Showing posts with label natural care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label natural care. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

HEP C - and another effective natural treatment

UPDATE: 20 April, 2010
Having worked extensively with people who have Hep C it is always good to educate people about the natural and helpful options available to the Hep C community.

It is even more rewarding to see the results of natural care when you consider the profit motive from Big PhRMA that really doesn't correct the problem.

Of course prevention is critical but considering human health needs in a more humane way is too.
Warehoused Hepatitis C Patients May Boost Merck, J&J
ORIGINAL POST 2/2/09
I have approximately 26 posts here at Natural Health News about Hep C.

I am pleased to be able to add a new one this morning.
RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
Chinese Herbal Medicine and Interferon in the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized, Controlled Trials

Results. Chinese herbal medicine significantly increased seroreversion of HBsAg and was equivalent to interferon alfa in seroreversion of HBeAg and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA; Chinese herbal medicine combined with interferon alfa significantly increased seroreversion of HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBV DNA. The Chinese herbal medicine active component bufotoxin combined with interferon alfa significantly increased HBeAg and HBV DNA seroreversion. The Chinese herbal medicine active component kurorinone was equivalent to interferon alfa in seroreversion of HBeAg and HBV DNA.

October 2002, Vol 92, No. 10 | American Journal of Public Health 1619-1628
© 2002 American Public Health Association

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Cancer Responds to Love and Natural Medicine

UPDATE: 14 July 2010 - The secrets of laughter
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UPDATE: 17 April: Laughter is the best medicine
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UPDATE: Easter Sunday
Recovery with nutrition and supplements -
D. Mail 11.4.09 "PARENTS FIND A CURE FOR THE BOY DOCTORS HAD GIVEN UP ON"
Reuben Grainger-Mead was born with a blood disorder that attacked his immune system, leaving him weak & barely able to talk. His growth was stunted & his heart was beating 3 x faster than normal. Now thanks to a nutritional consultant the 8-year-old is at last leading a normal childhood. He no longer needs a monthly blood transfusion to raise his red blood cells count & is able to play out with friends.

His father Peter Mead said he would have needed "constant care throughout his whole life & much time in hospital. The last resort would have been a bone marrow transplant."

His parents found nutritional consultant Diana Wright who said Reuben lacked vital amino acids & proteins in his body. She put him on a course of dietary supplements mixed with his food & drink. The astonishing success has prompted doctors to plan a study to see if similar therapy will work on others.

The research, which hinges on learning how to make blood cells grow normally, could yield fresh insights into cancer, in which cells grow uncontrollably. Researcher Dr. Josu de la Fuente, a haematologist at Imperial College London, said "We may learn lessons from this which help in the fight against cancer." The family from Gomersal, West Yorkshire, have raised £70,000 to help fund a research programme at Imperial College London.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted FEB 09
"THIS BOY HAD 11 TUMOURS & WAS SENT HOME TO DIE.
NOW HIS GRANDPARENTS BELIEVE THEY'VE SAVED HIM WITH ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE."

by Daniel Martin.

In 2006 Connah Broom developed neuroblastoma with 11 very aggressive advanced cancer tumours over his body & it appeared hopeless. In 2007 doctors told his family there was nothing more they could do & sent him home to die.

His grandparents began treating him with alternative therapies & remarkably he survived. Latest scans on Connah, now aged 7, show that 10 of his 11 tumours are shrinking, have no blood flow & may be dead. His grandparents are convinced their treatments, including a strict organic diet, filtering his drinking water to remove toxins & a daily sauna are helping him beat his disease.

They took him to visit a Mexican alternative cancer clinic. Connah has sound & light therapy called Sono Photo-Dynamic Therapy. It involves him swallowing a capsule of algae. He is then placed under light of a certain wavelength which 'activates' the oxidant in the algae which can kill the cancer.

Mrs. Broom said "We're not under any illusions & we know that all this could change at any time."

