Cataracts

Orthomolecular Treatment
-Hyaluronic Acid -Alpha-lipoic Acid -Beta-carotene - prevention -Lutein

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========================================== IBIS

Definition:
Congenital or acquired opacity in the lens of the eye causing a gradual loss of vision.

Etiology:
They may be developmental or degenerative. • Developmental cataracts include congenital cataracts, which follow diseases like rubella, herpes simplex, cytomegalic inclusion disease, and syphilis, as well as nutritional or toxic factors. They may also manifest as a result of inherited metabolic diseases like galactosemia, Marfan's syndrome, Down's syndrome etc. • Degenerative cataracts are related to aging (senile cataracts), trauma, drugs (esp. corticosteroids), radiation or infrared exposure, ocular disease including uveitis, and metabolic disorders (diabetes, hypoparathyroidism).

• Cataracts are the leading cause of decreased vision and blindness in the U.S. About 4 million people are afflicted with cataracts to some degree, and 40,000 people are blind as a result. Cataract surgery is the most frequent major surgery performed on Medicare patients.

Nutrition:
eating principles: • low sugar, low fat diet of unsaturated fats • calorie percentages: 70% complex carbohydrates, protein 12-15%, fat 15-18%

therapeutic foods: • foods high in sulphur-containing amino acids: garlic, onions, legumes • foods high in carotenoids, Vitamins A and C • chrysanthemum, cilantro, spinach, cloves, water chestnuts, yams, lycium, black beans (Ni, p. 111) • endive (Walker, p. 53)

fresh juices: • carrot (Walker, p. 129) • carrot and spinach (Walker, p. 129) • carrot, beet, and cucumber (Walker, p. 129) • carrot, celery, endive, and parsley (Walker, p. 129) • carrot, celery, parsley and endive (Walker, p. 53)

avoid: • trans-fatty acids, hydrogenated oils (margarine, vegetable shortenings, imitation butter spreads, most commercial peanut butters) oxidized fats (deep fried foods, fast food, ghee, barbequed meats) (Marz) • spices, salt, garlic (Ni, p. 111) • Iron (Marz)

Botanicals
• Anemone pulsatilla (toxic): grey or senile cataract (Weiss, p. 340) • Cineraria maritima: early stages of senile cataract; particularly when vision is weak for constitutional reasons (Weiss, p. 341) • Saxifrage pennsylvanica: (Mitchell, p. 54)

Chinese Formulae
• Chrysanthemum C.: Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency): Weaker constitution. (Hsu, 1980, p. 600) • Dendrobium Night Sight Pills (Shi Hu Ye Guang Wan) (available as patent); Cataract Vision-Improving Pills (Nei Zhang Ming Yan Wan) (patent): Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency) with False Fire and Liver Yin Xu (Deficiency) with Liver Wind Stirring: enlarged pupils, blurred vision, photophobia, excessive tearing, lightheadedness, vertigo (Dendrobium: Fratkin, p. 203; Bensky and Barolet, p. 273; Cataract: Fratkin, p. 202) • Zhu Jing Wan: Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency) and Liver Yin Xu (Deficiency): blurred vision worse with exertion and better with rest, low back and leg pain, thin pulse (Bensky and Barolet, p. 272) • Huang Lian Yang Gan Wan (patent): Liver Fire Blazing Upward. (Zhu, p. 178) • Rehmannia Eight F. (Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan); Ci Zhu Wan (patent): Kidney Yang Xu (Deficiency) (Rehmannia 8 F.: Hsu, 1980, p. 250; Yeung, p. 138, Dharmananda, p. 173; Bensky and Barolet, p. 275; Ci Zhu Wan: Zhu, p. 329) • Salvia Shou Wu (patent): Xue Yu (Blood Stasis) (Dharmananda, 1990, p. 55) • Chien-Li Tablets (patent) (Dharmananda, 1990, p. 65)

Acupuncture
after assessing the person and palpating, consider these patterns: Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency); Kidney Yang Xu (Deficiency); Liver Fire Blazing Upward; Liver Wind; Shi (Excess) of the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility Vessel) and/or Xu (Deficiency) of the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel)

» illustrative combinations: • yi ming, qiu hou and UB-1 for early stage of cataract (Shanghai, p. 162) • GB-37, tou guang ming, GB-20 and St-1 for early stage of cataracts (Shanghai, p. 277) • GB-20, UB-1 and UB-18 (also consider: LI-4 and GB-40) for cataract due to Liver Wind Evil and Fire rushing upwards into the eyes (Mann, p. 141) • LI-4, Lu-9, Lv-3 and GB-1; GB-20 and UB-8; TW-1, UB-1, UB-67 and GV-28; St-6 and GB-41; UB-2, GB-14 and St-14 for cataract (Mann, p. 141) • UB-1, qiu hou, tai yang, yi ming, SI-1 and LI-4 for cataracts and keratoleukoma (Shanghai, p. 149) • GB-20, GB-6, UB-10, GB-14, TW-16, GB-16 and St-2 for "green cataract" (Lee and Cheung, p. 345) • UB-62 and SI-3: open the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility Vessel) which transports Yang, moistens the eyes, and controls the opening and closing of the eyes, and for which eye conditions are a Shi (Excess) symptom • Kd-6 and Lu-7: open the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel) which transports Yin, moistens the eyes, and controls the opening and closing of the eyes, and for which eye conditions are a Xu (Deficiency) symptom

