Optic Neuritis

July 11, 2006

>

> Hello friends

> I have infected with optic neuritis about 5 month ago. In that day I

use IV storied for 5 days but now my vision do not recover and every

thing is blor yetâ€¦

>

> Anybody have experience about optic neuritis recovery time and how

is recovery process? I am concern

>

> Nima

>

July 11, 2006

Hey, leave us smokers alone. I'm kidding people. I

think it does vary just like the disease. I've only

been diagnosed 2.5 years but have lost sight like 10

times so far. Oh, 11. Just had a flare a few weeks

ago. My eyes like to take turns on which one is taking

vacation. I was getting 100% back but now I'm at 100%

for left eye and about 80% for right eye. Exacerbation

length and severity vary I think. The only supplement

I know of for eyes is lutein [spelling?]. What freaked

me out was when my eyes decided to see colors

different. Like if something was red, I was seeing

yellow. Normal color has returned now. Seeing shades

of grey was intresting for a bit. Some lose vision

completely, some never do and for some it's just

another symptom that comes n goes. Try to not let it

stress you.

Donna

July 11, 2006

Dear Nima,

In my opinion, it makes a lot more sense to treat one's MS as a whole

than trying to treat individual symptoms. To that end, I thought you

might find the following information of interest.

By the grace of God, I put my MS symptoms into remission using an

alternative treatment recommended by Edgar Cayce, a man many regard as

the father of modern holistic medicine.

Unfortunately, due to the complex, multifaceted nature of MS, Cayce's

treatment does not work for everyone. The same goes for every other

current approach (alternative or mainstream) to overcoming MS. What

works for one person does not necessarily work for another. People with

with MS need to find--usually by trial and error--what is effective for

them and then stick to it religiously.

Many MS patients have obtained varying degrees of symptomatic relief

with a diet low in saturated fat (e.g., the Best Bet Diet), food

supplements, exercise, detoxification, and a low stress lifestyle.

There are many other strategies, however, that have also benefited

MSers, including Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), Glyconutrients, bee stings,

the Prokarin Patch, and colloidal silver.

For more information about these and other promising alternative

approaches to treating MS, visit

http://www.webspawner.com/users/directoryofmultalt/index.html

With best wishes,

Dudley Delany, R.N., M.A., D.C.

http://profiles.yahoo.com/dudley_delany

July 11, 2006

Here is some info from people's responses I have collected re ON and

helping the eyes. Some traditional drugs maybe in the list. Please

check everything first. Adam:

OPTIC NEURITIS

IVIG-Immunoglobin and Vit B-12 and Folate for the eyes

If problem is Nystagmus Diplopia-Gabapentin (Neurontin) is thought to help

Blueberries are very good for the eyes

Anything that lowers levels of Interleukin 12 and raises levels of

Interleukin 10 are good generally for MS. This is Omegas 3 and 6-Fish

Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin E etc in high Doses

Also Vitamin D

Calcium Orotate

Vitamin A is known to help the eyes

Devils' Claw-An anti-inflammatory/Antioxidant

Also Bromelain

Lutein is supposed to be very good for the eyes. Also Zeaxanthin and

Vitamin C.

Beta-Carotene, Zinc, Selenium and Copper

Vitamin B-1 and B-12

SIMVASTATIN-currently on trial

A cooled-down, used Tea Bag?

Certain nutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin, vinpocetine, l-lysine, a

number of vitamins & enzymes, and fish oil may help Optic Nerve

Atrophy and preserve vision. Some research indicates that daily use of

Microcurrent Stimulation may help preserve vision as well.

Imuran?: I'll agree with that. Unfortunately, things happen really

fast when it comes to MS. I was told recently that I probably will

not be offered steroids again if/when I have another exacerbation (any

exacerbation); they believe I have had too many. Because of this my

Neurologist, who seems to be up on a lot of data, I have been taking

Imuran (azathioprine) for over a year. Luckily, I have only had

attacks of pain no new lesions on/around the optic nerve. I have been

told the eye pain may never go away. But, on the bright side the

Imuran has helped so much that my optic nerves have healed, my vision

has gotten much better and continues to improve. The doctors are

tracking this progress and have told me that many Neuro's and Optho's

are tracking the healing of optic nerves in those that have had severe

attacks (meaning the attack did damage to the nerve) of people who

have been put on Imuran in addition to whatever other disease

modifying agent they are taking. I've had more attacks than I care to

count, some of the attacks were not disclosed to myself or my parents

because of my age. I was 12 years old when I had my first optic

neuritis attack, though (luckily) it is in my medical record the cause

of my severe eye pain was never disclosed. Considering I have had ON

attacks since puberty and my eyes are healing I can only thank my dr's

and the advances in MS medicine.

I took Pygnogenol in a heavy dose for about 6 months

and improved my eye sight back to my original and put

my contacts back in ............

