Eye Can’t See!

By John C. Cassone

What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is actually a group of chronic eye diseases causing damage to the optic nerve eventually leading to diminished sight or blindness.  Although intraocular pressure (IOP) may be a factor, there are many patients with pressure that still suffer vision loss from glaucoma.  Since conventional medicine offers no real explanation and no real cure it is up to those of us in Complementary Alternative Medicine to make the difference.

Some Interesting Facts:

• It is estimated that of 65 million people worldwide suffer from glaucoma. 
• Over 3 million Americans are suspected to have glaucoma with only half of them knowing it.
• Glaucoma is the number one leading cause of preventable blindness and the number two cause of overall blindness in the U.S.
• It is the number one cause of blindness in African-Americans (6-8 more than with Caucasians).
• 2% of the population ages 40-50 suffers from glaucoma and those numbers quadruple after 70.

If diagnosed early and properly treated, glaucoma induced blindness drops to less than 10%.  There are four main types of Glaucoma; chronic open-angle glaucoma (COAG), juvenile open-angle glaucoma, acute angle-closure glaucoma, and congenital glaucoma.  As a Clinical Nutritionist and Homeopath, I am less concerned with the medical diagnosis and more interested in what’s going on with the whole system.  In my experience, I have always found a connection; fluid retention in the eye, for example, is sometimes hand in hand with fluid retention in the entire body making it more than just an eye problem.  Fix the problem with the system, and you fix the problem with the eye.

Chronic Open Angle Glaucoma
This occurs when the eye’s drainage canals become clogged over time resulting in a build up of pressure.  It develops slowly and often without symptoms.  Although it usually can be treated with conventional medication (if caught early) it still doesn’t address the dysfunction of the system like Clinical Nutrition and Homeopathy.

Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma
With this less common type of glaucoma, the pressure in the eye can increase very rapidly causing headaches, eye pain, nausea, and distorted vision.  This can happen when the iris and cornea are not as open as they should be.  Whenever the pupil dilates the edges of the iris bunch up and cover the drainage canals.  Typical medical treatment involves surgery. 

General Nutrition Support to Consider:

• Food allergies should be tested for and eliminated to reduce vascular influence on IOP.
• Reduce foods that spike blood sugar levels; sugar foods and refined foods.
• Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and Thiamin levels should be monitored as deficiencies in these vitamins may be related to glaucoma.
• Trace minerals Zinc and Selenium maybe deficient as they are required for healthy ocular tissue.
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Melatonin

In dealing with the eyes, conventional medical treatment should not be ignored.  But equally important is the investigation of cause and treatment as it relates to the entire immune system (often called Holistic Treatment).  I highly recommend finding a health care practitioner that you can partner up with for the long haul.   Whether that person is a Homeopath, an Acupuncturist, or a M.D., the most important thing is that you see eye to eye.

John C Cassone, MS, CNC is a classically trained Homeopath with a MS in Nutrition.  His office is located in Old Town Temecula; 951-837-9013.  www.temeculahomeopathy.com