Optometry

The long-awaited results of the AREDS2 study were released recently. This multicenter trial was conducted in 82 clinical sites in the U.S., in both academic and community-based centers with retinal specialists from 2006 to 2012. The 4,203 participants were between 50 and 85 years of age. Three nutritional supplements were added to the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) formulation consisting of vitamins C, E, beta-carotene, zinc and copper: lutein, zeaxanthin and EPA/DHA from fish oil. The ...

A few days ago a colleague passed on this article to me and it reaffirmed my belief in the real cause of cardiovascular disease. Given the number of Americans who take statins and the fact that heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of Americans, something is “out of place.” I hope this article makes you think about the real cause of heart disease.

A 98-year-old researcher argues that, contrary to decades of clinical assumptions and advice to patients, dietary cholesterol is good for your heart – unless that cholesterol is unnaturally oxidized (by frying foods in reused oil, eating lots of polyunsaturated fats or smoking).

The Ocular Nutrition Society and the Optometric Retina Society held their highly anticipated joint meeting called, “Healthy Retina Through Behavioral Modification and Proper Nutrition.” As expected, it was a packed house and a fantastic program. More than 100 attendees were treated to top-notch education courses from ONS and ORS speakers. First off were Jeffry Gerson, OD, FAAO, and A. Paul Chous, OD, FAAO, discussing how nutrition plays a role in retinal health, especially with age...

We’ve looked at the issues with the diabetes epidemic, as well as different diets to support these folks. Now let’s take a look at some nutrients that you might consider as well. Few recommendations are ever made because ODs are not comfortable doing so. Here are some nutrients that have proven beneficial for the patient with diabetes. Omega-3 essential fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acid supplements have been shown to prevent cardiac arrhythmias and ameliorate clinical depression in...

In my last blog, I discussed the problem with diabetes and the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association. Now, let’s look at some of the other diets that you might consider for patients with diabetes. The “no-carb” Atkins diet, which has been around since the 1960s, has gained worldwide attention as a way to eat a lot of food, not be hungry and still lose weight. The Atkins diet works on the theory that carbohydrates cause you to gain weight and, by eliminating or strictly limiting...

Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) is a measurement of the attenuation of blue light by macular pigment and is related to the amount of lutein and zeaxanthin in the macula.