I was asked a question about bilberry and forgot to respond. It is

impossible to overdose on it so 3x3 is a good idea. For maintenance

1x3. In the case of optic neuritis the calcium orotate is very

valuable because it helps seal the blood brain barrier. Hans Neiper

always prescribed it for people who had optic neuritis and it also

helps with any kind of arthritic inflammatory condition. It is not to

be taken in place or your regular calcium. It aids in the transport of

cell minerals and deposits itself outside the cell membrane to protect

you against auto-immune attack. It is taken in addition to your

regular calcium. Anyone who is interested in the calcium EAP should

contact the Brewer Science Library. It is not only good for ms but

also for gastritis, asthma, diabetes, and many other conditions. It

basically protects you against some of the oxidative stress we

encounter. in our daily lives which is so detrimental for people with

an auto-immune dis-ease.

Info for impaired vision

First and foremost, I always advise people to take advantage of their

residual vision. A lot can be done to help you see certain things

using the

right light and sometimes reverse screens on your computer, magnifying

software

with speech -- that sort of thing. In fact, if you got used to using a

magnifying program with speech, you would be better prepared as your

vision does

decrease -- if it does. a visual acuity 20/400 in each eye with corrective

lenses is considered legally blind. there's a lot of vision between

that and

nothing at all.

For me, it's all white -- like living in a heavy fog. Sometimes I

think I can

almost see movement -- especially if there's a lot of light.

Conversely, I'm

photophobic so too much light hurts and gives me a headache. I

suppose its

subjective whether my vision loss was fast or slow. In the space of

about 18

months my visual fields had reduced to what they are now -- or very

close to it.

I'm told that my optical nerves swelled to the point that blood flow

to my optic

disks was impeded or stopped -- either way, I would have white-outs

and then I'd

regain some vision but it would be worse each time. It's different for

everyone,

I'm told. I had some eye pain and that sort of thing. I still do now

and then.

One eye gets more light than the other.

The symptoms that made working hard for me were the dizziness and ataxia,

somewhat, but more so I just lost strength and energy so quickly. I

had to be in

a wheelchair all day because I just couldn't stand or walk after a

short time.

Even now, unless I rest in between a lot, I can't walk more than 50 or

so yards

on a good day. Being able to be productive without having to be up and

moving

all the time really slowed my symptoms down. I still have bad days, sure.

Mostly, though, the progression of my MS really has slowed down.

Earning a living, being productive, using my time in a valuable way,

those are

important to me and important to living longer with MS, in my

opinion-- not to

mention paying the bills. I certainly understand your quest to find a

way to do

that. Ask me anything and I'll help all I can.

- Omega-3 fats, one of the most critical nutritional substances for

your body, can prevent this common eye problem. You can reduce your

chances of having dry eyes and blindness by making certain you receive

enough.

Essential Fatty Acids: Fat You Can Use

By White; reviewed by Dr. Slonim

Many people find it difficult to believe that fat can be essential to

your health, but it's true. Fatty acids are the " building blocks " of

fat and some of them are called " essential " because your body needs

them, yet cannot make them; you must eat them.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) make up polyunsaturated fats. The two

types are omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6. The main omega-3 is

alpha-linolenic acid (LNA). Its derivatives include: eicosapentaeonic

acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and a few others. The main

omega-6 is linoleic acid (LA). Like LNA, it also has derivatives, but

they are not relevant to the topic of vision.

How Fatty Acids Affect the Eyes

EFAs are connected with visual development in infants. Deficiencies in

adults (particularly omega-3) can lead to impaired vision, and studies

suggest that prolonged deficiencies might lead to retinal/macular

damage. A study published in the August 2001 issue of Archives of

Ophthalmology found that omega-6 fatty acids were associated with an

increased risk of advanced macular degeneration, but that omega-3

fatty acids protected against it (as long as LA intake was low).

Meanwhile, a 2003 study found omega-3 to decrease your risk of

developing dry eye syndrome, and other studies have found that LA and

gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) improve dry eye symptoms.

The body converts both types of EFAs into prostaglandins, whose

functions include helping the eye's aqueous humor to drain and

regulating intraocular pressure.

You're Eating Too Much Omega-6 Fatty Acid

How much fatty acid do you need? There is no RDA yet, but sources

agree that Americans do not get nearly enough omega-3, and way too

much omega-6.

Doctors involved in the Workshop on the Essentiality of and

Recommended Dietary Intakes for Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids*

suggest " adequate intakes " of each:

• omega-3: 0.65 g (grams) of EPA and DHA combined (with neither

falling below 0.22 g)

• omega-6: 4.44 g

Many sources look at a person's ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to

omega-3. Most people in Western cultures fall between 20:1 and 30:1;

however, the optimal ratio would be somewhere between 1:1 and 4:1.**

For most Americans, this means greatly reducing the omega-6 fatty

acids they consume, and probably increasing the number of omega-3

fatty acids

Some sites to look up more information.

http://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/fatty_acid_1.htm

these site have sponsors.

http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/dryeye.htm

Nano-scaffolds could help rebuild sight

* 18 March 2006

*

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mg18925435.900.html;jsessionid=ANELLO\

\

PKHKMJ

* Marks

ANIMALS blinded following damage to their optic nerve have had their

vision partially restored with the help of an implanted nanoscale

scaffold that has encouraged nerve tissue to regrow. The technique,

likened by its inventors to the way a garden trellis encourages the

growth of ivy, holds out the hope that people with diseased or injured

optic nerves might one day recover their sight.

The optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, can be severed by

traumatic injuries such as those suffered in car crashes. It can also be

damaged by glaucoma, when excessive pressure in the eyeball causes

tissue at the back of the eye to collapse, pulling nerve fibres apart

and so causing progressive loss of vision.

Repairing the optic nerve requires the long, spidery branches of nerve

cells, called axons, to grow again and reconnect. Achieving this is a

" formidable barrier " , says Rutledge Ellis-Behnke, a biomedical engineer

at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Axons can be encouraged to

lengthen by exposing them to growth factors, but they rarely extend far

enough to bridge the gaps typical of most optic nerve injuries, he says.

To overcome this, Ellis-Behnke and colleagues from Hong Kong University

and the Institute for Neuroscience in Xi'an, China, created a

nerve-bridging scaffold, made up of nanoparticle fibres. They made these

fibres the same size as the sugar and protein complexes on the surface

of the torn axon, in the hope that this would encourage cell growth and

migration (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI:

10.1073/pnas.0600559103).

To make their scaffold, the team turned to a discovery from the early

1990s by Shuguang Zhang at MIT. He found that certain peptide sequences

can be made to self-assemble into mesh-like sheets of nanofibres by

immersing them in salt solutions at similar concentrations to those

found in the body.

To test whether this would help nerves to regenerate, the team took

hamsters whose optic nerves had been deliberately severed and injected a

peptide mixture into each animal's brain close to the injury site. After

six weeks, the animals had recovered some of their vision. " They could

see well enough to find their food, to function well, " says MIT team

member Gerald Schneider.

Schneider estimates that 30,000 axons had reconnected, compared with

only around 30 in previous experiments using other approaches such as

nerve growth factors. The scaffold appears to eventually break down

harmlessly.

Tissue engineer Shakesheff at the University of Nottingham, UK,

says the work is exciting, but urges caution. The surgical cut made in

the hamster's nerve is not representative of " more messy " injury or

disease in people, he warns, and other central nervous system work has

shown that species differences mean nerve regeneration in a rodent might

not translate into humans.

Shakesheff also notes that it remains unknown how the scaffold

regenerates tissue, and that it might ultimately be possible to use stem

cells to further boost the regenerative response.

The MIT team now plans to extend the work in the hope of developing

therapies for spinal cord injuries.

From issue 2543 of New Scientist magazine, 18 March 2006, page 30

What vaccine design can take from bones

Another type of nanotechnology is exploiting the way the body removes

bone fragments to deliver waterproof, timed-release payloads of vaccines

that would break down if not kept dry prior to release. The vaccine,

enclosed in mineral spheres, could be injected as a follow-up booster

dose at the same time as the initial dose.

The spheres, developed by Cambridge Biostability (CBL) in the UK, are

made of calcium phosphate, the main mineral constituent of bone. Cells

called osteoclasts mistake them for stray pieces of bone and dissolve

them, causing them to release their contents over a period of months.

To build the spheres, a mixture of vaccine and calcium phosphate

crystals within an aqueous solution is sprayed out of a nozzle into a

stream of gas at around 170 °C. The nanocrystals are surrounded by a

cloud of water molecules, which evaporate in the gas. As the water

molecules are removed, the nanocrystals draw closer together until they

partially fuse to form solid glassy spheres 5 micrometres in diameter,

with the vaccine embedded inside. The heat of the gas is absorbed by

evaporative cooling before it destroys the vaccine, says Bruce Roser

of CBL.

The microspheres protect the vaccine from water in the body, allowing

them to be used even with delicate payloads such as meningitis vaccine,

which is damaged by prolonged contact with water.

I Went on a 10 day juice fast

with only organics. Now I have no more tremors in my legs and my

fatigue is also better. I am by no means cured or even close, but I

feel much

better. My

eyesight is also excellent. That is what I noticed 1st. This is

truly the only

card we have to

play. Dr. and drugs don't help. Supplements and vitamins are not

much more

than rocks in our

stomachs or they are filled with preservatives. Save your $. Buy

food, good

food! Vegie and

Fruits. Only mother nature knows the answer. Sick, fat america does

not. but

she sure can spend money.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1774752,00.html

Discovered by chance: protein that repairs optic nerve

Ian Sample, science correspondent

Monday May 15, 2006

The Guardian

Neuroscientists have succeeded in repairing damage to optic nerves

using a

newly identified protein that encourages injured nerve fibres to

regenerate.

