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I would also like to make the case for taking a high quality multivitamin if you have glaucoma, as many of the ingredients have been shown to be protective of glaucoma. For example, glutathione is the body’s main intracellular antioxidant. It cannot be taken orally, as it is broken down by our digestive processes. However, by taking alpha lipoic acid and n-acetyl cysteine, both of which are precursors to glutathione, you can increase glutathione levels in our cells. Retinas typically have very high concentrations of glutathione. To insure that your retinal levels of glutathione are high, I suggest that you take both Lipoic acid, 300 mg daily and N-acetyl-cysteine, 600 mg daily.

Here are several other reasons to consider taking a high quality multivitamin if you have glaucoma. Zinc is a powerful inhibitor of excitotoxicity, just as Magnesium is. Vitamin E also abolishes excitotoxicity. The B vitamins thiamine, pyridoxine, nicotinamide, and B12 have all been shown to reduce glutamate excitotoxicity in vitro. In addition to these basics, there are other supplements in a good quality multi that have positive effects. Coenzyme Q 10 helps protect against glutamate toxicity in cultured neural cells. Carnitine has been shown to do the same in cultured cerebellar neurons. Curcumin has been shown in cultured retinal cells to decrease cell death when exposed to glutamate.

All of these will be found in the Perfect Multi line of multivitamins. I especially recommend the Perfect Multi Focus for both glaucoma and macular degeneration, as it is formulated with 10 extra ingredients all designed to aid brain function and memory. Embryologically, the retina is a direct outgrowth of the brain, thus maintaining all characteristics of central nervous system tissue. Thus it is the best formula for retinal function.

The problem at the current time is that glaucoma is such a long-standing disease, that to do nutritional studies on a variety of nutrients over the course of a decade or more is logistically and financially impossible. We will all be long gone before we have definitive answers. In the meantime, it make sense to me that we use the knowledge we have gained from the laboratory to give our eyes every substance they need to protect themselves against the ravages of this difficult disease.

On the first page of my web site, there is highlighted a link to the table of contents of the Perfect Multi. I invite you to compare the list of ingredients with your multivitamin, both for price and completeness of components. I think you will find for the slight extra cost, you have a much more complete formula, which in my opinion is well worth it. Not only will your eyes appreciate it, your body will as well.

Jim McNabb, M.D.
Eye Physicians of Austin