NASA and the National Eye Institute have been working together to develop an instrument that is notinvasive to measure very early development of cataracts and monitor any progression.
This is important to astronauts receiving higher daily dose of radiation, especially on a long mission such as the future Mars flight,but there are great potential applications for preventing and treating cataracts in the future.
The crystalline lens in the eye is composed largely of water but there is a class ofproteins presentknown as alpha crystalline.
The amount ofAlpha crystalline proteins in the eye are largely fixed at birth, we don't produce more.
They function toa help the lens maintain it's refractive index, which allows it to focus light on the retina so we can clearly see images.
They also act as so called chaperone's, dating the bad proteins that breakdown in the lens from oxidative stress.
By joining up with theses proteins they prevent cross linkingbetween large numbers of damaged proteins and other damaged cellular substances that can develop into large clumps and form an opacity in the lens.
This opacity can develop large enough in size that it can start to interfere with your eyesight and become clinically referred to as cataracts.
The new instrument measures how much Alpha crystalline proteins scatter light and can detect their levels and changesover time.
Now the potential exists to measure changes in response to environmental factors.
We have shown that this method that is not invasive technologydeveloped for the space program can now be used to look at the early signs of protein damage due to oxidative stress, a key process involved in many medical conditions, including age-related cataract and diabetes, as well as neurological degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's according toNASA's Dr.
Ansari.
By understanding the role of protein changes in cataract formation, we can use this new technology on how to repair any resultant cellular damage.
Oxidative stress results from UV, radiation, drugs, chemicals, smoking, dietary components and other environmental factors that create oxygen is states where free electrons readily bind to cellular substances, Free radicals are atoms, molecules, or ions with unpaired electrons that also readily bind to proteins, lipids, and the DNA of our cells.
When the threshold of repair is passed, and the Alpha crystalline proteins become lowered with age to the point where they can't adequately act as chaperone's to prevent these damaged proteins from aggregating into the clumps, you will likely develop cataracts.
Hopefully we can start to clarify some of the lingering questions and move forward into the arena of cataract prevention and reversal.
Antioxidants have held out great hope for cataract prevention and anti-aging in general, but questions have been raised in some recent studies about the capacity of antioxidants to help.
There is even a small school of thought that believes low doses of oxidative stress are essential in prolonging life.
At this point, the only certainly is Vitamin A is contraindicated in smokers.
I still strongly believe in the value of antioxidants in a preventative role.
Some studies have shown lutein and zeaxanthin have reduced the incidence of cataract formation by acting as antioxidants.
Extensive studies are underway to test their role in treating central retina degeneration.
Vitamin Cprobablyacts to help prevent cataracts.
One factor to keep in mind is that natural does not always translate to good.
St John's Herbal Remedies do have some properties that my causes cataracts and sunglasses need to be worn and sunlight limited if you are taking this supplement.
(commonly used for depression).
This does not appear to be a strong causative factor but one to consider and compensate for when working in the sun.
Other lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, and eating a diet of highly refined food with high sugar contents are controllable risk factors.
Presumably oxidative stress is the common factor.
Smoking is known to decrease antioxidants systemicallyin your body, the cellular damage from free radicals is obvious in the loss ofskin elasticity.
Even visible blue light causes oxidative damage in the retina and probably in the lens,We can look forward to a great future in early detection (prior to visible damages) from cataracts and determining what lifestyle, dietary, and potential drugs and supplements may prevent cataracts at some point in the future.
For now diet, exercise, a healthy body weight, a daily supplement and adding antioxidantsis probably your best bet.
And antioxidantsyou can get from food suchspinach or other foods with high levels are presumably better than a pill.
-Don't forget to protect your eyes from the UV sunlight with quality sunglasses or UV blocking contact lenses.
The next time you see your Eye Doctor they may just be measuring your alpha crystalline levels, especially if you signed up for that 3 year cruise to Mars.
This is important to astronauts receiving higher daily dose of radiation, especially on a long mission such as the future Mars flight,but there are great potential applications for preventing and treating cataracts in the future.
The crystalline lens in the eye is composed largely of water but there is a class ofproteins presentknown as alpha crystalline.
The amount ofAlpha crystalline proteins in the eye are largely fixed at birth, we don't produce more.
They function toa help the lens maintain it's refractive index, which allows it to focus light on the retina so we can clearly see images.
They also act as so called chaperone's, dating the bad proteins that breakdown in the lens from oxidative stress.
By joining up with theses proteins they prevent cross linkingbetween large numbers of damaged proteins and other damaged cellular substances that can develop into large clumps and form an opacity in the lens.
This opacity can develop large enough in size that it can start to interfere with your eyesight and become clinically referred to as cataracts.
The new instrument measures how much Alpha crystalline proteins scatter light and can detect their levels and changesover time.
Now the potential exists to measure changes in response to environmental factors.
We have shown that this method that is not invasive technologydeveloped for the space program can now be used to look at the early signs of protein damage due to oxidative stress, a key process involved in many medical conditions, including age-related cataract and diabetes, as well as neurological degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's according toNASA's Dr.
Ansari.
By understanding the role of protein changes in cataract formation, we can use this new technology on how to repair any resultant cellular damage.
Oxidative stress results from UV, radiation, drugs, chemicals, smoking, dietary components and other environmental factors that create oxygen is states where free electrons readily bind to cellular substances, Free radicals are atoms, molecules, or ions with unpaired electrons that also readily bind to proteins, lipids, and the DNA of our cells.
When the threshold of repair is passed, and the Alpha crystalline proteins become lowered with age to the point where they can't adequately act as chaperone's to prevent these damaged proteins from aggregating into the clumps, you will likely develop cataracts.
Hopefully we can start to clarify some of the lingering questions and move forward into the arena of cataract prevention and reversal.
Antioxidants have held out great hope for cataract prevention and anti-aging in general, but questions have been raised in some recent studies about the capacity of antioxidants to help.
There is even a small school of thought that believes low doses of oxidative stress are essential in prolonging life.
At this point, the only certainly is Vitamin A is contraindicated in smokers.
I still strongly believe in the value of antioxidants in a preventative role.
Some studies have shown lutein and zeaxanthin have reduced the incidence of cataract formation by acting as antioxidants.
Extensive studies are underway to test their role in treating central retina degeneration.
Vitamin Cprobablyacts to help prevent cataracts.
One factor to keep in mind is that natural does not always translate to good.
St John's Herbal Remedies do have some properties that my causes cataracts and sunglasses need to be worn and sunlight limited if you are taking this supplement.
(commonly used for depression).
This does not appear to be a strong causative factor but one to consider and compensate for when working in the sun.
Other lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, and eating a diet of highly refined food with high sugar contents are controllable risk factors.
Presumably oxidative stress is the common factor.
Smoking is known to decrease antioxidants systemicallyin your body, the cellular damage from free radicals is obvious in the loss ofskin elasticity.
Even visible blue light causes oxidative damage in the retina and probably in the lens,We can look forward to a great future in early detection (prior to visible damages) from cataracts and determining what lifestyle, dietary, and potential drugs and supplements may prevent cataracts at some point in the future.
For now diet, exercise, a healthy body weight, a daily supplement and adding antioxidantsis probably your best bet.
And antioxidantsyou can get from food suchspinach or other foods with high levels are presumably better than a pill.
-Don't forget to protect your eyes from the UV sunlight with quality sunglasses or UV blocking contact lenses.
The next time you see your Eye Doctor they may just be measuring your alpha crystalline levels, especially if you signed up for that 3 year cruise to Mars.
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