ita Lens Support | Eye Lens Information & Treatment

How Your Eye Lens Works

Cataract Info   Nutrients   Lens Structure   Causes   Nutrients   Lens Choices  

Vitamins
& Supplements

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Complete Product List

Essential
Advanced Lens Support Package with Oclumed Eyedrops - 2 month supplyAdvanced Lens Support Package with Oclumed Eyedrops - 2 month supply
Combination of eyedrops and antioxidants to support lens health with Oclumed eyedrops.
Essential
Advanced Lens Support Package 1 (3-month supply)Advanced Lens Support Package 1 (3-month supply)
Nutrient package for healthy lens support :
+ glutathione, vitamin C, homeopathic eyedrops, antioxidants

Essential
Advanced Lens Support Package 2 (3-month supply)Advanced Lens Support Package 2 (3-month supply)
Nutrients for lens support, including homeopathic cataract eyedrops and can-c


Essential
Advanced Lens Support Package 3 (3-month supply)Advanced Lens Support Package 3 (3-month supply)
Lens support package with Can-C - 3 month supply
Essential
Advanced Lens Support Package 4Advanced Lens Support Package 4
Nutrients supporting the antioxidant defense system of the lens.
Essential
ACG Glutathione EXTRA STRENGTH Spray 2oz. ACG Glutathione EXTRA STRENGTH Spray 2oz.
Glutathione Spray antioxidant for eye and overall health. Vegan and GMO Free.
Essential
ACG Glutathione EXTRA STRENGTH Spray 2oz. ACG Glutathione EXTRA STRENGTH Spray 2oz.
Glutathione Spray antioxidant for eye and overall health. Vegan and GMO Free.
Very Important
Cineraria Homeopathic Eye Drops (10ml)

Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula (whole food) 60 vcaps

The Cornea

The initial step in our vision begins with light passing through the cornea where 65% to 75% is "pre-focused" before it even reaches the lens.

The Lens

Our eye's lens is a transparent, crystalline structure that, like glasses, directs incoming light to the back of the eye (the retina). The lens is not solid, but is formed of long transparent cells packed together in tight layers. These fibers are crystallins, water-soluble proteins that comprise 90% of the protein in the lens.

The lens is contained within a flexible capsule or sac composed of collagen. (During cataract surgery the lens is removed from this sac and replaced by an artificial lens). The lens is suspended in place from tiny ciliary muscles by hundreds of fine ligaments called zonules. The ciliary muscles adjust the lens to enable us to see near, middle and far distances clearly by relaxing to see distant objects and contracting to see objects near at hand. The amount of light that strikes the lens is regulated by the outer iris which contracts the central pupil size in bright light and expands it in dim light.

Light, focused according to the distance of the object, passes through the lens to the retina where photoreceptor cells in the retina direct the light energy to the optic nerve which, in turn, transmits the information to the brain for interpretation.

Complementary Treatment

Though most conventional physicians attribute lens-related problems to general aging, we believe that they are often a symptom of an underlying condition due to a metabolic imbalance. They signal that the natural processes of your body are breaking down on some level, and that the normal flow of nutrients into the eyes, and waste products out of the eyes, has been compromised.

Even people preparing for cataract surgery should seek to improve their overall health before they go through this invasive procedure, as this may aid in healing times and help protect the retina.

  • Avoid nutritional deficiencies. Important nutrients include glutathione, (supported by lipoic acid, vitamins E and C, and selenium), vitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), pantethine, folic acid, bilberry and melatonin.2 A research review published in 2020 found that the combination of glutathione, vitamin C, vitamin E, and antioxidants (lutein and zeaxanthin) was effective in protecting the health of the lens.12
  • Diet is important. A 2011 study1 compared diets of nearly 28,000 people, and found that those who ate the most meat had the highest incidence of lens problems. This doesn't mean to stop eating meat, but it does demonstrate that a healthy diet with lots of fruit and vegetables is helpful in reducing risk.
  • Fruits and vegetables. A ten year assessment of the diets of nearly 40,000 women found that those who consumed the most fruits and vegetables had a 10-15% lower risk of developing cataracts.9
  • Daily juicing of fruits and vegetables (organic is best). See our juicing recipe to support lens health.
  • Prevention is the best medicine. Using complementary medicine to try to address the underlying cause, along with traditional medicine to try to prevent damage on an acute basis, is the best approach to preserving vision both short and long-term.
  • Eye health support general recommendations.
Cataract & eye lens

Nutrients for the Lens

Although the following nutrients are linked to reduced lens problems and/or reduced symptoms, other research has additionally noted that combinations of these nutrients are even more effective. For example, the combination of vitamins A, C, and antioxidants11 and the combination vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, E, and carotene in the diet significantly lessened the risk of all cataract types.12

