Certain people have an increased risk for vision loss, often due to family history of eye disease or poor health. Some may turn to alternative therapies, such as herbs, a growing aspect of the health care industry, reports the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. In some cases, these herbal supplements may help reduce the risk for certain eye conditions by slowing down or preventing the disease process. Talk to your doctor if you think herbal remedies could help your eyes.
Grape Seed Extract
Extract from grape seeds contains beneficial nutrients that may protect you from eye diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, two eye conditions that involve the tissue that lines the back of the eye. These eye diseases could lead to permanent vision loss, and prevention plays an important part in slowing down the disease process. The protection results from the antioxidant components, which can help prevent the cell breakdown.
Bilberry
One herbal supplement, bilberry, bears a close resemblance to the blueberry. This fruit contains antioxidants and other nutrients that offer many health benefits, and supplements from bilberry extract may also provide these nutrients. Bilberry may play a role in preventing eye conditions such as macular degeneration, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. During World War II, pilots in the Royal Air Force stated that they had better night vision after eating bilberry jam. Despite lack of evidence, some people believe bilberry can improve vision.
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba extract may benefit your memory and neurological conditions. However, this leaf extract may help increase blood flow to the optic nerve, the nerve fibers that transmit visual information to your brain. Glaucoma is an eye disease that can damage the optic nerve, resulting when a high eye pressure presses against the blood vessels that lead to the nerve, restricting blood flow. Taking ginkgo biloba supplements could reduce damage from this disease. Ginkgo will not reduce eye pressure, however, so people with glaucoma will still need to take prescription medications to keep these pressures under control.
Considerations
Herbal supplements cannot offer a guarantee that you will not have eye problems, and, in most situations, an herbal supplement cannot reverse damage once it occurs. Before you begin an herbal regimen, talk with your doctor to determine if a supplement may work for you. If you have certain health conditions such as diabetes, or if you take medications such as blood thinners, you may need to avoid some supplements. Your doctor can help you determine the herbs that may work for you and your risk factors for disease.
References
- MedlinePlus; Vision Problems; July 2010
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States: Cost Data; July 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Bilberry; Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD; December 2008
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Grape Seed Extract; July 2010
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Ginkgo; July 2010
- "Medical Hpotheses"; Potential Role for Ginko Biloba Extract in the Treatment of Glaucoma; February 2000
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