11 replies to this topic

[Daniel Cooper]

Is anyone aware of anything that will upregulate lanosterol synthase expression?

 

I'm fighting an early onset cataract and decreased lanosterol production is implicated in these things.  I've been working on reducing my cholesterol numbers (I'm at 143 total, not using statins) and this seems to have started about the same time I created a ~40 point drop in cholesterol through diet and exercise.

 

I'd like to keep my plasma cholesterol where it is due to a predisposition to cardiovascular disease.  But, if I could shift some of that cholesterol towards lanosterol that might be useful.  Some topical means of upregulating lanosterol in the eye would probably be a grand idea too.  

 

I've started lanosterol, n-acetylcarnosine and visomitin, eye drops as well, but increasing endogenous lanosterol production in the eye would be most effective I think.

 

 

[FrankEd]

If you don´t mind would you please describe which lanosterol eye drops are you using?

[Daniel Cooper]

If you don´t mind would you please describe which lanosterol eye drops are you using?

 
 
Certainly - it's this:  LanoMax Lanosterol Eye Drops


Since the FDA hasn't approved lanosterol eye drops for humans, this is for pets. It's lanosterol which uses a cyclodextrin carrier to get around lanosterol's poor solubility.

Some people say it works for Spot and Fido, so maybe it works on humans as well. Who knows. Since lanosterol is endogenous to humans, particularly in the eye, and cyclodextrin is used in other eye drop formulations for humans, I'm not terribly concerned about it being harmful, except perhaps to my wallet.  Lanomax says that their drops are safe for humans, but they are not sold for human use.  
 
The evidence seems reasonably conclusive that if you can get lanosterol to the lens that it will very likely prevent and reverse cataracts, the issue has been actually getting it in there.  The lens capsule is a highly protected environment immunologically so it's not a slam dunk getting any substance in there.
 
Raising endogenous lanosterol levels in the eye would clearly be beneficial, hence the topic of this thread.
 
My goal is at a minimum to stave off the progression of these cataracts for 3 or 4 years till I can go to Canada and get these IOL implants:
 
Ocumetics Bionic Lens

 

Unfortunately at the rate it's currently progressing I'm not going to make it till those implants are approved and you can't go back and revise an existing implant with that IOL.

 

 

[FrankEd]

Thanks a lot Daniel, I have 10% cataract in both eyes and it´s very annoying. Unfortunately I can´t get Visomitin because it´s too hot in my country and I don´t know if

it will survive a trip from Russia.

 

Do you have some improvement with Visomitin?

[Daniel Cooper]

I've only been doing this regimen a little under 2 weeks now.  Too early to tell.

 

 

[nickdino]

Hi Daniel, would you please keep us informed about your experiences with these drops your taking?

I've tried visomitin for some months but it didnt reverse cataract formation..

[Daniel Cooper]

Been doing the Visomitin eye drops for about 5 months now.  It has significantly resolved my dry eye syndrome, but does not appear to have reversed my cataracts, based on the halos I see.

 

I'm going to try an oral squalene supplement as squalene is immediately upstream in the lanosterol synthesis chain.

 

The lanosterol eye drops did nothing btw and that is consistent with subsequent animal testing.  It does not appear to penetrate into the capsular bag well enough to be effective, which is why the original researchers injected it directly into the eye.  

 

I am confident that increasing endogenous lanosterol synthesis would be effective at arresting and perhaps reversing cataracts, the question is how to achieve that end.  Providing more of the precursors for lanosterol synthesis (i.e. squalene) seems like a good idea, as would upregulating lanosterol synthase production.  Still looking for how to accomplish the latter.  

 

BTW - I think my extreme diet restriction and supplement consumption which brought my cholesterol from ~189 down to ~130 might have been responsible for my sudden fairly early (52 yo) cataract formation.  Cholesterol is necessary for lanosterol synthesis and cataracts are a known side effect of statins.  I haven't taken statins but I have achieved a similar cholesterol reduction through other means and I think it may have caused similar complications.  

 

Just FYI.

 

If any of you have any ideas on the lanosterol synthase route please chime in.

 

 

[Rorororo]

I just read an interesting article:

https://blog.listent...loaters-vision/

It seems DMSO may hold some promise. What do you think?

[JamesPaul]

I purchased Visomitin but stopped taking it out of a concern that the concentration of benzalkonium chloride (BAK) that it contains might increase risk of ocular surface disease.  I posted my concern here:

 

https://www.longecit...ndpost&p=883915

 

I'm also very interested in learning of anything that could reverse or slow down development of cataracts.  Thanks for your thoughts on this subject.  I've read some of Dr. Kondrot's thoughts on the subject; I like what he says, but he doesn't seem to have reported many significant improvements in practice.