  • Cineraria, the homeopathic formulation for lens support, stimulates lymph flow in and around the eyes to remove toxins and maintain clarity.4
  • Glutathione is essential for forming enzymes in eye tissue and blocking damage by free radicals.2, 5 These nutrients support levels of glutathione.
    • Vitamins C & E6, 7 act as antioxidants and are essential for enzyme formation and process.
    • Selenium is an essential trace element that supports antioxidants.
    • Lipoic acid
  • N-Acetyl-Carnosine acts as an antioxidant to support visual clarity through free-radical capacity and maintaining lens crystallins. The ability of the natural protein L-carnosine to pass through the liquid and fatty portions of the eye helps prevent damage to DNA by UV radiation. It contains a sulphur which supports certain bonds in the lens' crystalline structure and may be able to help repair lens transparency.3
  • Vitamin B2 behaves like an antioxidant and its deficiencies contribute to cataract development.
  • B38 in the diet is related to metabolism, hence its use in lowering cholesterol and avoiding pellagra. It is inversely related to the development of some types of lens opacities.
  • Vitamin B68 supports cell growth and help synthesize amino acids, as does folate. B6 is associated with lower risk of lens opacity.
  • Vitamin B128 is needed for correct functioning of the brain and nerve cells and is also associated with lower risk of lens opacity.
  • Lutein is a yellow carotenoid antioxidant protects the eye from free radical damage through its ability to block blue and UV sunlight.
  • Astaxanthin also protects against free radical damage. It is ten times as powerful as beta-carotene and is able to cross the cell membrane fighting free radicals both inside and outside human lens cells. See more information on astaxanthin.
  • Zeaxanthin is another powerful antioxidant.
  • Zinc has some antioxidant characteristics.

After an eye exam 7 years ago, my eye doctor told me I had the start of cataracts. Consequently, in my thorough online research for good natural eye supplements, I came across Dr. Grossman's Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula. For me, it was a no brainer! I have been using and enjoying the high-quality natural ingredients in Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula for well over 7 years to improve my vision. In doing so, I believe, helped me avoid cataract surgery! In latest eye exams, I had positive reports. This is great news for this almost 70 year old.

M. J. Dikin, Michigan, September, 2017

Lifestyle Tips

Stopping smoking is probably the most important thing you can do. Learn more about smoking and cataracts.

Make a habit of exercise. Long term exercise, as opposed to a seasonal bout of exercise training, reduces cataract risk. For example, walking or bicycling an hour a day or a job that includes heavy manual exercise reduce cataract risk by 13%.

I've been taking Can-C eye drops in conjunction with I-caps vitamins for one month and received a very good result I thought to share. In otherwise great heath my 20/20 corrected vision which I need for work was getting a little fuzzy. Put it this way, I could read the line needed on the chart but no longer with great confidence. A complete eye work up revealed early cataracts to be the likely culprit. Now I had to contemplate lens replacement surgery but not happy to learn the procedure could not guarantee a 20/20 result, never mind the expense. So I began looking for non-invasive alternatives which led me to read about research to help clear cataracts with eye drops. 1% N-Acetylcarnosine was the noted ingredient so I chose Can-C mostly because the product claims seemed simple and un-hyped.

I placed one or two drops in each eye twice a day. It does sting slightly for a few seconds but it's no big deal. After a week I noticed oncoming headlight glare seemed reduced which I took as a good sign. After two weeks I was pretty sure my left eye, previously the weaker of the two seemed more on par with my right. At the four week mark I visited my regular optometrist again. I told him of the vitamin and eye drop regimen but he was skeptical to see a change. As he flicked through various lenses on the optical device in front of me I kept saying better, better until I could read the 20/20 line easily with either eye. We were both pretty stoked as my prescription had actually changed slightly.

I should add that over the last couple of months I cut out junk food and over all improved my diet. So was it the diet, the vitamins, the drops or all three that helped? Can't be sure but I'm ecstatic about seeing more clearly without surgery. The only side effect I notice from the drops is a little redness sometimes which will subside after a couple of hours. I plan to continue using the drops gradually down to once a day and hopefully the cataracts will eventually vanish completely. To anyone contemplating cataract surgery I would say you have nothing to lose by trying the drops and a lot to gain. I am very grateful to all those doing research in this area and specifically wish to thank the makers of Can-C for a wonderful product.

Mike F., Albuquerque, NM, October, 2017

Conventional Cataract Treatment

There are three forms of cataract surgery, the common treatment to remove cataracts.

  • The front half of the outside of the lens cover is removed in extracapsular surgery
  • Ultrasound is used to break up the core of the lens, which is then removed - this is called phacoemulsification.
  • The entire lens and the "capsule" containing it are removed in intracapsular surgery.

Usually the natural lens is replaced which an artificial, plastic lens. It is a permanent implant.

After Surgery

Vision improvement may be noticed immediately after surgery, but there can be initial blurriness due to inflammation, so that improvement is typically noticed within 2–3 days. One may feel itchiness and discomfort for a few days, which should disappear with the antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops prescribed by the eye doctor. An eye patch can help temporarily protect the eye. Complete healing usually occurs within eight weeks after surgery.

