New Anti Cataract Eye Drops

New Anti Cataract Eye Drops. N-acetylcarnosine

New Anti Cataract Eye Drops

 

 

N-acetylcarnosine is a new ophthalmic drug or eye drop that has been proven to treat and prevent the formation of senile cataract. Senile cataract is an age-related process that occurs in people who are older than 45. This medication can also be called as anti cataract eye drops.

 

How does N-acetylcarnosine work?

The natural lens consists of proteins called crystalline proteins which are soluble proteins and they don’t cross-link with each other and that is the main reason that the lens is transparent. To prevent this cross-linking, there are factors called anti-oxidation factors which will act against the free radicals such as hydroxyl and superoxide that are produced naturally from oxidation processes.

These anti-oxidation factors present in the lens and also in the aqueous humor which surround the lens. With aging, the concentration of these anti-oxidation factors will decline and there will be no more protection of the lens from free radicals and other oxidation process products.

The soluble proteins start to become insoluble and they aggregate and cross-link with each other, causing lens discoloration which with time will form lens opacity.

L-carnosie or N-acetylcarnosine is an excellent anti oxidant factor and it is particularly effective against free-radicals such as hydroxyl and superoxide and so it will help to prevent or slow down the formation of senile cataract.

 

 

What is the difference between L-carnosine and N-acetylcarnosine ?

In the cornea and aqueous humor there is an enzyme called carnosinase. This enzyme breaks down the carnosine within minutes into other products.

Within 15 minutes from the L-carnosine eye drops application,there will be no signs of it in the aqueous humor which means that L-carnosine was broken down by the enzyme and washed out from the aqueous humor.

NAC is highly resistant to the action of this enzyme and it can be detected in aqueous humor after 30 minutes of eye drop application.

L-carnosine will be broken down into multi products and one of them is histamine which is a toxic and harmful product to the eye and it can active or promote the oxidation process inside the eye while N-acetylcarnosine is resistant to the enzyme and so it will not be broken down into histamine.

 

 

Research Studies

A research study was held in County of Newcastle, Delaware, USA in 2002 for the efficiency of N-acetylcarnosine in the treatment of cataracts. 41 eyes were diagnosed with cataracts and they used NAC twice a day for 6 and 24 months. The control group were 35 eyes, 21 of them received placebo eye drops while 14 of them were on nothing.

The outcomes of the study are:

1- No patients on this eye drops showed worsening of vision

2- 90% of treated group had an improvement in visual acuity.

3- 88.9% of treated group had an improvement of glare sensitivity.

4- 41.5% of the treated group had an improvement in the topographic images of the cataract in which there were fewer area of cataract in the lens.

Read more about this clinical study

There are research studies that are still ongoing to find the efficacy of NAC in Glaucoma and other ocular diseases.

 

 

Ingredients of Anti Cataract Eye Drops

• Active ingredients:

N-Acetylcarnosine (NAC) 1.0%.

• Preservative:

Purified Benzyl Alcohol which is mild preservative substance without major side effects associated with more potent preservatives. It will help also to deliver the active ingredients into the eye.

• Inactive ingredients:

Glycerin (lubricant) 1.0%, Carboxymethylcellulose sodium (lubricant) 0.3%, Sterile Water (Ophthalmic Grade Isotonic Solution, pH 6.3 to 6.5 which will help to decrease the sting sensation when the eye drop is applied to the eye), Buffered with Potassium Phosphate, Dibasic and Potassium Phosphate Monobasic. The buffer system will help to maintain a certain PH.

Both Glycerin and Carboxymethylcellulose will act as lubricants to act against dry eye symptoms such as foreign body sensation and irritation. Also both of them will give a viscosity like consistency of the eye drop which will help to deliver more of the active ingredients into the eye.

 

 

Dosage of N-acetylcarnosine

Treatment dosages are at 1 or 2 drops, twice a day. Senile cataract is a normal aging process and it is mainly due to low amount of anti-oxidation factors.

In order to maintain the efficacy of this medication and in order to prevent or slow down the formation of senile cataract, N-acetylcarnosine should be applied in a regular basis. Once the it is stopped, the natural will no longer be protected against the free radicals and the process of cataract formation will start all over again.

 

Storage

For unused and unopened bottle, it can be stored at room temperature. It should be kept away from sunlight, moisture and always kept away from children and pets.

For used and opened bottle, it should be stored in the fridge and it shouldn’t be freezed because freezing can destroy the active ingredients and the product will be ineffective.

To prevent contamination, don’t keep the top of the bottle open and it is recommended not to use the bottle for more than 4 weeks.

 

Precautions when using N-acetylcarnosine

1- Always use this medication and any other eye drops after consulting your eye doctor.

2- Don’t use this eye drops when you wear contact lens, take off your contact lens, apply the medication and wait for at least 10 minutes before wearing the lens again.

3- In case you are in more than one medication, discuss that with your eye doctor to prevent any drugs interaction and after approval, give an interval of 5 minutes between each medication and always keep the ointment to the last.

 

 

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