A vitamin A analog may help treat diabetic retinopathy

[Northerner]

Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness among the working-age population. A new study in the American Journal of Pathology reports that visual function in diabetic mice was significantly improved after treatment with a single dose of visual chromophore 9-cis-retinal, a vitamin A analog that can form a visual pigment in the retina cells, thereby producing a light sensitive element of the retina.

"In an earlier study we found that diabetes causes vitamin A deficiency in the retina, which results in deterioration of vision, even before any vascular changes can be seen. That finding led to the assumption that early changes in vision in diabetes are probably caused by vitamin A deficiency in the retina," explained lead investigator Gennadiy Moiseyev, PhD, Department of Physiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.

A vitamin A analog may help treat diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness among the working-age population. A new study reports that visual function in diabetic mice was significantly improved after treatment with a single dose of visual chromophore 9-cis-retinal, a vitamin A...

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[mikeyB]

I assume that means if you eat plenty of carrots, you can help prevent retinopathy. One carrot gives you your RDA of Vitamin A, which is stored in the liver until required. So does a yummy slice of pan fried liver. Any red or orange coloured fruit contains Vitamin A, such as sweet red peppers, sweet potato, and dark green leafy veg such as Kale or spring cabbage.