Your eye doctor will recommend avoiding physical movements and activities for the first week after surgery. These include bending from the waist, lifting objects weighing more than 10 pounds, straining while on the toilet, or causing any activities that increase pressure in the eyes such as holding one’s breath.

Risks After Surgery

Although cataract surgery is typically very successful, it can cause trauma to the eye for a small percentage of people. Such trauma can include choroidal hemorrhage, macula edema, retina tears/detachment, vitreous tears/detachment, flashes, and eye floaters.

Overall, up to 20% of all cataract procedures are for diabetic patients. High levels of sugar in the blood contribute to cataract formation; diabetics are 2–5 times at risk for getting cataracts. Blood sugar interferes with the lens's ability to pump out excess fluid from the eye and maintain its clarity. With too much dietary intake of sugar, this function can become difficult or impossible. Diabetics with severe non-proliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy have a higher risk of progressive disease after surgery.

We recommend supplementation with Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula and Vitamin C after cataract surgery to support healing and the health of the eye.

Congenital Cataracts

Possible complications of cataract surgery in infants make it a more challenging prospect. Such surgery is usually performed 6 weeks to 3 months of age. Researchers in California and China are developing a new stem cell technique in which the cloudy lens is removed but no lens is inserted. Instead stem cells are introduced. A small clinical trial of 12 infants found that with stem cell treatment they formed regenerated lens structures within three months. Eight months after surgery the thickness of the regenerated lens was comparable to a native lens.10 The technique is far less invasive than traditional lens insertion, and protects the integrity of the capsule in which the lens is enclosed as well as the lens epithelial cells. This technique might not work as well in adults but researchers are investigating its possibilities.

Intraocular Lens Choices

The upside of cataract surgery is potentially huge: a dramatic improvement in vision, and the prevention of further loss of vision. In contrast, the risk of the surgery and complications of surgery are quite low for the healthy population. An intraocular lens is an artificial lens implanted inside the eye to replace the natural lens which has been removed during cataract surgery. The following are various optional IOL choices:

Basic Monofocal Lens. This type of lens is intended to give the recipient 20/20 vision at a specific distance, either close-range or distance. Eye glasses will then be needed for other distances not corrected. Patients decide, with their eye doctor, which will work best for them. If you have a significant astigmatism, you will still need eye glasses for distance viewing.

Multifocal Lenses. Multifocal lenses typically make the patient less dependent on glasses after cataract surgery, as they compensate for near, mid, and far distances. These lenses use a ring design that may cause mild glare for the first month or two after surgery; there may also be less contrast during the day. Common lenses used are RaZoom (best for distance and intermediate vision), Tecnis Multifocal (best for distance and near vision), or ReSTOR lenses (best for distance and near vision).

Crystalens. This is the only intraocular lens approved by the FDA and designed to focus naturally, providing undistorted vision, excellent contrast, and clarification of color and details. These lenses tend to work best for distance and intermediate distances.

The Toric Lens. This lens is often used for cataract patients who also need correction for astigmatism. With toric lenses, most patients will not need to use eyeglasses for distance vision.

Footnotes

1. Diet, vegetarianism, and cataract risk., Paul N Appleby, Naomi E Allen, and Timothy J Key, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2011.
2. Head, K.A., Natural therapies for ocular disorders, part two: cataracts and glaucoma, Alternative Medicine Review - a Journal of Clinical Therapeutics, April, 2001.
3. J.C. Wohlhagen, OD, et al, Antioxidant eye drops provide another option for cataract patients, Healio, October, 2015
4. Stem cell study
5. Glutathione & cataract studies
6. Vitamin C & cataract study
7. Vitamin C & cataract studies
8. B vitamins & cataract study
9. W. G. Christen, et al., Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cataract in women, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2005.
10. Hoatian Lin, et al, Lens regeneration using endogenous stem cells with gain of visual function, Nature, March 9, 2016.
11. Sedaghat, F., Ghanavati, M., Nezhad, Hajian, P., Hajishirazi, S., Ehteshami, M., et al. (2017). Nutrient patterns and risk of cataract: a case-control study. Int J Ophthalmol, Apr 18;10(4):586–592.
Leske, M.C., Chylack, L.T., Wy, S.Y. (1991). The Lens Opacities Case-Control Study. Risk factors for cataract. Arch Ophthalmol, Feb;109(2):244–51.
12. Heruye SH, Nkenyi LNM, Singh NU, Yalzadeh D, Ngele KK, et al. (2020). Current Trends in the Pharmacotherapy of Cataracts. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). Jan;13(1):15
See other research on cataract vitamins; some nutrients are more effective for some types of cataract.

Cataract Info   Nutrients   Lens Structure   Causes   Treatment