Edited by JamesPaul, 07 January 2020 - 04:34 AM.

[ta5]

I'm tempted to try this.

Moran, M. "Combination of two non-prescription eye drops for early cortical cataracts." Int J Complement Altern Med 14.6 (2021): 165-165.

 

Abstract

N-acetyl carnosine (NAC) drops have been proposed for the treatment of age-related cataracts but “[t]here is currently no convincing evidence that NAC reverses cataract.”¹ A 2019 study failed to improve cataracts using lanosterol.² Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) decreases ocular inflammation³ and it is a well-known carrier.

 

Letter to editor

The issue is whether adding the carrier dimethyl sulfoxide to other eye drops, like lanosterol or N-acetyl carnosine, will allow for dissolution of early cataracts. About 5-6 years ago, my optometrist diagnosed me with “early cortical cataracts.” One or two years later I improved my diet, switching to an organic mostly plant-based diet. Later, I changed eye clinics and saw two different optometrists. The cataract diagnosis was confirmed. On two different occasions, I used Can-C® (1% N-acetyl carnosine) drops daily for one-two months before my next annual optometry exam. My cataracts did not change. Recently, I decided to use a combination of drops three times daily for two months before my eye exam. Left eye was treated with one drop of Cataract Clear (4.2% N-acetyl carnosine) immediately followed by one drop of 40% DMSO Eye Drops® in normal saline (dimethyl sulfoxide from YumNaturals). Right eye was treated with one drop of Lanomax® (lanosterol 2 mg/ml) immediately followed by one drop of 40% DMSO. A less concentrated DMSO eye drops is available and produces less eye irritation or burning sensation, but I assumed the 40% DMSO was going to be diluted to about 20% by the previously applied drops. Lanomax® is commercially available without a prescription to treat cataracts in animals. I recently went back to the first ophthalmology clinic and was seen by the optometrist who made the initial cataract diagnosis. Just before the eye exam, I told the optometrist he had diagnosed me with cataracts years ago but because of my very healthy diet I might not have cataracts any longer. The optometrist disagreed with me and stated cataracts are normal in my age group (62 years old) and he also said cataracts “do not go away”. Despite his assertive statement, the optometrist admitted at the end of the eye exam that I did not have any cataracts. He mentioned a yellowish tint but both crystalline lenses were clear of cataracts.

 

Lanomax® has been found to clear cataracts in dogs when injected intraocularly. Eye drops do not work as well because of their inadequate absorption into the lens. DMSO is a well-known carrier; it greatly facilitates dermatological absorption of medications applied on the skin. My hypothesis assumed DMSO should be an effective carrier for eye drops and, if so, cataracts should be reversable. It seemed to be effective, at least in part, with several condition accompanied in my case. A detail follow-up will also be necessary for further investigation from a pathophysiological point of view.

 

Maybe people who have reached a certain age should be prophylactically treated with a combination of eye drops even before they develop early cataracts. And surely once early cataracts have been diagnosed.

 

Conclusion

The combination of (a) 40% DMSO + 4.2% N-acetyl carnosine or (b) 40% DMSO + lanosterol completely dissolved early cortical cataracts in one person.

 

References

1. Dubois V, Bastawrous A. N-acetylcarnosine (NAC) drops for age-related cataract. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;2(2):CD009493.

2. Daszynski DM, Santhoshkumar P, Phadte AS. et al. Failure of Oxysterols Such as Lanosterol to Restore Lens Clarity from Cataracts. Sci Rep. 2019;9:8459.

3. Hanna C, Fraunfelder FT, Meyer SM. Effects of dimethyl sulfoxide on ocular inflammation. Ann Ophthalmol. 1977;9(1):61–65.

[Mind]

I am quite interested in this topic as well as my eye doctor sees some signs of cataracts in one of my eyes. I would rather reverse it without surgery.

[pamojja]

I let perplexity summarize, what I thought as a base regimen to prevent deteriorating eye health.
 