Connah's GP Dr. Eamon Jessop said that Connah's cancer could suddenly flare up but that "the excellent care given to Connah by his grandparents can only have helped him."
D. Mail 6.2.09


and a reader's comment -
Cancer - Turn It On or Turn It Off

by Raymond Francis

America has one of the highest cancer rates in the world, and cancer is the most dreaded disease in our society. Once rare, affecting less than one in a thousand, by 1900 cancer affected 30 in a thousand. Today almost 500 in a thousand will develop cancer in their lifetimes. The situation has become so bad that almost all Americans over the age of 50 have cancer! For example, it is known that after age 50, 40 percent of men have prostate cancer and 40 percent of women have breast cancer, and these are just two cancers. Cancer is also increasing among children and, after accidents, it is their biggest killer. We need to teach people how to prevent and reverse this tragic disease

Unfortunately, modern medicine is of no help. Since 1971, when President Nixon declared “war” on cancer, we have thrown 200 billion dollars at cancer research. What has this money bought us? More cancer! The public has yet to grasp the colossal gap between how much money the cancer industry is spending, and the paltry results it is achieving. Research is only part of the billion dollar-a-day cancer industry whose treatments with drugs, surgery and radiation are not only ineffective but dangerous. These conventional treatments do nothing to address what caused the cancer, and they suppress the immune system. Suppressed immunity allows cancer to grow and metastasize—modern medicine’s treatment of cancer promotes cancer!

Fortunately, we can protect ourselves. If you are over age 50, you are probably past preventing cancer, you already have it! Now you need to keep it under control. Don’t turn the cancer on, and if you already have active cancer, turn it off. Can this be done? Sure it can, and it is done every day by people who take charge of their health.

Last September, businessman Paul Orberson told his story on the Beyond Health radio show. Mr. Orberson had been diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer. Given only months to live, he read my book Never Be Sick Again—and put his cancer into remission. Fifteen years ago, my brother was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer and given months to live. He, too, put his cancer into remission and is living a high-quality life. Medical school professor and author Dr. Lorraine Day reversed her highly-advanced breast cancer. There are countless such stories.

To prevent and reverse cancer, it helps to understand something about what causes and promotes cancer. The cancer process occurs in three stages: initiation, promotion and metastasis.

Initiation
Cancer begins with damaged genes. Initiation occurs when the DNA in a normal cell is damaged. If the DNA is not repaired before the cell divides to form a new cell, it results in a permanent genetic alteration in those new cells. DNA can be damaged by a variety of means, including viruses, chronic infections, foreign bodies, nutrient deficiency, radiation and toxic chemicals. Numerous natural and manmade chemicals have been identified as carcinogenic. Upon exposure, these chemicals can, in a matter of minutes, cause potentially permanent damage to DNA. Such chemicals include many common household chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, food additives, fluoride and metals such as mercury and lead. We live in a sea of carcinogens and must learn how to avoid them. Radiation is carcinogenic; it damages DNA. This is why mammograms cause breast cancer, and why medical X-rays play a major role in our cancer epidemic.

Due to our exposure to carcinogenic chemicals and X-rays, most of our older population and many of our younger people have completed this initiation, and they have clusters of cancer cells throughout their bodies. This stage of cancer is not believed to be reversible. Given the right conditions, these cells will grow and then metastasize.

Preventing Initiation
DNA is being damaged and cancer is being initiated on a grand scale. Our best defense is to support DNA repair with good nutrition while avoiding carcinogenic chemicals and radiation. We have been irresponsibly exposed to radiation by our doctors and dentists. Decline routine X-rays. Allow only those that are absolutely necessary, and there are very few of those. We have been exposed to DNA-damaging viruses through vaccinations. Avoid vaccinations. Vaccine-induced, DNA-damaging viruses are showing up in a variety of cancers including lymph, lung, brain and bone. Avoid foods that have been heated to high temperatures, such as barbecued meat, as this causes formation of powerful carcinogens. Any food that has been blackened is dangerous, including toast. Avoid peanuts and corn products as these are often high in aflatoxins, which are potent carcinogens. Fluoride can inhibit DNA-repair enzymes. Avoid fluoridated water, toothpaste and processed foods.

Defects in DNA repair will increase the risk of developing cancer after being exposed to X-rays and chemicals. Certain nutrients are known to support the DNA repair process. These include vitamins B3, B6, B12, and folate, zinc and L-carnitine. Most Americans are deficient in one or more of these nutrients. According to the USDA, 73 percent of Americans are deficient in zinc, and 40 percent are deficient in B12. To optimize DNA repair, eat a diet rich in fresh, organic vegetables and fruits, and take high-quality nutritional supplements. Everyone should, at the very least, be on a superior vitamin/mineral formula.

