Reverse Vision Loss with Early Detection

Dark Adaptation

An example of a dark adaption that you have likely experienced is entering a movie theater. After entering the dark theater, it often takes time for your vision to adjust to the dark to find your seat. The less time it takes to adjust to the dark, is an indication of good eye health.

Prolonged dark adaptation can be a sign of an eye condition such as macular degeneration. Macular degeneration most often occurs in older eyes. Now eye researchers have been able to reduce the time it takes for older eyes to adapt to the dark! An oral nutraceutical that contains resveratrol was used to support eye health. At the bottom of this article is a link to a central vision home self test.

Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration affects millions of senior adults. There is no proven remedy for this insidious sight-robbing disease. The fact a nutraceutical has been demonstrated for the fire time to reverse a predictive measure for macular degeneration is a monumental development in preventive medicine, says Dr. Richer, OD, PhD.

All eyes tested were among subjects who already had a diagnosed case of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and whose vision had not improved with the use of the Age Related Eye Disease (AREDs) antioxidant supplement formulated by the National Eye Institute. 1

Vivix with Resveratrol

A recent nutraceutical came to the market which contains muscadine grapes. Muscadine grapes are one of nature's rarest, most potent grapes, and they possess a unique polyphenol profile that science suggests offers a number of health benefits. Unlike other grapes, muscadine grapes boast superior concentrations of ellagic acid and ellagitannins that, when combined with other muscadine grape polyphenols and resveratrol, yield immense antioxidant power. Repairing oxidative damage to cells is important for good health. More information on Vivix can be found here, Vivix.

May Slow Telomere Shortening

One marker of overall health is telomere length. Telomeres are the protective caps on the ends of our chromosomes that contain our DNA. As we age, our telomeres gradually shorten and shorter telomeres are strongly correlated with various health risks. Slowing telomere shortening, therefore, may support a longer, healthier life. In a published study, adults who took Vivix and other Shaklee supplements had a 57% lower rate of telomere shortening compared to a healthy control group. 2

Test Your Vision

An Amsler Grid is a simple at home tool you can use to check your central vision. Here is a link to an Amsler Grid test, Check Your Vision

Earlier Detection

“However, the greater application of this dark adaptation vision test is among family members of individuals who have been diagnosed with macular degeneration since prolonged dark adaptation time can predict future onset of this dreaded eye disease, 4 years before it can be clinically diagnosed. Forty-five percent (45%) of the population who have a parent with macular degeneration will develop the disease in their lifetimes,” says lead researcher Stuart Richer OD, PhD. 

“Given what we know now, it may be best for adult children of elderly patients with macular degeneration to take preventive action with a daily nutraceutical regardless of whether they pass or fail the dark adaptation test,” says Dr. Richer. 

“If this continues to be demonstrated in larger groups, we just may have, for the first time, a preventive for the most common cause of visual decline in senior Americans,” says Dr. Stuart Richer.

References:

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1 Richer, S., Novil, S., Gullett, T., Dervishi, A., Nassiri, S., Duong, C., ... & Davey, P. G. (2021). Night Vision and Carotenoids (NVC): A Randomized Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial on Effects of Carotenoid Supplementation on Night Vision in Older Adults. Nutrients, 13(9), 3191.

2 Wang, H., Daggy, B. P., McManus, J. F., & Wong, L. G. (2018). Telomere Length of Multiple Dietary Supplement Users-A Cross-sectional Study in Comparison with Age-matched Controls. Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 6(5), 129-134.