1 Sight For Life! VisiVite.Com 1-877-880-5251 Macular Degeneration Quiz Do you think you know the important facts about macular degeneration? Take the following QUIZ and check your score ! The answers are on Page 4. QUESTIONS 1. Taking half the dosage of VisiVite macular degeneration supplements per day has some benefit, but not as much as taking the full dose. TRUE OR FALSE? 2. The benefits of taking VisiVite nutritional supplementation for macular degeneration are usually seen by one month. TRUE OR FALSE? 3. Only the “wet” form of macular degeneration can cause severe vision loss. TRUE OR FALSE? 4. The carotenoids Lutein and Zeaxanthin were not included in the National Eye Institute’s Age Related Eye Disease Study because they were not shown to be beneficial. TRUE OR FALSE? 5. There is no successful treatment for wet macular degeneration. TRUE OR FALSE?
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Sight For Life! VisiVite.Com
1-877-880-5251 Macular Degeneration Quiz Do you think you know the important facts about macular degeneration? Take the following QUIZ and check your score! The answers are on Page 4. QUESTIONS 1. Taking half the dosage of VisiVite macular degeneration supplements per day has some benefit, but not as much as taking the full dose. TRUE OR FALSE? 2. The benefits of taking VisiVite nutritional supplementation for macular degeneration are
usually seen by one month. TRUE OR FALSE? 3. Only the “wet” form of macular degeneration can cause severe vision loss.
TRUE OR FALSE? 4. The carotenoids Lutein and Zeaxanthin were not included in the National Eye Institute’s Age Related Eye Disease Study because they
were not shown to be beneficial. TRUE OR FALSE? 5. There is no successful treatment for wet macular degeneration. TRUE OR FALSE?
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National Eye Institute Announces AREDS 2
The National Eye Institute announced that the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS 2) will look specifically at lutein and zeaxanthin, plant-derived yellow pigments that aggregate in the macular portion of the retina. Also to be reviewed will be the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which are derived from both fish and certain vegetable oils.
While the original AREDS formulation was shown to reduce the rate of progression of macular degeneration, the National Eye Institute is introducing this new study to determine if these new molecules will have an even stronger effect.
Dr. Emily Chew, the study chair and deputy director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical
Research at the National Eye Institute stated that the research strongly suggests this will be true, since studies suggest that people who eat higher amounts of green leafy vegetables that contain lutein and zeaxanthin and those who eat two or more servings of fish per week have a lower risk of having macular degeneration than those that don’t eat those things at all.
The current study will also evaluate the elimination of beta-carotene for smokers, since this compound carries additional health risks for smokers. The study is expected to take more than 5 years to complete. VisiVite Formulas that contain both Lutein and Zeaxanthin are VisiVite Gold, Green and E-Free.
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TREATMENT OF WET AMD WITH ANTI-VEGF MEDICATIONS
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors, or VEGF’s, are found in high concentration inside the eyes of patients with wet macular degeneration, and have been proven to be one of the causes for the formation of abnormal blood vessels below the retina that cause bleeding and sudden loss of vision.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now approved two drugs for injection into the eye that block VEGF’s, one of which has even been shown to improve vision!
The two FDA-approved drugs are Macugen and Lucentis. While Macugen has been shown to stabilize vision in wet macular degeneration patients, some Lucentis patients actually experience visual improvement. Therefore, Macugen usage has become less common for the treatment of wet macular degeneration.
Doctors are now more optimistic than ever with respect to the treatment of wet macular degeneration. However, studies have shown that in most patients, the effect is temporary, and some patients may require periodic injections of Lucentis for continued effect.
Most interesting is that Genentech, the company that manufactures Lucentis, also manufactures a colon cancer anti-VEGF drug known as Avastin that might also prove useful in the treatment of wet macular degeneration. Like Lucentis, Avastin can improve vision loss due to wet AMD. And while Lucentis costs $2,000 per injection, Avastin costs only $50.00.
No one knows yet whether Lucentis or Avastin works better. Many physicians are using the less expensive Avastin “off-label,” because it is not FDA approved. The FDA is planning a study to compare Lucentis and Avastin.
