Dr. Andrey Bakardzhiyski
Dr. Andrey Bakardzhiyski is a specialist ophthalmologist with over 25 years of experience. He currently works at MC “Gift”, which he also founded. He performs surgical procedures, consultations, anterior segment examin- ations, and cataract examinations. He graduated from MU-Plovdiv in 1993. He obtained his specialization in “Ophthalmology” in 2000. He is a member of the Bulgarian Society of Ophthalmology and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. He participates in national and international congresses and seminars in his field.
If you live with diabetes, you probably already know about the risks of high blood sugar, diet, and insulin. But do you know that diabetes slowly and silently damages your vision? This is diabetic retinopathy – an eye disease that can lead to permanent vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the small blood vessels and nerve cells in the eye – the part with which we “see” the world. Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in people of working age. Diabetes does not spare vision. 60-80% of patients with diabetes have varying degrees of retinal damage 10 years after the onset of the disease. It affects patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The good news is that you can take measures to limit and
slow down the development of this disease.
Your eyes are exposed to strong light stress and a number of pathological processes associated with diabetes – inflammation, oxidative damage, impaired blood supply. All of this slowly destroys the retina. Your vision needs protection – every day.
The eye has a natural defense system consisting of three pigments called carotenoids. These are lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin, which naturally accumulate precisely in the centre of the retina – in the macula – and form the so- called macular pigment. They act as an internal shield – they filter blue light and have a pronounced anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect.
But there’s a catch – the body cannot produce these substances naturally. We must obtain them through food or through products containing these carotenoids. In people with diabetes, their quantity is reduced due to changes in metabolism.
Age and smoking also lead to a significant reduction in the concentration of carotenoids in the macular pigment. This makes the retinamorevulnerableand significantly increases the risk of vision damage.
MacuShield – Силата на науката в подкрепа на вашето здраве
MACUSHIELD is a specially developed product that contains the three natural carotenoids necessary for normal vision – lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin – in a specifical developed concentration. Regular intake of MACUSHIELD improves vision in people with diabetes by increasing contrast sensitivity and improving visual acuity. Carotenoids have been shown to delay the onset of damage and slow down the processes of retinal damage in diabetic patients. It filters harmful light and protects the macula from harmful effects. Easy to take – 1 capsule daily. MACUSHIELD is the most recommended product by eye experts in the UK, according to an independent survey conducted in 2017.
WHY CHOOSE MACUSHIELD?
Many products contain only lutein and/or zeaxanthin. MACUSHIELD is different – it is the only one that contains all three natural eye carotenoids: lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin. On the one hand, the combined action of the three carotenoids has a proven strong anti- inflammatory and antioxidant effect. On the other hand, Meso-zeaxanthin is very important because it accumulates precisely in the centre of the macula and is the most powerful antioxidant. And something very important, meso- zeaxanthin is rarely found in the daily diet, and its addition through MACUSHIELD may be the only way to deliver this key carotenoid for vision. The high effectiveness of MACUSHIELD is due to the cumulative effect of the three carotenoids it contains. MACUSHIELD is manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Alliance Pharma, based in the UK.
WE USE OUR VISION EVERY DAY! DON'T WAIT FOR THE FIRST SYMPTOMS.
Blurred vision, light sensitivity, reading problems – these can be the first signs of retinal damage. But diabetic retinopathy often develops silently, without pain and without symptoms… until it’s too late.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO FOR YOUR VISION WITH DIABETES?
• Visit an ophthalmologist regularly – at least once a year, even if you have no complaints. Early diagnosis can save your vision.
• Strictly follow the diet recommended by your endocrinologist.
• Maintain good control of blood sugar and blood pressure.
• Stop smoking – smoking severely damages vision.
• Eat a balanced diet – include green vegetables (spin- ach, lettuce, broccoli), eggs, corn, carrots, pumpkin more often in your menu – they contain natural carotenoids.
• Limit processed foods, sugar, and processed fats.
• Protect yourself from excessive exposure of your eyes to blue light (screens and monitors). If you work on a computer for a long time, take 15-minute breaks every hour.
WHAT DOES MACUSHIELD DO FOR YOUR EYES?
MACUSHIELD is a clinically developed product, created with the precise combination and dosage of the three most important carotenoids. Taken daily, MACUSHIELD has a number of positive effects:
· Increases the density of the macular pigment – the natural defense of the retina.
· Improves contrast sensitivity and dark adaptation of the eye
· Reduces inflammatory processes and oxidative stress in the retina
· Suppresses damage to nerve and vascular cells in the retina
·Contributes to better vision in patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes
· Regular intake of MACUSHIELD can delay and slow down retinal damage in diabetes – this is shown by the results of a clinical analysis published in 2020, evaluating the effect of carotenoids on vision in diabetic patients. In another clinical observation, diabetic patients taking a combination of lutein, zeaxanthin, and antioxidants showed significant improvement in visual function after just 6 months – better contrast sensitivity, better colour perception, and lower levels of inflammation in the retina.
In scientific studies on diabetes, carotenoids have been shown to:
• Reduce levels of inflammatory factors (VEGF, NF-kB, IL-1β)
• Protect against damage to retinal neurons and blood vessels
• Restore the activity of antioxidant systems in the eye
Reduce the risk of retinal edema.
In people with diabetes without visible retinopathy, but with initial visual symptoms, carotenoid intake leads to an improvement in contrast sensitivity and visual acuity.
WHY MACUSHIELD, AND NOT JUST “EYE VITAMINS”?
Yes, there are various products containing lutein, but not all three natural carotenoids.
Only MACUSHIELD contains a precisely dosed and highly effective formula, containing all three natural carotenoids. It contains meso-zeaxanthin – a key component that is missing in other products.
Each capsule is manufactured to high pharmaceutical quality standards. The carotenoids in MACUSHIELD are in an oil solution and in a soft gelatin capsule. This is an important condition for maintaining the high effectiveness of the carotenoids in the product.
See the world clearly – now and in the future!
Don’t wait for your vision to worsen! In the beginning, diabetic retinopathy develops without clearly noticeable symptoms, and when they are present, it may already be too late. Protect your vision with 1 MACUSHIELD capsule a day.
The following sources were used in the article:
1.A Systematic Review of Carotenoids in the Management of Diabetic Retinopathy, Nutrients 2021, 13, 2441;
2. Application of Lutein and Zeaxanthin in nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, Int. J. Ophthalmol., Vol.4,No3, Jun.18, 2011.
3. Beneficial effects of the nutritional supplements on the development of diabetic retinopathy, Kowluru et al. Nutrition & Metabolism 2014, 11:8.
4. The Therapeutic Role of Carotenoids in Diabetic Retinopathy: A Systematic Review,Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy 2020:13.
5. Neuroprotective Effects of Lutein in the Retina, Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2012, 18, 51-56.
6. The Diabetes Visual Function Supplement Study (DiVFuSS), Chous AP, et al. Br J Ophthalmol 2016;100:227–234.
7. Plasma carotenoids and diabetic retinopathy, British Journal of Nutrition (2009), 101, 270–277.
8. Stability of Commercially Available Macular Carotenoid Supplements in Oil and Powder Formulations, Nutrition Research Centre Ireland, School of Health Science, Carriganore House,Waterford Institute of Technology,West Campus,Waterford X91 K236, Ireland; Published: 17 October 2017.
