produces cyanide, a retinal toxin.
Supplement your diet with an excellent eye multivitamin such as Dr. Grossman's Whole Food Multivitamin, and an organic green drink daily such as Renewal Greens
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.
Managing your emotional health 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.

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