The chance discovery will boost hopes of a future treatment to reverse

blindness

caused by injuries to the optic nerve from accidents, tumours or

common eye

conditions such as glaucoma. The researchers hope it will also help the

development of therapies for other debilitating conditions, such as

stroke and

spinal cord injury. The optic nerve is part of the central nervous

system and,

unlike nerves in the peripheral nervous system - such as those in our

fingers

and feet - shows almost no ability to recover from injury. Scientists

believe

the central nervous system has evolved to prevent severed nerves repairing

themselves, as a harsh defence against potentially disastrous rewiring

that

could scramble important signals passing to and from the brain.

Neuroscientists Yuqin Yin and Larry Benowitz at Children's Hospital,

Boston, and Harvard medical school discovered the protein by chance

when they

noticed that injuries to the eye lens caused a chemical knock-on

effect in which

inflammatory cells began churning out molecules to repair the damage.

To see if

they might also help heal damaged nerves, they collected the

inflammatory cells,

grew them in petri dishes and isolated the proteins they secreted.

In lab

tests, Dr Benowitz discovered that treatment with the protein, called

oncomodulin, nearly doubled the growth of optic nerve fibres by

latching on to

them and switching on a suite of growth genes. In further tests, the

researchers treated rats with optic nerve damage and found that tiny

capsules

containing oncomodulin and another drug increased nerve regeneration

by five to

seven times. " Out of the blue, we found a molecule that causes more

nerve

regeneration than anything else ever studied, " said Dr Benowitz, whose

study was

published in the journal Nature Neuroscience yesterday.

He stressed that nerve repair achieved in the rats was only partial

and a

treatment for humans still had significant hurdles to clear. " We

could obtain

pretty dramatic regeneration. With this said, however, there is

another problem

looming, and that is getting the regenerating axons to form

connections with the

proper target cells in a way that preserves the proper mapping of the

visual

space on to the brain. "

>

> Hey, leave us smokers alone. I'm kidding people. I

> think it does vary just like the disease. I've only

> been diagnosed 2.5 years but have lost sight like 10

> times so far. Oh, 11. Just had a flare a few weeks

> ago. My eyes like to take turns on which one is taking

> vacation. I was getting 100% back but now I'm at 100%

> for left eye and about 80% for right eye. Exacerbation

> length and severity vary I think. The only supplement

> I know of for eyes is lutein [spelling?]. What freaked

> me out was when my eyes decided to see colors

> different. Like if something was red, I was seeing

> yellow. Normal color has returned now. Seeing shades

> of grey was intresting for a bit. Some lose vision

> completely, some never do and for some it's just

> another symptom that comes n goes. Try to not let it

> stress you.

> Donna

>

July 11, 2006

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

you have said a mouthful and then some!!! so informative.i actually think i

might of learned something,though its brother who has ms,i still am a slow

learner. I have question. BRothers sight is light sensitive ,we try to keep

lights out and when outside we try to keep him from alot of light.He had a

film like substance on one of his eyes and it was there for a few yrs.now

its almost gone but i can look closely and still see a film right on his

pupil. He has not been wearing glasses for about a yr.Right now he cant tell

doctors if he is having sight problems.How does one know if there are

problems when the brain is not working well enough to describe his problem?

can a good opt. look at his eyes and know what his problem is or does he

need to verbalize his problems? He has in the past lost vision and gained it

back but that was at the beginning of his ms.what do ya think?

>

>Reply-To: mscured

>To: mscured

>Subject: Re: Optic neuritis

>Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 19:39:29 -0000

>

>Here is some info from people's responses I have collected re ON and

>helping the eyes. Some traditional drugs maybe in the list. Please

>check everything first. Adam:

>

>OPTIC NEURITIS

>

>IVIG-Immunoglobin and Vit B-12 and Folate for the eyes

>

>If problem is Nystagmus Diplopia-Gabapentin (Neurontin) is thought to help

>

>Blueberries are very good for the eyes

>

>Anything that lowers levels of Interleukin 12 and raises levels of

>Interleukin 10 are good generally for MS. This is Omegas 3 and 6-Fish

>Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin E etc in high Doses

>

>Also Vitamin D

>

>Calcium Orotate

>

>Vitamin A is known to help the eyes

>

>Devils' Claw-An anti-inflammatory/Antioxidant

>

>Also Bromelain

>

>Lutein is supposed to be very good for the eyes. Also Zeaxanthin and

>Vitamin C.

>

>Beta-Carotene, Zinc, Selenium and Copper

>

>Vitamin B-1 and B-12

>

>SIMVASTATIN-currently on trial

>

>A cooled-down, used Tea Bag?

>

>Certain nutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin, vinpocetine, l-lysine, a

>number of vitamins & enzymes, and fish oil may help Optic Nerve

>Atrophy and preserve vision. Some research indicates that daily use of

>Microcurrent Stimulation may help preserve vision as well.

