Elevated Homocysteine and Eye Disease

September, 2005. In clinical studies elevated homocysteine is associated with the following:

• degenerative eye diseases including macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, optic neuropathy and ocular complications from behcet disease.
• accelerating the progression of the aging process.
• being a major cause or contributing factor to heart disease, abnormal clotting, dementia, depression , multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons Disease, miscarriage and psoriasis.

The following also affect homocysteine levels in the blood:

• aging
• excessive stress
• deficiencies in choline, taurine & n-acetyl-cysteine

Eye Related References:

1. Elevated homocysteine levels in aqueous humor of patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma. Bleich S, Roedl J, et al. Am J Ophthalmol. 2004 Jul; 138(1):162-4 [abstract]
2. Plasma homocysteine and total thiol content in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration. Coral K, Raman R, et al. Eye. 2005 Apr 1 [abstract]