Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Apitherapy Used in Lithuanian Ophthalmology

By Jurate Jankauskiene, Dalia Jarusaitiene
Eye Clinic, Kaunas Medical University
E-Mail: jurate.jankauskiene@gmail.com

[Editor’s Note: This presentation is part of the Second National Apitherapy Congress, Expo and Workshops with International Participation held November 21-24, 2008, in Iasi, Romania.]

Bee products (honey, propolis, bee pollen, royal jelly) are widely used in ophthalmology today in Lithuania. These products are generally considered to have medicinal effects.

According to the results of investigation there was noted that honey drops (20 percent) have very good anti-inflammatory action, regenerative and anti-toxic features and we recommend their use to treat such eye disorders as dry eye syndrome, keratopathy, keratitis, corneal ulcers, corneal opacities, conjunctivitis…

Cigarette smoking decreased the efficacy of honey therapy and patients with Graves ophthalmopathy should be encouraged to refrain from smoking.

In patients with Graves ophthalmopathy who used royal jelly, an improvement of visual functions and reduction of retinal blind spot was noted.

An improvement of visual functions (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity) and dilatation of retinal arteries was noted in patients with myopia who used royal jelly.

In patients with age-related macula degeneration who used royal jelly, an improvement of visual functions (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, mean threshold sensitivity of central visual field) was found.

Royal jelly can be recommended together with other methods of conservative treatment of myopia and age-related macula degeneration.

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