Best supplements for cornea nerves regneration

[nitrodrops]

Hi All,

May i find out which is the best supplements for cornea nerves regeneration?

Or just go for Omega3 with the highest DHA? googled and understand that DHA is required for cornea nerves regeneration.


Cheers
Nitro

[Rebecca Petris]

I've never heard of a connection between any oral supplement and corneal nerve regeneration.

[nitrodrops]

Hi Reb,

I came across this article, reading it gives me the impression that DHA does help in corneal nerve regeneration. But this study is done on animals.

http://www.fatsoflife.com/article.ph...758&issueid=79

DHA with Epithelial Growth Factor Enhances Nerve Regeneration After Corneal Surgery

One of the primary ways to correct visual acuity problems and corneal defects is refractive surgery, such as photorefractive keratectomy and laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, popularly known as LASIK surgery. While usually correcting the underlying visual problems, these surgeries damage the corneal sensory nerves, impair lacrimal gland function and can cause dry eye syndrome (dry eye). The latter complication occurs in more than half of patients undergoing LASIK surgery and can persist up to 6 months and beyond. It may also be accompanied by pain, soreness and eyelid-sticking. The most common treatments rely on the application of artificial tear fluids and ointments, which relieve symptoms, but do not affect the underlying condition.

To alleviate and correct the underlying nerve damage, the investigators in this report by Soledad Cortina and colleagues targeted the regeneration of corneal nerves and explored the conditions and agents that facilitated such nerve regeneration. The researchers conducted their studies in rabbits that underwent lamellar keratectomy in the left eye and subsequent removal of the cornea at the end of the study. For the study of corneal nerve regeneration, animals were treated with pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF), a potent nerve growth agent and inhibitor of angiogenesis, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or both. DHA has been associated with dendrite formation and complexity, synaptogenesis in the brain and corneal nerve regeneration in experimental animals. To examine potential mechanisms of action, the study measured corneal neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1), a product of DHA metabolism with strong anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective actions.

Using lamellar dissection, the investigators transected all stromal nerves in the cornea and then monitored nerve regeneration. Exposure to PEDF and DHA was carried out using collagen shields soaked in the test substance or carrier vehicle for 5 minutes and then secured on the rabbit cornea for periods up to 6 weeks of treatment (8 weeks after surgery). After treatment, the corneas were examined in the anesthetized animals using confocal microscopy. This imaging technique achieves higher resolution images by using a pinhole aperture and eliminating out-of-focus light. Images were taken in the center of the cornea for nerve area analysis and quantification using an image analysis program. Whole corneas were extracted and a portion analyzed for lipids, NPD1 and immunochemistry. The corneas were incubated with anti-βIII-tubulin antibody to identify neurons and quantify nerve damage using immunofluorescence.

After treatment with PEDF plus DHA for 2 or 4 weeks, there was a significant increase in stromal nerve regeneration of more than 3 times the regeneration observed with the treatment vehicle alone. Subsequent treatments were carried out for 6 weeks. Treatment with PEDF+DHA increased the subepithelial nerve area to 29% compared with 10% in the vehicle-only group. Similarly, stromal nerves increased by 19% compared with 7% in the control group. With PEDF or DHA alone, corneal nerve regeneration did not increase. Increased nerve regeneration observed with the two substances together suggests synergism between them.

To explore whether surgically treated corneas produced NPD1, the investigators examined the NPD1 content of corneas treated with DHA for 1 or 2 weeks and compared the results to treatment with PEDF+DHA. The investigators found that NPD1 increased after surgery in corneas treated with DHA for 1 week and that levels were greater with PEDF+DHA treatment. Levels observed at 2 weeks were lower, suggesting that NPD1 synthesis occurs early after surgery. In the PEDF+DHA-treated corneas 1 week after surgery, there were no nerves in the epithelial and subepithelial surgical areas, whereas nerves were observed in the stroma. After 2 weeks, epithelial nerves appeared. After 6 weeks of treatment with both agents, the number of superficial epithelial cells increased significantly. This observation was interpreted as consistent with a healthier corneal epithelium. The authors noted that in dry eye, the number of superficial epithelial cells declines.

The most striking observation in this study was the enhanced regeneration—up to 3-fold—of surgically damaged corneal nerves treated with PEDF plus DHA compared with untreated corneas. Both substances were required together, as neither alone affected nerve regeneration. These experiments suggest that DHA might be active through the production of NPD1, as the concentration of the latter increased in corneas treated with PEDF+DHA. Usually, the DHA content of cornea is very low, but NPD1 production was increased in mice fed DHA-rich diets. Implications from this research suggest that nerve regeneration following photorefractive keratectomy or LASIK surgery can be enhanced with the application of PEDF+DHA and that the development of post-surgical dry eye could be reduced and possibly prevented.

Cortina MS, He J, Li N, Bazan NG, Bazan HE. Neuroprotectin D1 synthesis and corneal nerve regeneration after experimental surgery and treatment with PEDF plus DHA. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2010;51:804-810. [PubMed]

He J, Bazan HE. Omega-3 fatty acids in dry eye and corneal nerve regeneration after refractive surgery. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2010; doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2010.02.004 [PubMed]

[Michael Lange OD]

I think currently it is best to take a good triglyceride form omega three fish oil that is relatively high in both EPA and DHA. Or try to eat sardines herring, wild alaskan salmon, or low mercury tuna frequently! These fish will help to bump the omge three that is deficient in most people. Remember to be very careful when eating fish do to the potential conatminants that are in a large portion of fish. Also dont drink out of plastic bottles especially if there is a number 7 on the bottom or consume any foods or beverages with F D and C red , yellow or blue dye. the plastics and dyes will cause endocrine disruption and agrevate an already existing dry eye condition!

Michael Lange OD, CNS
www.drmichaellange.com
www.fortifeye.com