Promotion
The next step in the cancer process is promotion. This is when a small cluster of initiated cancer cells grows larger. These cells will not grow unless a precise group of conditions are met, allowing their growth-control mechanisms to be overridden.

Certain foods are known to promote tumor growth and spread. Sugar, excess omega-6 oils and excess animal protein all promote cancer. Cancer cells differ from normal cells in that they are totally dependent on sugar to produce energy. So raising the sugar content of the blood feeds cancer cells and helps them grow. In addition, increased blood insulin is a powerful promoter of tumor growth and spread.

Oils high in omega-6s such as corn, safflower, sunflower, peanut, soybean and canola oils are known to support cancer progression. Never eat these oils, or any of the thousands of products made with them, including baked goods and salad dressings.

Perhaps the most significant factor of all is animal protein and most especially dairy protein. Animal protein, beyond what can be used for growth and daily repairs, promotes cancer, and the average American eats ten times too much. Excess animal protein is able to turn cancer on in experimental animals 100 percent of the time! A high-protein diet increases estrogen, and excess estrogen is known to promote a number of cancers. Protein also acidifies the body and cancer thrives in an acid environment. Animal protein also contains large amounts of the amino acid methionine. Excess methionine is known to be a cancer promoter.

Preventing and Reversing Promotion
Cancer promotion can be reversed. By eliminating cancer promoters and maximizing cancer inhibitors, it is possible to turn cancer off! We know fresh fruits and vegetables are cancer inhibitors—eat lots of them. We know that sugar, omega-6 oils and animal protein promote cancer—avoid them. Omega-6 oils not only promote cancer, they also suppress the immune system. Eat plenty of omega-3 oils to offset this effect; supplement with flax and fish oils. Turn cancer off by avoiding animal protein; this means avoiding meat, eggs, dairy and fish except in very small quantities. Avoid fruit juices; they contain too much easily-absorbable sugar. Cancer is highly iron dependent. Avoid iron-rich foods such as red meat. Avoiding fluoride is also important as fluoride can increase tumor growth by 25 percent.

Fat soluble toxins bioaccumulate in the body. Their synergistic effect can be a powerful cancer promoter. The average person is accumulating hundreds of such chemicals, including pesticides, styrene, PCBs, dioxins, phthalates and fire retardants. The only reliable way to get rid of them is with regular saunas, which have become as necessary as regular exercise.

Chronic stress substantially increases free radical formation and also severely depresses the immune system. Both promote cancer. Using stress-reducing techniques such as meditation are important.

Metastasis
The final stage of cancer is when it invades neighboring or distant tissues. Once again, a precise set of conditions must be met to allow this to happen. This stage of cancer causes death, but it too is reversible.

Preventing Metastasis
When cancer cells enter the blood stream and get transported to other locations, they become very vulnerable to attack by the immune system. Strong immunity is critical to prevention. Cancer cells require special enzymes to invade other tissues. Studies have found that inhibiting these enzymes stops the spread of the cancer. Plant flavonols found in fruits and vegetables, such as quercitin and luteolin, are known to interfere with these enzymes.

Nutrition
Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is probably the single most important thing you can do to prevent or reverse cancer. Evidence is overwhelming that common vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals interfere with the cancer process at every level. Many chemicals found in plant foods are capable of turning cancer cells back into normal cells. Certain flavonoids found in vegetables have been found to suppress and even to kill cancer cells. In fact, food and nutritional supplements have a far more powerful effect on cancer than chemotherapy.

Since almost all Americans are deficient in vitamins and minerals, supplements are necessary. Here is a list of the nutrients known to inhibit cancer: vitamins A, all the Bs, C, D, E, beta carotene, choline, selenium, acetyl L-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, zinc, magnesium, flavonoids and omega-3 oils.

Nutrition improves immunity. Immune cells have a higher metabolic rate, and therefore, need more nutrients. Water soluble nutrients such as B vitamins and vitamin C are not stored well in the body and need constant replacement. When this does not happen, immunity is quickly affected. Whenever the immune system responds to a threat, billions of immune cells are needed quickly. These cells will be limited by the amount of nutrients available for their construction. Any vitamin or mineral deficiency will quickly be felt, impairing immunity.

The bad news is that cancer is an out-of-control epidemic. The good news is that cancer is a complex disease requiring the successful completion of many steps to make it happen—this provides us with multiple opportunities for its prevention and reversal. The most powerful preventive and healing tools are fresh fruits and vegetables plus high quality supplements.

