Recent research shows a connection between low glutathione levels and Open-Angle Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, and Cataracts. The research shows that these problems can be avoided with sufficient glutathione.
Without sufficient glutathione oxidative stress leads to unclear eyesight and eventually blindness. Many studies have found that when faced with a lack of glutathione in the eyes, there is a greater chance of Open-Angle Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration and Cataracts. When we age its more difficult to see things clearly and reading glasses are required. This is called presbyopia. According to Dr. Daria Davidson, a board certified medical doctor focusing on holistic medicine with 30 years of practice, your eyes create glutathione to protect against the oxidation that the sunlight produces
According to Wikipedia, "Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of the reactive oxygen species and the eyes’ biological systems being able to readily detoxify the reactive intermediate and easily repair the resulting damage. If you have free radicals from oxidative stress, you need an antioxidant to reduce the free radical—an oxidation reduction reaction. Glutathione donates and extra electron to accomplish this. This reducing environment is preserved by enzymes and components like glutathione that maintain the constant status of metabolic energy which is ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) in the cell.
With insufficient ATP the cell becomes sluggish. In some respects ATP is like oil or lubrication is to an engine. Disturbances of the oxidative state cause toxic effects to the DNA.
According to Wikipedia, oxidative stress has been found to contribute to many different health issues, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, atherosclerosis, heart failure, heart attack, and so on.
Glutathione is the guardian of the cell. Glutathione neutralizes free radicals better than anything, and is the best thing you can have to support the function and structure of your body in every cell. Along with keeping glutathione levels high it's beneficial to keep superoxide dismutases (SOD) and coenzyme q10 levels high too. They are two other powerful antioxidants found in the cell.
According to the statistics in this country, age macular degeneration is second only to diabetes in causing blindness. World wide the number one cause of blindness is cataracts. In Australia, the number one cause is open-angle glaucoma. But what's important is that all three of these conditions are related with low levels of glutathione in the eye.
In the Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics in April of 2000 it was reported that glutathione exists in an unusually high concentration in the lens where it functions as an antioxidant and vital for maintenance of the tissues responsible for transparency.”
The article goes on to say, “In conjunction with glutathione the oxidation reduction cycle located in the lens epithelium detoxifies this potentially dangerous oxidant. The depletion of glutathione or the inhibition of the cycle to occur causes oxidative damage resulting in a clouding of the lens,” which is what cataracts are.
Quoting from the Journal of Ocular Service in 2007 “Deficiency in glutathione has been linked to ocular disease and viral infection, endogenous (made inside your body) glutathione plays a role in safeguarding active transfer processes across the surface of the mucosa of the eye and also within the tear film. Glutathione is the most abundant endogenous antioxidant molecule in tear fluid.”
Dr. Davidson explains that tear ducts in the eyes lubricate the surface of the eye. These tear ducts are actually allowing glutathione into the fluid to bath the eye. There are actually glutathione eye drops available but most of them are used in Japan to help keep the eyes healthy. Obviously the more glutathione your body produces, they healthier your eyes will be.
Mutation research in 2006 – The Role of Oxidative Stress in Glaucoma “Increasing evidence indicates that reactive oxygen species (free radicals” play a key role in pathogenesis (disease) of primary Open-Angle Glaucoma the main cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.”
This article suggests that Glaucoma is the main cause of blindness world wide whereas other sources claim that cataracts are. In either case, glutathione is a major player.
In Progress in Retinal and Eye Research in 2003 it's stated that “The high concentration of glutathione in the lens in believed to protect structural proteins and enzymes for proper biological functioning. The lens of both biosynthetic and regenerating systems for glutathione to maintain its large pool size. However aging lens are lens under oxidative stress show an extensively diminished size of glutathione pool."
We know that certain cells under particular stress such as liver cells have a very high amount of glutathione because they are the washing machine of the body. Lungs are also high in glutathione to handle the toxins that we breathe. Skin is high in glutathione to deal with the free radical damage caused by sunlight and the eyes are likewise high in glutathione because they too are exposed to sunlight.
In summary glutathione is needed for every cell of your eyes to function optimally. If you keep your eyes healthy, the likely hood of getting a diagnosis of cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration goes down significantly.
Information taken from Dr. Daria Davidson's weekly calls at her website.
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