If you’ve been diagnosed with glaucoma, there’s a good chance that the “red flag” for your eye doc was increased intraocular pressure (IOP) – a condition also known as ocular hypertension.
That’s why “hypotensive therapy” – a.k.a. BP-lowering meds, like beta blockers – is so commonly prescribed for glaucoma patients.
There’s a problem with that…
Because glaucoma CAN occur even when IOP readings are NORMAL!
In fact, as much as HALF of glaucoma patients could show subclinical levels of IOP…
And that means that lowering IOP might not do a bit of good in keeping this progressive disease from getting worse.
Friend, glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness – and that vision loss is too often IRREVERSIBLE.
But there’s something you can do right now to SLAM THE BRAKES on the progression of glaucoma.
It just involves ZEROING IN on a too-often OVERLOOKED aspect of what most people think of as an “eye disease.”
Docs turning a blind eye to this treatment target?
Now, we know that a hallmark of glaucoma is the DEATH of CRUCIAL eye cells known as retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).
But it turns out that the damage that this neurodegenerative disease causes may extend into the BRAIN.
I’m talking about the optic nerve… the lateral geniculate nucleus, or “relay center” for visual messages, in the thalamus… and the visual cortex all the way in the back of the occipital lobe.
Autopsies of glaucoma patients’ brains have shown a pronounced ATROPHY of these brain areas.
That’s right – they WITHERED AWAY!
But I’ve got good news for you today…
Because as I’ve shared with you before right here in eAlert… the brain is where a nutrient called citicoline really shines.
Citicoline is one of your brain’s primary fuels for making energy. And your brain cells use A LOT more energy than other cells in your body.
As you get older, you need more and more of it to keep up with the changes in your aging brain.
It makes sense, then, that it started out as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease in 1974…
And in the late 1980s, exciting research on its vision benefits began to emerge.
It works by OPTIMIZING production of certain brain chemicals…
And alongside some potent antioxidant action, it also PRESERVES the integrity of certain brain cell membranes.
What that means for your eyes… especially if you’ve been diagnosed with glaucoma… is the potential to STABILIZE vision loss instead of allowing it to PROGRESS.
Even better, your eyesight could actually IMPROVE.
According a 2018 review published in the journal Eye, vision improvements could occur in 2 key measures:
- visual field, whose defects could include “blurring” around the edges, and
- sharpness of vision (a.k.a. visual acuity).
One of the measures of visual acuity that really matters in cases of glaucoma is known as retinal sensitivity – or the ability to discern between different sources of light.
That’s why some glaucoma patients are subject to a blinding glare that can make daytime driving practically IMPOSSIBLE… and outdoor activities MISERABLE.
There are 2 main routes of citicoline administration that have been studied extensively: oral (a.k.a. supplements) and intramuscular (IV or injection/shot).
And even though BOTH forms of treatment require the citicoline to do a little traveling to get to its “workplace”… they appear to be EQUALLY as effective in improving BOTH areas of concern when it comes to glaucoma.
The eyeball (as measured by a test called pattern electroretinogram)… and the brain (the visual-evoked potential measurement).
After citicoline treatment, both PERG and VEP have shown REDUCED latency (or delay of response)… and INCREASED amplitude (or strength of response).
And the effect has been shown to PERSIST for up to 9 years!
There’s a trick to getting it right…
And that’s to make it part of a long-term plan.
Fortunately, the bioavailability of citicoline is STELLAR – your body absorbs it almost COMPLETELY when you ingest it, with only a little bit ending up in the toilet bowl when you pee.
And even though taking it orally means it’s got to pass through your gut on the way to your brain…
It RACES through the route so quickly, it can reach its destination within just 30 minutes.
Look for citicoline supplements at your local health food store or online. Sometimes they’re labeled as CDP choline, an abbreviation of the scientific name cytidine 5′-diphosphocholine.
Typically, a therapeutic dosage is 500-2000 mg daily. And it’s safe to take in conjunction with your blood pressure meds, should you decide to continue taking them.
To protecting your brain for better vision,
Melissa Young
P.S. Want to take your eye protection plan one step further? Click here to find out 1 change you can make to reduce your risk of glaucoma.