Raymond Francis is an M.I.T.-trained scientist, a registered nutrition consultant, author of Never Be Sick Again and Never Be Fat Again, host of the Beyond Health Show, President of the Northern California Chapter of Cancer Victors, Chairman of the The Project to End Disease and an internationally recognized leader in the field of optimal health maintenance.

Reprinted with permission from:Beyond Health News
800.250.3063
www.beyondhealth.com - mail@beyondhealth.com Copyright 2006, Beyond Health

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Eye on ocular health in the computer era

UPDATE: 2/7/10 - SEEING CLEARLY
Health and Homeopathy - Information about dry eyes
UPDATE: 1/28/10
Fact is that eye diseases among the aging population are on the rise, and your chances of becoming a statistic continue to grow each year. But the news isn’t all bad—in fact, many causes of vision impairment are preventable, if you know the right steps to take.

Take cataracts, for example: While partially attributable to aging, this clouding of the eye lens is also strongly linked to diabetes—and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play no small role in this connection. Research shows that AGEs and oxidative stress markers are elevated in both diabetic and non-diabetic elderly patients with cataracts, while remaining significantly lower in young control subjects.

Luckily, several nutrients are known to neutralize these dangerous AGEs and reduce the free radical damage that can produce cataracts over time. The naturally occurring dipeptide L-carnosine is one of these AGE-blocking substances—along with botanicals like guava and Yerba Mate.

The antioxidant vitamins C and E, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, and procyanidin-rich grape seed extract (all found in Extension Vision) have been shown to inhibit the progression of cataract development in animal studies—while the flavonoid quercetin has emerged as a valuable supplement for individuals with diabetic cataracts.

Some of these same substances—namely lutein and zeaxanthin—are also critical for the prevention of another common vision-robbing condition: Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Clinical studies indicate that high intake of these two carotenoids can decrease your risk of ARMD by as much as 57 percent, while increasing macular pigment density (a crucial factor in visual acuity) by as much as 43 percent

Vitamins A, C, and E protect your lens and retina from oxidative damage and support proper moisture levels—and the iron-binding protein lactoferrin can help to fight bacteria in the eye, a common concern of contact lens wearers.13-14 Meanwhile, herbs like turmeric provide anti-inflammatory protection in the eye’s aqueous layer, and omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of GLA and fish oil) offer vital lubrication.
Ginkgo biloba, another clinically proven ally in the fight against ARMD—not to mention other common causes of blindness. Controlled trials have shown that extracts of this herb can significantly improve visual acuity in ARMD patients within six months of use.10 And both animal and human studies have revealed that Ginkgo extract can help to prevent retinal detachment, while increasing antioxidant activity in patients’ blood, tears and plasma. 
Thanks to CP for this informative information.

UPDATE 12/21
Eat fruits and vegetables for better vision
ScienceDaily (2009-12-19) -- Carotenoids, found in green leafy vegetables and colored fruits, have been found to increase visual performance and may prevent age-related eye diseases, according to a new study. ... > read full article
UPDATE: 12/12
More about vision     Natural Nutrition

5/27/10 From THE EYES HAVE IT: NUTRITIONAL NEEDS, THAT IS, on AOL
No, eating carrots won't give you eagle eyes. But a sound nutritional program can help protect your eyes over time. Here's a winning list of nutrients based on our research, and where to find them:

Vitamin A: cod liver oil, liver, carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash
Lutein and zeaxanthin: spinach, kale, collard greens
Vitamin C: sweet peppers (red or green), kale, strawberries, broccoli, oranges, cantaloupe
Bioflavonoids: citrus fruits, cherries, grapes, plums
Vitamin E: sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts
Selenium: brazil nuts, yeast, seafood
Zinc: oysters, hamburgers, wheat, nuts
Fatty acids: cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, trout)-


UPDATE: 2 August - From the web site of one of my former students, Wasilla Chiropractor, Dr. Stacey Lowe.
Do You Suffer From Computer Vision Syndrome?
Believe it or not, there really is a condition known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Surprised? Well you shouldn’t be given the fact that it is likely to affect those who spend more than two hours a day in front of a computer screen. We all know at least a few people who fit that category!