>Imuran?: I'll agree with that. Unfortunately, things happen really

>fast when it comes to MS. I was told recently that I probably will

>not be offered steroids again if/when I have another exacerbation (any

>exacerbation); they believe I have had too many. Because of this my

>Neurologist, who seems to be up on a lot of data, I have been taking

>Imuran (azathioprine) for over a year. Luckily, I have only had

>attacks of pain no new lesions on/around the optic nerve. I have been

>told the eye pain may never go away. But, on the bright side the

>Imuran has helped so much that my optic nerves have healed, my vision

>has gotten much better and continues to improve. The doctors are

>tracking this progress and have told me that many Neuro's and Optho's

>are tracking the healing of optic nerves in those that have had severe

>attacks (meaning the attack did damage to the nerve) of people who

>have been put on Imuran in addition to whatever other disease

>modifying agent they are taking. I've had more attacks than I care to

>count, some of the attacks were not disclosed to myself or my parents

>because of my age. I was 12 years old when I had my first optic

>neuritis attack, though (luckily) it is in my medical record the cause

>of my severe eye pain was never disclosed. Considering I have had ON

>attacks since puberty and my eyes are healing I can only thank my dr's

>and the advances in MS medicine.

>

>I took Pygnogenol in a heavy dose for about 6 months

>and improved my eye sight back to my original and put

>my contacts back in ............

>I was asked a question about bilberry and forgot to respond. It is

>impossible to overdose on it so 3x3 is a good idea. For maintenance

>1x3. In the case of optic neuritis the calcium orotate is very

>valuable because it helps seal the blood brain barrier. Hans Neiper

>always prescribed it for people who had optic neuritis and it also

>helps with any kind of arthritic inflammatory condition. It is not to

>be taken in place or your regular calcium. It aids in the transport of

>cell minerals and deposits itself outside the cell membrane to protect

>you against auto-immune attack. It is taken in addition to your

>regular calcium. Anyone who is interested in the calcium EAP should

>contact the Brewer Science Library. It is not only good for ms but

>also for gastritis, asthma, diabetes, and many other conditions. It

>basically protects you against some of the oxidative stress we

>encounter. in our daily lives which is so detrimental for people with

>an auto-immune dis-ease.

>

>Info for impaired vision

>

>First and foremost, I always advise people to take advantage of their

>residual vision. A lot can be done to help you see certain things

>using the

>right light and sometimes reverse screens on your computer, magnifying

>software

>with speech -- that sort of thing. In fact, if you got used to using a

>magnifying program with speech, you would be better prepared as your

>vision does

>decrease -- if it does. a visual acuity 20/400 in each eye with corrective

>lenses is considered legally blind. there's a lot of vision between

>that and

>nothing at all.

>

>For me, it's all white -- like living in a heavy fog. Sometimes I

>think I can

>almost see movement -- especially if there's a lot of light.

>Conversely, I'm

>photophobic so too much light hurts and gives me a headache. I

>suppose its

>subjective whether my vision loss was fast or slow. In the space of

>about 18

>months my visual fields had reduced to what they are now -- or very

>close to it.

>I'm told that my optical nerves swelled to the point that blood flow

>to my optic

>disks was impeded or stopped -- either way, I would have white-outs

>and then I'd

>regain some vision but it would be worse each time. It's different for

>everyone,

>I'm told. I had some eye pain and that sort of thing. I still do now

>and then.

>One eye gets more light than the other.

>

>The symptoms that made working hard for me were the dizziness and ataxia,

>somewhat, but more so I just lost strength and energy so quickly. I

>had to be in

>a wheelchair all day because I just couldn't stand or walk after a

>short time.

>Even now, unless I rest in between a lot, I can't walk more than 50 or

>so yards

>on a good day. Being able to be productive without having to be up and

> moving

>all the time really slowed my symptoms down. I still have bad days, sure.

>Mostly, though, the progression of my MS really has slowed down.

>

>Earning a living, being productive, using my time in a valuable way,

>those are

>important to me and important to living longer with MS, in my

>opinion-- not to

>mention paying the bills. I certainly understand your quest to find a

>way to do

>that. Ask me anything and I'll help all I can.

>

>- Omega-3 fats, one of the most critical nutritional substances for

>your body, can prevent this common eye problem. You can reduce your

>chances of having dry eyes and blindness by making certain you receive

>enough.

>

>Essential Fatty Acids: Fat You Can Use

>

>By White; reviewed by Dr. Slonim

>Many people find it difficult to believe that fat can be essential to

>your health, but it's true. Fatty acids are the " building blocks " of

>fat and some of them are called " essential " because your body needs

>them, yet cannot make them; you must eat them.

>Essential fatty acids (EFAs) make up polyunsaturated fats. The two

>types are omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6. The main omega-3 is

>alpha-linolenic acid (LNA). Its derivatives include: eicosapentaeonic

>acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and a few others. The main

>omega-6 is linoleic acid (LA). Like LNA, it also has derivatives, but

>they are not relevant to the topic of vision.

