Integrative Ophthalmology: “I was going blind and now I can see”

At age 14, “HM” was about to apply eye makeup and looked into her mirror, only to realize that she couldn’t see. She went to an optometrist and when he examined her eyes, he turned pale and told her to get to the hospital immediately. It was then she had her first Kenalog (triamcinalone/corticosteroid) shots into her eyes.

Thus began a nine year saga of many conventional ophthalmologic interventions to treat her retinal tears (tearing of the back part of the eye), uveitis (inflammation of the middle layer of the eye), pars planitis, retinal scarring, macular edema (swelling on the rear part of the eye that records sight), synechia (gluing together of the front parts of the eye), glaucoma (elevated pressure in the eyes) and cataracts (scarring of the lens which impairs vision).

Six weeks ago, she was still on four ophthalmic eye drops, plus Voltarin, and was told that she would need to take methotrexate (cancer drug) for the rest of her life to suppress her immune system, or she would soon be completely blind.

Pars Planitis

Pars planitis (also called intermediate uveitis) is an inflammation of the uvea. The uvea is part of the choroid lining in the eye that contains the blood vessels; inflammation of the uvea causes white blood cells and other inflammatory exudate to enter the vitreous body and makes white blobs (snow balls) build up, which impair the vision and can lead to cataracts, severe inflammatory glaucoma, swelling of the macula, retinal atrophy and hemorrhage into the vitreous.

“HM”

HM was diagnosed with pars planitis at age 14. She has three ophthalmologists and a retinal specialist. She had her first vitrectomy at age 14, which is a procedure that removes the vitrous humor loaded with white cells and inflammatory exudates, and replaces it with saline (salt water). She has had multiple Kenalog shots in the eyes, with subsequent cataract formation, and laser surgery last summer for retinal detachment. In addition, her intraocular pressure (IOP) was very high, so she couldn’t see. She was also on a combination of eye drops for glaucoma.

She had also been treated with prednisone (corticosteroid) on numerous occasions, with severe psychiatric side effects, along with body numbing. It also promoted about two urinary tract infections per month, which they treated with antibiotics.

When she came into our clinic this spring, she had Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and jaundice, with elevated liver function tests. At that point, her medications included Xibron drops, an NSAID (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) to reduce swelling, Durezol drops, a topical corticosteroid, Combigan drops, two medications to lower IOP and oral Voltarin.

One week before coming to our clinic, she decided to become vegan and renounced junk food, fast food, sugar, gluten, dairy and began juicing. She was only on vitamin D supplementation. I began with our usual therapies and added Pleo muc eye drops, Mucor racemosis friesen, the famous endobiont (pleomorphic fungus that lives within all of us), which improves circulation and has many wonderful uses all over the body; as well as Wobenzymes, magnesium glycinate, thyroid, adrenal and progesterone support.

Two weeks later, she said her vision was normal and she had made many health improvements, and also lost 10 pounds. At that time, I added Rebas suppositories (these are Peyer’s patches the lymphoid bodies that surround the small and large intestine and help normalize the immune system) and Pleo fort. Both build up the “lawn,” or the intestinal lining.

At one month her IOP was down, and her eye docs stopped the glaucoma meds and said she wouldn’t need the methotrexate either. Her pars planitis was gone, and the uveitis was completely under control. She was also off the steroid drops and Voltarin. They were gradually titrating down the Xibron drops as well.

Now, at six weeks her IOP is at its lowest and she is 20/20 left eye and 20/30 right eye; she feels her vision is totally normal, even though she still has cataracts they don’t seem to cause cloudy vision. She is no longer jaundiced and is off all medications, except a very low dose of Xibron drops. Her ophthalmologists do not want to see her for another three months!

This case makes one think that integrative physicians should work more closely with ophthalmologists. It is certainly exciting to have such a nice response!

References:

1.  www.retinalmd.com/en/resources/conditions-and-diseases/pars-planitis/

2.  Enderlein, Gunther. Bacteria Cyclogeny. Enderlein Enterprises. AZ, 1991.

3.  Rau, MD, Thomas. Biological Medicine the Future of Natural Healing. Semmelweis-Institut Verlag fur Naturheilkunde Gmbh. 2011.