How many hours each day do you stare at a computer screen? If you use the computer and wear glasses, invest in some glasses designed for computer use.

The symptoms of CVS include:
Blurred or double vision
Headaches
Dry eyes
Neck and/or shoulder pain
Difficulty focusing
Sharp or dull pain
Light sensitivity

Why does CVS occur? It seems that your eyes react much differently to computer-generated images than they do to images in printed materials. Computer–generated images are made up of small dots called pixels, and your eyes find it difficult to adjust to focusing on them.

Computer users who wear bifocals have a particularly difficult time. Bifocals force the wearer to tilt their head backward so they can view the computer monitor through the lower portion of the lens. Prolonged head tilt can lead to neck, shoulder pain and back pain and headaches.

Most eyeglasses and contacts are designed for print reading and not for computer work. However, many optometrists are beginning to recommend eyeglasses and contacts that are specifically designed for reading at computer monitor distance. They may very well be worth the investment, especially if they reduce the impact of CVS-related eye problems.

UPDATE: 22 JUNE - Another report on how effective supplements are for health:
Supplements slow blindness in elderly

BELFAST, Northern Ireland, June 20 (UPI) -- An eye care expert in Northern Ireland suggests vitamin supplements may slow sight loss in the elderly.

Usha Chakravarthy of Queen's University Center of Vision and Vacular Science in Belfast says an anti-oxidant supplement may help prevent early age-related macular degeneration in elderly patients from progressing to late age-related macular.

Patients with late age-related macular degeneration lose their central vision and are unable to read, watch television or recognize people's faces.

Chakravarthy headed a five-year trial involving 400 people in Ireland of the supplement CARMA -- Caroteneoids and Co-antioxidants in Age-related Maculopathy -- which contained the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin as well as zinc and vitamins C and E.

The study found participants taking high levels of both carotenoids preserved the macular pigments, while macular pigments of those in a placebo group declined steadily.

"These findings are important because this is the first randomized controlled clinical trial to document a beneficial effect through improved function and maintained macular pigments," Chakravarthy said in a statement.

UPDATE: 10 March -
Lutein May Stop Damage Resulting From a Common Modern-Day Problem

The carotenoid lutein, long studied for its possible role in protecting against age-related macular degeneration, may have another role to play in eye health, researchers have found.

In modern society people often spend many hours in front of a computer, a practice that strains the eyes. Lutein is a nutrient known to support eye health. Therefore, scientists examined the effect of different doses of lutein supplementation on visual function in subjects with long-term computer display light exposure. Thirty-seven healthy subjects who ranged in age from 22 to 30 years and who were regular computer users were randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group received 6 mg of lutein per day, another group received 12 mg lutein per day and a third group received a placebo.

At the study’s start and on week 12, the scientists measured levels of serum lutein and visual performance indices such as visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and glare sensitivity in the subjects.

After 12 weeks of lutein supplementation, there was an increase in serum lutein concentrations in the groups given 6 mg per day and 12 mg per day. In the group taking 12 mg lutein per day there was a trend toward increase in visual acuity. Both lutein groups experienced improvements in regards to sensitivity to contrast on a computer screen, said the researchers, with the improvements reaching statistical significance in the high-dose group.

According to the researchers, "Visual function in healthy subjects who received the lutein supplement improved, especially in contrast sensitivity, suggesting that a higher intake of lutein may have beneficial effects on visual performance."

Reference:
Maa L, Lina X-M, Zoua Z-Y, Xua X-R, Lia Y, Xua R. A 12-week lutein supplementation improves visual function in Chinese people with long-term computer display light exposure. British Journal of Nutrition. 2009 February 19. Published Online Ahead of Print.
UPDATE: 17 February, 2009 - While we know cell phone use is connected to cataract and other eye health concerns, here is some additional inforamtion on this subject from the UK. And don't overlook eye exercises and using pinhole glasses.
From The Times
February 14, 2009
Doctor, Doctor: Sore eyes
With so many of us spending our working day in front of computers, there is an epidemic of dry, sore eyes, says the ophthalmic optician Charles Babumba

People come to my clinic with a range of problems, but when I examine them I find that about 80 per cent have dry-eye syndrome. Their eyes feel uncomfortable and gritty because they are not producing enough tears or their tears are drying up too rapidly. On examination you can see that their eyes are red and inflamed.