>How Fatty Acids Affect the Eyes

>EFAs are connected with visual development in infants. Deficiencies in

>adults (particularly omega-3) can lead to impaired vision, and studies

>suggest that prolonged deficiencies might lead to retinal/macular

>damage. A study published in the August 2001 issue of Archives of

>Ophthalmology found that omega-6 fatty acids were associated with an

>increased risk of advanced macular degeneration, but that omega-3

>fatty acids protected against it (as long as LA intake was low).

>Meanwhile, a 2003 study found omega-3 to decrease your risk of

>developing dry eye syndrome, and other studies have found that LA and

>gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) improve dry eye symptoms.

>The body converts both types of EFAs into prostaglandins, whose

>functions include helping the eye's aqueous humor to drain and

>regulating intraocular pressure.

>You're Eating Too Much Omega-6 Fatty Acid

>How much fatty acid do you need? There is no RDA yet, but sources

>agree that Americans do not get nearly enough omega-3, and way too

>much omega-6.

>Doctors involved in the Workshop on the Essentiality of and

>Recommended Dietary Intakes for Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids*

>suggest " adequate intakes " of each:

>• omega-3: 0.65 g (grams) of EPA and DHA combined (with neither

>falling below 0.22 g)

>• omega-6: 4.44 g

>Many sources look at a person's ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to

>omega-3. Most people in Western cultures fall between 20:1 and 30:1;

>however, the optimal ratio would be somewhere between 1:1 and 4:1.**

>For most Americans, this means greatly reducing the omega-6 fatty

>acids they consume, and probably increasing the number of omega-3

>fatty acids

>Some sites to look up more information.

>http://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/fatty_acid_1.htm

> these site have sponsors.

>http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/dryeye.htm

>

>Nano-scaffolds could help rebuild sight

>

> * 18 March 2006

> *

>http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mg18925435.900.html;jsessionid=ANELL\

O\

>PKHKMJ

> * Marks

>

>ANIMALS blinded following damage to their optic nerve have had their

>vision partially restored with the help of an implanted nanoscale

>scaffold that has encouraged nerve tissue to regrow. The technique,

>likened by its inventors to the way a garden trellis encourages the

>growth of ivy, holds out the hope that people with diseased or injured

>optic nerves might one day recover their sight.

>

>The optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, can be severed by

>traumatic injuries such as those suffered in car crashes. It can also be

>damaged by glaucoma, when excessive pressure in the eyeball causes

>tissue at the back of the eye to collapse, pulling nerve fibres apart

>and so causing progressive loss of vision.

>

>Repairing the optic nerve requires the long, spidery branches of nerve

>cells, called axons, to grow again and reconnect. Achieving this is a

> " formidable barrier " , says Rutledge Ellis-Behnke, a biomedical engineer

>at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Axons can be encouraged to

>lengthen by exposing them to growth factors, but they rarely extend far

>enough to bridge the gaps typical of most optic nerve injuries, he says.

>

>To overcome this, Ellis-Behnke and colleagues from Hong Kong University

>and the Institute for Neuroscience in Xi'an, China, created a

>nerve-bridging scaffold, made up of nanoparticle fibres. They made these

>fibres the same size as the sugar and protein complexes on the surface

>of the torn axon, in the hope that this would encourage cell growth and

>migration (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI:

>10.1073/pnas.0600559103).

>

>To make their scaffold, the team turned to a discovery from the early

>1990s by Shuguang Zhang at MIT. He found that certain peptide sequences

>can be made to self-assemble into mesh-like sheets of nanofibres by

>immersing them in salt solutions at similar concentrations to those

>found in the body.

>

>To test whether this would help nerves to regenerate, the team took

>hamsters whose optic nerves had been deliberately severed and injected a

>peptide mixture into each animal's brain close to the injury site. After

>six weeks, the animals had recovered some of their vision. " They could

>see well enough to find their food, to function well, " says MIT team

>member Gerald Schneider.

>

>Schneider estimates that 30,000 axons had reconnected, compared with

>only around 30 in previous experiments using other approaches such as

>nerve growth factors. The scaffold appears to eventually break down

>harmlessly.

>

>Tissue engineer Shakesheff at the University of Nottingham, UK,

>says the work is exciting, but urges caution. The surgical cut made in

>the hamster's nerve is not representative of " more messy " injury or

>disease in people, he warns, and other central nervous system work has

>shown that species differences mean nerve regeneration in a rodent might

>not translate into humans.

>

>Shakesheff also notes that it remains unknown how the scaffold

>regenerates tissue, and that it might ultimately be possible to use stem

>cells to further boost the regenerative response.

>

>The MIT team now plans to extend the work in the hope of developing

>therapies for spinal cord injuries.

> From issue 2543 of New Scientist magazine, 18 March 2006, page 30

>What vaccine design can take from bones

>

>Another type of nanotechnology is exploiting the way the body removes

>bone fragments to deliver waterproof, timed-release payloads of vaccines

>that would break down if not kept dry prior to release. The vaccine,

>enclosed in mineral spheres, could be injected as a follow-up booster

>dose at the same time as the initial dose.