Homeopathy
• Ammonium carbonicum: for right eye • Baryta carbonicum: retards the growth • Causticum: reticularis; with perpendicular high-sight; incipient in young persons; traumatic; rapidly forming capsular cataracts; constant inclination to touch and rub eye which seems to relieve a pressure on it; elderly people, anxious and aggressive at dusk • Cholesterinum: in hepatics and people with high cholesterol • Lycopodium: after typhus and suppression of menses; disorders of nutrition of deep-seated structures of the eyes • Magnesia carbonica: from left to right; previous disposition to headache and furuncles; retard growth of cataracts; for exhausted arthritic and neurotic patient • Naphthalinum: opacity of the cornea; detachment of the retina; patches on the retina • Natrum muriaticum: cataract in fishermen, sailors; dryness of eyes, tearing at walking in the wind • Phosphorus: stony cataract in arthritic patient; granular (fatty) cataract with arcus senilis • Secale cornutum: cataract with peripheral beginning in nervous, weak and thin women • Sepia: when dependent upon uterine disorders and climaxis; incipient; in women • Silicea: clears opacity; use 30C for month; intense photophobia; after suppressed foot sweat; right eye; corresponds to constitutional type • Sulphur: cortical; left eye; retard growth of cataract from suppression of habitual foot sweats, disordered nutrition and after inflammation of eyes; from right to left, after cutaneous eruptions

• Calcarea fluorica: cell salts

Subtle Support
• notes: A#, B, C, F, F#

• chords: diminished 9th (Gimbel, p. 116)

cardiovascular: • The Barcarole • The Blue Danube • Chopin's A minor Waltz • Tango music • Humoresque • Cui's Orientale • Song of India • Donna e Mobile • Oley Speak's Sylvia (Heline, p. 18)

Mind/Body
• Not wanting to see something that was especially retching emotionally, such as seeing ones self or partner grow old. (Epstein, p. 81) • Inability to see ahead with joy; dark future. (Hay, 1984, p. 159) • Clouding of vision corresponds to a reassuring distancing of ourselves from the world around us, and therefore also from our real selves. A cataract is rather like a 'blind' that is pulled down in order not to have to see that which we would rather not see. (Dethlefsen, p. 151)

• Liver ~ Gan is the residence of the Hun (Ethereal Soul); it relates to decisiveness, control, and the principle of emergence; stores and cleanses the Xue (Blood); maintains smooth flow of Qi and Xue (Blood); reflects emotional harmony and movement; and opens into the eyes. » Healthy expressions are kindness, spontaneity, and ease of movement. » Liver Shi (Excess) signs include discontent; anger; pain in lumbar region and genitals (Seem, p. 28); muscular tension; excessive sex drive; insomnia; moodiness; excitability; genital diseases; red, tearing eyes; compulsive energy; and bitter taste in the mouth. Chronically suppressed anger can implode and give rise to Fire in the Liver and Gall Bladder with symptoms of irritability, bitter taste, headaches, etc. Liver Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to the Shi (Excess) conditions of Liver Wind, Liver Yang Rising, and Liver Fire Blazing.
 * Chinese psychophysiology:**

• Kidney ~ Shen stores Jing (Essence) and governs birth, growth, reproduction, development, and aging; houses the Zhi (Will); expresses ambition and focus; and displays the stresses of aging and chronic degenerative processes. » Healthy expressions are gentleness, groundedness, and endurance. » Kidney Xu (Deficiency) signs include indecisiveness; confused speech; dreams of trees submerged under water; cold feet and legs; abundant sweating (Seem, p. 28); hearing loss; fearfulness; apathy; chronic fatigue; discouragement; scatteredness; lack of will; negativity; impatience; difficult inhalation; low sex drive; lumbago; sciatica; and musculoskeletal irritation and inflammation, especially when worse from touch. » Intense or prolonged fear depletes the Kidney. Often chronic anxiety may induce Xu (Deficiency) and then Fire within the Kidney. (Maciocia, p. 250) Overwork, parenting, simple aging, and a sedentary or excessively indulgent lifestyle all contribute significantly to Kidney Xu (Deficiency).

therapies

imagery: • sea of tears (Chavez)

affirmation: • Life is eternal and filled with joy. I look forward to every moment. (Hay, 1984, p. 159)

psychotherapy: • When eye or visual problems occur, the first step is to put aside your contacts or lenses for an entire day, so as to consciously experience the total life situation that results. Make a written account of just how you saw and experienced things, what you could and could not do, what your found difficult, how you coped in your relationships, and so on. The following questions could also be addressed: » What is it that I do not want to see? Am I afraid to see things in their full clarity? » Is my subjectivity in the way of my awareness? Am I neglecting to recognize myself? What aspect of my nature am I so keen to look away from? » Can I really bear to see things as they really are? (Dethlefsen, p. 152)

process paradigm: (experientially oriented) • What is the symptom preventing me from doing? What is the symptom making me do? (see process interview: eyes/ears/nose/throat system)

related materia medica listings: the shadow and physical symptoms converting a symptom to a signal imagery: precautions imagery: techniques affirmations: guidelines and precautions process paradigm