These days almost everything we do is screen-based, which has an effect on the eyes. There is no evidence that working at a screen damages your sight, but it certainly causes eye dryness. This is because when we're looking at the screen we blink less and provide less lubrication to our eyeball. The problem particularly affects people who wear contact lens,and it is especially bad at this time of year, when office heating can make us dehydrated.

If you get dry, sore or itchy eyes, do not rub them. This may provide temporary relief, but the friction and heat caused has been linked to a condition called keratoconus, when the cornea becomes misshapen. In severe cases keratoconus can cause vision loss. Much better, if you have uncomfortable eyes, is to use lubricating eye drops, such as Systane (available from opticians).

Even better, make a conscious effort to blink while you're looking at the computer screen, and try to look away from the screen for a few seconds every five minutes. Drink lots of water - not just tea or coffee - throughout the day to prevent deyhydration.

And if you get sore or dry eyes regularly, visit an optician to check that there isn't some underlying cause. Remember that if you use computers at work, you are entitled to free eye tests at regular intervals, paid for by your employer.

www.cityeyesopticians.com

Some time ago I was asked to write a brief story on health health and Edgar Cayce treatments for A.R.E.

I hit the Senior Section this year and still don't wear glasses. I do however believe that my flat panel computer monitor is the cause of my eyestrain issues.

I started up my juicer for some carrot juice a few time each week and take a daily Day and Night Eyes supplement that helps with computer eyestrain.

I am also sure that s fellow I know in his twentys, not willing to try my pin hole glasses or other natural treatment, went to spectacles because of his almost day long use of his computer. Laptops seem to be worse.

I'm for carrots, vitamin C, bilberry, eyebright, vitamin A, Day and Night Eyes, pinhole glasses and exercising eyes. Palming the eyes is a useful yoda technique that rests and strengthens the eyes.

I'm not always for sunglasses because of the health benefits of sunlight through the eyes.

In the interim I rely on the magnifying readers a friend bought for me at the Dollar Store.
Computers cause sight problems
TAKE A BREAK: An ophthalmologist said that presbyopia could be delayed by resting for three out of every 30 minutes when using computers, and by eating more carrots
By Shelley Huang
STAFF REPORTER
Saturday, Nov 08, 2008
The increased use of computers in recent years has caused presbyopia — a common vision condition that normally affects people over 40 years old — to be diagnosed at a younger age, an ophthalmologist said yesterday.

Presbyopia is a condition where the eye gradually loses its ability to focus on close objects.

“I now have patients in their 30s coming to me with symptoms of presbyopia,” said James Liau (廖士傑), chief of the Shu-Tien Ophthalmology Clinic.

Common symptoms include difficulty reading under low lighting, experiencing pain in the eyebrow area after reading for long periods of time and momentarily blurred vision when switching between looking at far and near objects, Liau said.

“[People with severe presbyopia] say their arms have become too short, because they must hold whatever they are reading at farther and farther distances,” he said.

While people with myopia, or nearsightedness, may not develop presbyopia until they are as old as 50, it will eventually develop as one gets older, similar to graying hair.

Various factors and habits could cause presbyopia to develop at a younger age than normal, such as hyperopia, or farsightedness, poor reading habits and using the computer for long periods of time without resting, Liau said.

The most common way of dealing with presbyopia is corrective lenses, available as eyeglasses or contact lenses.

As the condition becomes more advanced, the prescription needs to be changed in order to “catch up” with the worsening abilities of the eye, Liau said.

When presbyopia becomes severe, a method called monovision can be used, he said.

Monovision involves the patient using contact lenses to correct one eye for near vision and the other for far vision.

“The brain will automatically filter and choose the correct image perceived by both eyes,” Liau said.

However, some patients using the monovision method say they have difficulty adjusting because the method affects depth perception, making it harder to judge whether something is near or far, he said.

The US Food and Drug Administration is researching techniques to cure presbyopia through surgical techniques.

If surgical reversal of presbyopia were approved, patients would not need to wear corrective lenses, Liau said.

Even though presbyopia cannot be prevented, it can be delayed by habits such as improving reading conditions, letting the eyes rest for three minutes every 30 minutes when using computers, massaging the temples, consuming dark-colored vegetables — such as tomatoes and carrots — and wearing sunglasses to avoid ultraviolet exposure, Liau said.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/11/08/2003428018