>

>The spheres, developed by Cambridge Biostability (CBL) in the UK, are

>made of calcium phosphate, the main mineral constituent of bone. Cells

>called osteoclasts mistake them for stray pieces of bone and dissolve

>them, causing them to release their contents over a period of months.

>

>To build the spheres, a mixture of vaccine and calcium phosphate

>crystals within an aqueous solution is sprayed out of a nozzle into a

>stream of gas at around 170 °C. The nanocrystals are surrounded by a

>cloud of water molecules, which evaporate in the gas. As the water

>molecules are removed, the nanocrystals draw closer together until they

>partially fuse to form solid glassy spheres 5 micrometres in diameter,

>with the vaccine embedded inside. The heat of the gas is absorbed by

>evaporative cooling before it destroys the vaccine, says Bruce Roser

>of CBL.

>

>The microspheres protect the vaccine from water in the body, allowing

>them to be used even with delicate payloads such as meningitis vaccine,

>which is damaged by prolonged contact with water.

>

>I Went on a 10 day juice fast

>with only organics. Now I have no more tremors in my legs and my

>fatigue is also better. I am by no means cured or even close, but I

>feel much

>better. My

>eyesight is also excellent. That is what I noticed 1st. This is

>truly the only

>card we have to

>play. Dr. and drugs don't help. Supplements and vitamins are not

>much more

>than rocks in our

>stomachs or they are filled with preservatives. Save your $. Buy

>food, good

>food! Vegie and

>Fruits. Only mother nature knows the answer. Sick, fat america does

>not. but

>she sure can spend money.

>

>http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1774752,00.html

>

> Discovered by chance: protein that repairs optic nerve

>

>Ian Sample, science correspondent

>Monday May 15, 2006

>The Guardian

>

> Neuroscientists have succeeded in repairing damage to optic nerves

>using a

>newly identified protein that encourages injured nerve fibres to

>regenerate.

>The chance discovery will boost hopes of a future treatment to reverse

>blindness

>caused by injuries to the optic nerve from accidents, tumours or

>common eye

>conditions such as glaucoma. The researchers hope it will also help the

>development of therapies for other debilitating conditions, such as

>stroke and

>spinal cord injury. The optic nerve is part of the central nervous

>system and,

>unlike nerves in the peripheral nervous system - such as those in our

>fingers

>and feet - shows almost no ability to recover from injury. Scientists

>believe

>the central nervous system has evolved to prevent severed nerves repairing

>themselves, as a harsh defence against potentially disastrous rewiring

>that

>could scramble important signals passing to and from the brain.

>Neuroscientists Yuqin Yin and Larry Benowitz at Children's Hospital,

> Boston, and Harvard medical school discovered the protein by chance

>when they

>noticed that injuries to the eye lens caused a chemical knock-on

>effect in which

>inflammatory cells began churning out molecules to repair the damage.

>To see if

>they might also help heal damaged nerves, they collected the

>inflammatory cells,

>grew them in petri dishes and isolated the proteins they secreted.

>In lab

>tests, Dr Benowitz discovered that treatment with the protein, called

>oncomodulin, nearly doubled the growth of optic nerve fibres by

>latching on to

>them and switching on a suite of growth genes. In further tests, the

>researchers treated rats with optic nerve damage and found that tiny

>capsules

>containing oncomodulin and another drug increased nerve regeneration

>by five to

>seven times. " Out of the blue, we found a molecule that causes more

>nerve

>regeneration than anything else ever studied, " said Dr Benowitz, whose

>study was

>published in the journal Nature Neuroscience yesterday.

> He stressed that nerve repair achieved in the rats was only partial

>and a

>treatment for humans still had significant hurdles to clear. " We

>could obtain

>pretty dramatic regeneration. With this said, however, there is

>another problem

>looming, and that is getting the regenerating axons to form

>connections with the

>proper target cells in a way that preserves the proper mapping of the

>visual

>space on to the brain. "

>

> >

> > Hey, leave us smokers alone. I'm kidding people. I

> > think it does vary just like the disease. I've only

> > been diagnosed 2.5 years but have lost sight like 10

> > times so far. Oh, 11. Just had a flare a few weeks

> > ago. My eyes like to take turns on which one is taking

> > vacation. I was getting 100% back but now I'm at 100%

> > for left eye and about 80% for right eye. Exacerbation

> > length and severity vary I think. The only supplement

> > I know of for eyes is lutein [spelling?]. What freaked

> > me out was when my eyes decided to see colors

> > different. Like if something was red, I was seeing

> > yellow. Normal color has returned now. Seeing shades

> > of grey was intresting for a bit. Some lose vision

> > completely, some never do and for some it's just

> > another symptom that comes n goes. Try to not let it

> > stress you.

> > Donna

> >

>

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July 11, 2006

Hi nancy

It is also my Brother who has MS-he is light sensitive too and wears

sunglasses most of the time. I'm sorry I can't answer your question,

though there maybe people here who can. i would say to go to an

Opmathologist though as you suggest.