Comprehensive Table: Nutrients and Herbal Options for Eye Health and Cataract Prevention

| Key Food Sources / Origin                                      | Supported by Modern Research? | Sources
-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|---------
Vitamin C              | Antioxidant; reduces risk of cataracts and AMD; supports collagen   | Citrus fruits, bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes   | Yes                           | [1][2][3][5][6][7]
Vitamin E              | Antioxidant; protects eye cells from free radical damage; may prevent AMD and cataracts | Nuts (almonds, walnuts), seeds (sunflower), vegetable oils      | Yes                           | [1][2][3][5][6][7]
Vitamin A              | Protects against night blindness and dry eyes                       | Liver, eggs, butter, milk, spinach, carrots                     | Yes                           | [1][3][5]
Vitamin D              | May reduce risk of macular degeneration                             | Salmon, sardines, mackerel, fortified milk, sunlight            | Some                          | [4]
Lutein & Zeaxanthin    | Filters blue light, protects retina, may prevent cataracts and AMD  | Leafy greens (spinach, kale), broccoli, squash, eggs, peppers   | Yes                           | [1][2][4][5][6][7]
Omega-3 Fatty Acids    | Maintains retinal structure and function; anti-inflammatory; may reduce cataract risk | Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines), flaxseeds, walnuts         | Yes                           | [1][2][5][8]
Zinc                   | Supports retinal health; helps vitamin A function; may reduce night blindness and cataracts | Oysters, red meat, legumes, nuts, seeds                         | Yes                           | [1][2][5][6][7]
Selenium               | Antioxidant; may reduce risk of advanced AMD when combined with other nutrients | Seafood (shrimp, crab, salmon), Brazil nuts, grains             | Some                          | [4]
Copper                 | Included in AREDS formulation for eye health                        | Shellfish, nuts, seeds                                          | Yes                           | [1][2]
Beta-carotene          | Precursor to vitamin A; supports night vision                       | Carrots, sweet potatoes, leafy greens                           | Yes                           | [1][2][3][5]
Astaxanthin            | Potent antioxidant; may delay cataract progression                  | Microalgae, salmon, krill (supplemental form)                   | Some (animal/lab studies)     | (general research, not in provided sources)
Alpha Lipoic Acid      | Antioxidant; supports lens health                                   | Spinach, broccoli, potatoes (also as supplement)                | Some                          | (general research, not in provided sources)
Bioflavonoids          | May protect against cataracts and AMD                               | Tea, citrus fruits, berries, legumes                            | Some                          | [4]
Bilberry               | Antioxidant; supports lens and retina health                        | Bilberries, blueberries                                         | Some                          | [4]
Amla (Ayurveda)        | Antioxidant; traditional eye tonic; supports overall eye health     | Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis); Triphala formula       | Traditional, some support     | (traditional use, not in provided sources)
Glutathione            | Key antioxidant in the lens; low levels linked to cataracts         | Synthesized in body; found in fruits/veggies, meat              | Yes                           | (general research, not in provided sources)

The strongest evidence for cataract prevention is for antioxidants (vitamin C, E, A), lutein/zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids124568.

 

Herbal and traditional remedies like amla are widely used in Ayurveda and supported by their antioxidant content, but clinical research is more limited.

 

Astaxanthin, alpha lipoic acid, and bilberry show promise in animal or early human studies, but are not as well-established as the nutrients above.

 

For best results, focus on a colorful, varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fish, and consult your healthcare provider before starting new supplements or herbal treatments.
 

Legend for sources:

• 1 Nutrients for the aging eye - PMC - PubMed Central

• 2 Nutrition and Eye Health - PMC - PubMed Central

• 3 Nutrition and Eye Health | Johns Hopkins Medicine

• 4 Nutrients for Eye Health and Disease Management - EyeWiki

• 5 THE ROLE OF NUTRITION IN EYE HEALTH: A COMPREHENSIVE ...

• 6 Diet, Nutrition, and Eye Health Supplements (AAO)

• 7 Diet and Nutrition - American Optometric Association (AOA)

• 8 Eyes on Nutrition: Key Foods that Support Your Vision

Items marked as “general research, not in provided sources” or “traditional use, not in provided sources” are included based on broader scientific or traditional knowledge, as these specific sources were not in the search results.

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC3693724/
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC6771137/
3. https://www.hopkinsm...-and-eye-health
4. https://eyewiki.org/...ease_Management
5. https://www.jptcp.co...ticle/view/6667
6. https://www.aao.org/.../diet-nutrition
7. https://www.aoa.org/...t-and-nutrition
8. https://ophthalmolog...rt-your-vision/

 

 

Personally increased vitamin A slowly, and saw the correlation with ceasing retinal migraines above 25,000 IU. With years, intake dropped to 7,000 IU again, because also my blood retinol had increased from low to high within normal. Retinal migraines came back. And left, increasing retinol again.