Statin Drugs May Cause Eye Disorders in Some

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Statin Drugs May Cause Eye Disorders in Some

 

Eye disorders related to statins are rare, occurring in about 0.1

percent of patients  (0.5 to 2.5 percent when gemfibrozil, another

type of cholesterol-lowering drug, is taken simultaneously)  but had

not been systematically reported prior to the study  led by F.W.

Fraunfelder, MD,  of the Casey Eye Institute at Oregon Health and

Science University. The research appears in the December issue of

Ophthamology,

the journal of the American Academy of Ophthamology.

 

Fraunfelder & rsquo;s group analyzed statin-associated reports of double

vision (diplopia), drooping of the upper eyelid (ptosis), and loss of

full range of motion of the eyes (ophthalmoplegia) in the databases of

the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects, the World

Health Organization, and the Food and Drug Administration.  Since

statins were known to cause skeletal muscle disorders in some patients,

a similar affect was plausible in the eye muscles. The average patient

age was 64.5 years, and the case reports included 143 males, 91 females,

and 22 persons with gender unspecified.  The average statin

dose of patients who exhibited one or more eye disorder was within

ranges recommended by drug manufacturers, and the average time from

beginning of therapy to developing an adverse drug reaction (ADR) was

8.3 months.  There were 23 cases of loss of eye range of motion; 8

cases of ptosis, and 18 cases of ptosis in conjunction with double

vision; disorders in all patients apparently resolved completely when

statins were discontinued.  From the ADR reports, the researchers

could not determine

precisely which eye muscles were involved, or time needed to full

recovery after statin discontinuation, for individual cases.

 

Editor's Note: For natural recommendations for lowering cholesterol, go

to www.naturaleyecare.com/diseases.asp?d_num=50

 

Regular Exercise Reduces Risk of Macular Degeneration and Cataracts

 

A recent study published on February 10, 2009 in Health & Medicine

showed that vigorous exercise may help prevent vision loss, according to

a pair of studies from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley

National Laboratory. The studies tracked approximately 31,000 runners

for more than seven years, and found that running reduced the risk of

both cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. The research, which

is among the first to suggest that vigorous exercise may help prevent

vision loss, offers hope for people seeking to fend off the onset of eye

disease.

 

Editor's Note: It is believed that the visual system requires up to 25%

of the nutrients we take into our bodies in order to stay healthy.

Impaired circulation and/or poor absorption of nutrients can

significantly contribute to eye disease.

 

Editor's Note2: Our Advanced Eye and Vision Support contains nutrients

such as lutein and zeaxanthin that have proven to reduce the risk of

eye disease such as macular degeneration and cataracts. For more

information, go to

http://www.naturaleyecare.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=1812