I wish you both well. Take Care, Adam

> > >

> > > Hey, leave us smokers alone. I'm kidding people. I

> > > think it does vary just like the disease. I've only

> > > been diagnosed 2.5 years but have lost sight like 10

> > > times so far. Oh, 11. Just had a flare a few weeks

> > > ago. My eyes like to take turns on which one is taking

> > > vacation. I was getting 100% back but now I'm at 100%

> > > for left eye and about 80% for right eye. Exacerbation

> > > length and severity vary I think. The only supplement

> > > I know of for eyes is lutein [spelling?]. What freaked

> > > me out was when my eyes decided to see colors

> > > different. Like if something was red, I was seeing

> > > yellow. Normal color has returned now. Seeing shades

> > > of grey was intresting for a bit. Some lose vision

> > > completely, some never do and for some it's just

> > > another symptom that comes n goes. Try to not let it

> > > stress you.

> > > Donna

> > >

> >

>

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>

July 23, 2006

Press link below for a brief description of Optic Neurtitis: then press Dry Eye

Syndrome; once at Dry Eye Syndrome; begin reading @ Paragraphs 5-7 until you

read " A Deficiency of Vitamin A " ; Vitamin A is easy to buy as tablets or as

*Fish-Oil(any).

If allergic to Fish-Oil; then use " Beta-Carotene tablets and increase Greens and

Vegs.

ANNE wrote: Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 05:52:42 -0700

(PDT)

Subject: Optic Neuritis

To: anne_white53@...

http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/OpticNeuritis.asp

August 24, 2006

,

Funny you should ask that.

I've been messing around with my diet and supplements recently, trying to rid

myself of Candida.

Maybe that's what's brought it on.

I used to take antioxidants, but I stopped taking them, and all other

supplements when this started.

Probably a stupid thing to have done.

I'll start again, along with plenty of greens.

Adam

----- Original Message -----

From: Kindscher (Charter)

Hi Adam,

Antioxidants and greens are very good for the eyes. I had the blurred

vision, never went double thank goodness. My eyes got much better after

August 24, 2006

Hi Adam,

What are you using for the candida problem. You can have some major

dieoff reactions and you could be having some retracing of old issues.

Candida can be helped by eating certain foods and avoiding others, I am

sure you know the drill. If you concentrate on supporting your immune

system you can lessen the candida. Also concentrate on the bowels

getting healthy, pro-biotics, enzymes that type of thing. Clean up the

bowel and your eyes might just get better.

Hairbear wrote:

>,

>

>Funny you should ask that.

>I've been messing around with my diet and supplements recently, trying to rid

myself of Candida.

>Maybe that's what's brought it on.

>I used to take antioxidants, but I stopped taking them, and all other

supplements when this started.

>Probably a stupid thing to have done.

>

>I'll start again, along with plenty of greens.

>

>Adam

>

August 25, 2006

Adam,

Bilberry and Lutein are supplementsthat are very god for the eyes. Also, go to

the " Life Extension Foundation " website. They have several other essential

supplements and eye drops that are most helpful and relatively inexpensive.

Personally, I would also get a new doctor.

There are several members of this group that can help you that are quite

knowledgeable.

Regards,

Tom

Optic Neuritis

I'm new to this site and wondering if anyone can give me some advice.

I was diagnosed with MS twenty years ago, now SP.

I've been through most of the classic symptoms, but I've never had what

I assume is Optic Neuritis before, certainly not as severe as this.

There is no pain, but severe blurred and double wision.

I can barely see now, even with a patch over one eye.

Are there any supplements I can take that might help to shorten the

length of the relapse ?

Any other advice ?

Please don't suggest seeing my GP. Since I started using LDN, she has

become very unsympathic and has made it clear that I'm on my own now.

Adam

August 25, 2006

I suffered from that 2 times

1st time I went the steriod route then 2 months later the sight returned

2nd time I just do a fast and immediately you get relief

tbayuk wrote:

Adam,

Bilberry and Lutein are supplementsthat are very god for the eyes. Also, go to

the " Life Extension Foundation " website. They have several other essential

supplements and eye drops that are most helpful and re

August 25, 2006

Hi Adam

Here is a list of things compiled from people with MS they say has

helped their eyes. Note there are some things that are 'traditional'

drugs ike steroids in the list. The comments are not mine and please

check everything first as I cannout vouch for the info. Hope this

helps, from Adam (my name too!):

OPTIC NEURITIS

Steroids-My Brother had 1 Gram (100ml Solution/Bag) per day over 3

days of METHYLPREDNISONE

They do sometimes offer a follow-up dosage of Oral Steroids for 10-14 Days

IVIG-Immunoglobin and Vit B-12 and Folate for the eyes

If problem is Nystagmus Diplopia-Gabapentin (Neurontin) is thought to

help. However, some say that Neurontin can actually cause Nystagmus

Diplopia. So check with Docs/Neuro first.