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Sight for Life Subscription Service Saves Time and Money! Customers may now order any VisiVite® supplement and get FREE shipping and FREE Co-Defense® multivitamins!
How? It’s easy! Start your subscription with a 3 month supply of your preferred VisiVite® formula. When you do, each time we’ll include: ► FREE Shipping! ► A FREE 3-month supply of Co-Defense® Multivitamin Tablets
For more information, call 1-800-427-7660, Ext 2.
Answers to Macular Degeneration Quiz(See First Page) QUESTION 1 - FALSE
Prior to the Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), no study of nutritional supplements was able to show benefit in the treatment of macular degeneration. What made AREDS unique was that the DOSAGES of antioxidants and zinc were significantly higher than had been previously used. AREDS therefore showed that there is a CRITICAL MINIMUM AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS required to positively impact eye disease. There is NO DATA to support the fact that
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taking half the recommended regimen of VisiVite is effective. QUESTION 2 - FALSE The National Eye Institute’s Age Related Eye Disease Study was carried on for several years before benefits were proven. Our current recommendation is to take your VisiVite macular degeneration formula for a minimum of six months before making any conclusions as to its success. If your macular degeneration stabilizes or your vision improves, you should continue to take VisiVite indefinitely. QUESTION 3 - FALSE Certain forms of dry macular degeneration, including geographic atrophy and central drusen, can cause severe central vision loss. Dry macular degeneration can be slowed down and vision can sometimes even be improved with VisiVite macular degeneration supplements. Because there are no current treatments for dry macular degeneration, it is vitally important to take preventive nutritional supplementation. QUESTION 4 - FALSE Carotenoids include the
beta-carotene form of Vitamin A, Lutein and Zeaxanthin, among others. The National Eye Institute did not include Lutein or Zeaxanthin in the Age Related Eye Disease Study because neither of them was available in commercial form. However, the benefits of each of these compounds have since been proven in many scientific studies. Therefore, the National Eye Institute is including both compounds in the AREDS 2 Study, which will run for several years. Current VisiVite formulas that include therapeutic amounts of both of these compounds are VisiVite Gold Formula, VisiVite Green Formula and VisiVite E-Free Formula. QUESTION 5 - FALSE Wet macular degeneration is now a treatable disease, thanks to the efforts of pharmacologic research. Most of the promising work is focusing on medications that are injected directly into the eye, including Macugen, Avastin and Lucentis. Only Macugen and Lucentis are approved by the FDA. However, both Avastin and Lucentis have been shown to improve vision in patients with wet macular degeneration.
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New Help for Eye Floaters
Inside the eye is the thick vitreous gel. With time, the gel shrinks, which causes the protein inside to form clumps that cast shadows against the retina.
Floaters are best seen against a pale wall or sky because of a concept known as VISUAL DEFOCUS, which means that for floaters to be seen, the eyes have to focus on a point in the air that lies in front of an object in the distance. The perfect distance objects are pale blue skies and lightly colored walls.
This VISUAL DEFOCUS of the background image is dramatically worsened by the irregularity of a deficient layer of tears that rests on the cornea. In fact, when people blink, coating the cornea surface with a fresh layer of tears, the floaters temporarily disappear!
A HEALTHY TEAR FILM minimizes the effects of VISUAL DEFOCUS, and thus, reduces the symptoms of floaters! The floaters still remain, but you will notice them less.
Vitamin Science Inc. has developed a patent pending oral nutritional supplement that improves all aspects of the tear film. It’s called Dry Eye Relief Tear Stabilization Formula, and here is how it works...
It contains Mucin, which acts as the "glue" that binds the tears to the surface of the cornea, coating problematic dry spots.
It uses a proprietary blend of DHA, EPA, ALA and GLA essential fatty acids, Lactoferrin, Vitamin E mixed tocopherol oils, and the natural COX2 inhibitor Circumin. These substances reduce lacrimal gland inflammation, resulting in improved tear production and reduced tear film surface tension.
Finally, it adds polar phospholipids. These molecules strongly conjoin the three tear layers, resulting in improved Tear Film Stability.
Why not try it today and discover how a healthy tear film is both more comfortable and at the same time reduces symptoms of floaters!
