Is There A Natural Remedy For Cataracts? A Holistic Eye Doctor Explains

People diagnosed with eye conditions, like cataracts, are often told that the disease will only get worse over time and cannot be reversed. While there are pharmaceutical or surgical options to help slow the progression, there are currently no confirmed treatments for these conditions.

Neurogenesis1 (the growth of new neurons in the brain) can occur in the hippocampus, which plays a critical role in diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia, and influences emotional behavior and cognition.

Researchers have also found that patients with higher brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels have a decreased risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders2, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. This was attributed to the critical role that BDNF plays in stimulating the growth neurons in the central nervous system (CNS).

So, what exactly does the brain have to do with eye health? Well, by expanding on the findings from the brain, researchers began to explore where else neurogenesis could take place. Since the eyes are also part of the central nervous system, it just made sense to look there.

Empowered with the knowledge that retinal cells play a critical role in communicating information from the eye to the brain, researchers have begun to develop a suite of potential treatments and therapies.

Some animals stem cell therapy studies have shown promising results for preserving and potentially improving eye health4. More research is needed to test the results on humans, but the idea is that the lab-grown cells would be transplanted into the patient's retina. However, this approach is easier said than done.

It can take weeks to produce adequate quantities of stem cells, and the storage of stem cells is difficult because you do not know when the patient will need them—and timing is everything.

The second strategy involves recruiting other retinal cells for reprogramming into RGCs6. A study published in Natural Regeneration Research journal explains that zebrafish Müller cells (cells in the retina) go back into the cell cycle to generate new neurons after injury, but mammalian cells do not.

"Recently, transcription factors and microRNAs have been identified to control the formation of new neurons derived from zebrafish and mammalian Müller cells, indicating that cellular reprogramming can be an efficient strategy to regenerate human retinal neurons," the study states.

The future of regenerating eye tissue looks promising. There has been great progress in developing therapies, but more research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of the findings, and it may be a awhile before the therapies are widely available.

Just like in the brain, BDNF is important for the neurons in the eye. One study assessed the effectiveness of boosting BDNF levels in the eye 8after the test subject had suffered an optic nerve crush. Researchers found that applying BDNF to the eye significantly improved RGC survival in cats. One week later, RGC survival was improved by 17% and two weeks later, RGC survival was increased to 55 %.

While this is an animal study, researchers cited no reasons that the human eye would respond differently. Given what we know about BDNF’s role in facilitating regeneration of neurons in the brain, the research is promising. In the meantime, there are a number of ways to support overall eye health via lifestyle and nutrition.