After performing a search for natural treatments for cataracts, it seems there is very little that western medicine can offer other than taking antioxidants, stopping smoking no alcohol consumption also eating lots of fruit and veggies, and if that is not effective, Surgery. So in essence, surgery or nothing
But Traditional Chinese medicine does have some alternative methods of treatment with herbs, acupuncture and eye drops.
This is one practitioner in the US that gives a few case studies, seems to be a bit involved regarding the herbal treatments, and would require follow up. This is the thought for cause regarding the development of cataracts.
In TCM, cataracts are referred to as
yuán yì nèi zhàng (圆翳内障, round nebula internal obstruction). The etiologies of this disease are numerous. A key factor is a general deficiency due to aging, often seen as deficiencies of the liver, kidney, essence, and blood. Spleen deficiency can play a role as it fails in its function of transportation, while a deficiency of qi, blood, and essence leads to malnourishment of the eyes. Depressive heat in the liver or liver yin deficiency can combine with damp heat to attack an upward.
This is the website for interest
Cara O. Frank, R.OM., Dipl. OM The following is an excerpt from my book TCM Case Studies: Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders, published by People's Medical Publishing House. Licensed practitioners can order these formulas from China Herb Company. This chapter focuses on the treatment of...
sixfishes.com
Also this short snip from Review of Optometry
www.reviewofoptometry.com
A widely used drug in China and several other countries may be the key to non-surgical cataract treatment, according to new research published in the January 3 issue of
Inorganic Chemistry.
In China, eye drops containing pirenoxine (PRX) have been used in cataract patients for decades. Based only on anecdotal data, PRX has been regarded as a viable option in cataract prevention and treatment.
From Wikki
Pirenoxine - Wikipedia
Prevention and Treatment-with Reference to Chinese Medicine
by Subhuti Dharmananda, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon
Cataract is the term for clouding of the lens of the eye; if the cloudiness is sufficient to inhibit transmission of images to the retina, then vision is partly or fully obstructed. Mild cloudiness, the most common condition associated with cataracts, does not need surgical intervention for...
www.itmonline.org
A CASE OF SUCCESSFUL CATARACT TREATMENT IN A DIABETIC WOMAN
In an article from Japan, published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine (5), three physicians report on a successful case of cataract treatment with a traditional herb formula. This involved a 68-year-old woman with diabetes having a cataract in one eye. The cataract had been present for more than four years at the time of treatment with the herb formula. She was given Achyranthes, Plantago, and Rehmannia Formula. She had been taking Catalin eye drops and
Tathion eye drops (glutathione eye drops, another antioxidant strategy), with only slight effect, but when she began taking the herb formula, her vision began to rapidly improve within 10 days, and continued to improve over three months of therapy. The affected eye then remained in improved condition thereafter, with continued use of the herbs (dried extract granules, 7.5 grams per day).
This gives several examples of eye drops available at the end of the article. It mentions the use of glutathione eye drops, I was not aware it could be obtained as an ophthalmic solution. This made me think of the one of the root causes of cataracts in TCM seen as deficiencies in the liver, so maybe glutathione eye drops, may help somewhat.
This from a supplier in Japan gives some idea of what the eye drops look like. Unfortunately just noticed, they are sold out, so not available, maybe available elsewhere.
I hesitate to add this study, it was performed in India, and demonstrated negative results, but the conclusion admits at the end, this was a poor study due to patient non compliance and follow up, It was over a 2 year period, the study group was 66 patients, but is all a search could find at this time.
<i>The Indian Journal of Ophthalmology</i>, Official publication of All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS)
www.ijo.in
Hope this infromation may be of benefit, for those that are having cataract problems. I myself, have been told I have cataracts in both eyes, although, for right now, I seem to be doing OK. Started using L Carnosine eye drops, but found they caused some eye irritation, will try again at some point. One thing I know for sure at this point in time given the medical climate here in Canada, cataract surgery for me, is not on the agenda.
cataractresearch.org
