Eyesight

[M-o-ggy]

Is there any evidence that PD affects eyesight

[chartist]

Yes there is evidence to support that idea as discussed here :

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl....

Here is a relevant quote from the link :

' Lack of dopamine can therefore lead to a range of visual disturbances in PD patients, such as diplopia. PD patients also have an increased risk of eyelid apraxia and blepharospasm or dry eyes. Visual disorders are frequently seen early in the disease and may be considered as prodromal symptoms of PD as well. For example, impaired color vision may be a preclinical marker of neurodegeneration [7]. Furthermore, PD patients may develop non-PD related ophthalmic diseases such as cataract or macular degeneration [4, 8–14]. Visual disorders are particularly vexing for patients with PD because of their need to compensate visually for their deficits in automatic, internally generated movements. For example, visual cues such as stripes on the floor are useful to overcome freezing of gait [4, 15, 16]. Not being able to see these visual cues adequately may therefore have an immediate impact on functioning in daily life. Indeed, visual disorders combined with postural instability and gait disability can increase the risk of falls and fall-related injuries such as hip fractures [17]. Finally, visual disorders cause difficulties in activities of daily life (e.g., driving, reading, cooking) and thus may lead to social isolation [1]. Consequently, visual disorders have a negative impact on the quality of life in PD patients [8, 9, 18]. '

Btw, diplopia is another name for double vision.

Art

[M-o-ggy in reply to chartist]

Thank you Art. It seems that I have cataracts described by the optician as 1 bar. 3 bars indicate that surgery is necessary. They also said that cataracts makes for greater sensitivity to light whilst my sensitivity has reduced as had my sensitivity to contrast.

I have recently read a comment that uric acid levels are linked to cataracts but as yet have not been able to verify that

[alexask in reply to M-o-ggy]

I assume you are taking melatonin, which I have seen studies showing cataract growth and also beneficial for muscular degeneration

[chartist in reply to M-o-ggy]

Melatonin is useful for delaying cataract progression as discussed here :

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl....

Here is a relevant quote from the link :

' In a more recent investigation, melatonin has been found to inhibit ferroptosis and delay age-related cataract by regulating specific pathways. This inhibition of ferroptosis by melatonin is achieved through the activation of SIRT6/p-Nrf2/GPX4 and SIRT6/NCOA4/FTH1 pathways. It was observed that melatonin rescued the survival of cells exposed to UVB-induced ferroptotic stress, and this effect was attributed to the inhibition of ferroptosis. Melatonin’s mechanism of action involved neutralizing lipid peroxidation toxicity, thereby protecting cells against ferroptotic stress in vitro and delaying cataract formation caused by UVB exposure in rats. These findings suggest that melatonin plays a significant role in modulating ferroptosis, highlighting its potential therapeutic implications for conditions associated with ferroptosis, such as age-related cataracts [82]. Examining melatonin’s ability to counteract oxidative damage, Lledo et al. [83] shed light on its regulatory role in Nrf2 and NLRP3 inflammasome activity. Melatonin’s interventions included preventing ROS generation, promoting antioxidant capacity, and attenuating inflammatory and cytotoxic effects induced by oxidative stressors. These findings underscored melatonin’s potential as a therapeutic agent for cataract prevention [83]. In conclusion, the collective body of research portrays melatonin as a promising candidate for addressing age-related cataracts and stress-related eye diseases. Its diverse properties, encompassing antioxidative, mitochondrial-protective, autophagy-modulating, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic functions, underscore its potential as a valuable component in the treatment and prevention of cataracts [78,84]. '

Melatonin eye drops would probably be the best delivery method for this purpose, but oddly, I have never seen them in the US, which considering melatonin's healthful effects for the eyes, seems like a travesty. Perhaps a compounding pharmacy can make them up and I think they may be available in other countries.

For myself, I make melatonin lotion, but use aloe vera gel instead of lotion and I apply this around my eyes, but not in them, in the hope that the melatonin might pass through the eyelids via osmosis.

Art

[carpark88 in reply to M-o-ggy]

I had cataract surgery and my eyes are now more sensitive to light. Everything is brighter since the surgery

[M-o-ggy in reply to carpark88]

This is interesting. My eyes have always been reactive to sunlight. My optician said that cataracts makes everything brighter and he didn't have an explanation for my vision becoming darker

[Boscoejean]

"Although many visual symptoms are due to impaired high-level visual processing, earlier stages of visual processing are also affected,7,8 and changes in retinal structure and function can also be found in patients with Parkinson’s disease such as color discrimination as well as lower contrast sensitivity and visual acuity. Indeed, in a unified conception of the visual pathway, abnormalities stemming from the retina may become aberrant input to visual cortex, affecting functions such as visuospatial construction, object perception, face and emotion recognition as well as their visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, color vision, and motion perception.7"

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[gomelgo]

My nystagmus that I have had since childhood definitely has been getting worse. It seems PD is like a more rapid form of aging and everything is affected.

[RBan in reply to gomelgo]

I have often thought this! We are 20 years ahead of schedule for aging and all that entails.

[M-o-ggy in reply to gomelgo]

For as long as I can remember, I have had floaters in my eyes. I notice that they have become darker and I notice them more. A side effect is that I can not paint a wall etc evenly

[chartist]

In my experience aloe vera gel/melatonin mix may be helpful for eye floaters in some people when applied around the eyes , but not in the eyes. It seems like it took about a month. I make it just like melatonin lotion, but substitute aloe vera gel for Cetaphil lotion.

Art