Living with cataracts can be extremely frustrating, driving some people to try unproven solutions to cure or limit their cataract formation. One such treatment is N-acetylcarnosine eye drops, often called carnosine eye drops, or simply cataract eye drops. These drops are promoted as an over-the-counter cure for cataracts. But do they work?
In a word, “no.”
Carnosine eye drop manufacturers claim their drops “dissolve” cataracts, but cataracts are not a substance, so there’s nothing to dissolve. Marketers of these eye drops also claim they can prevent cataract development, but cataracts are a natural part of eye aging, so that’s another false statement.
Sites selling cataract eye drops often showcase studies hyping their effectiveness, but beware of their fuzzy science. Most of these supposed “studies” were conducted and reported by the scientist who patented the treatment – meaning the guy with the most to gain by people buying his alleged cure.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any form of carnosine treatment for cataracts, and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in England finds no evidence to support the cataract treatment claims made by carnosine eye drop manufacturers.
We found this customer review on a site selling so called cataract eye drops…
“After 5 months of use, with hundreds of dollars spent on these drops, there was no hint that the cataracts were better, and my mother's ophthalmologist ran tests indicating they had actually gotten worse.”
There is only one effective treatment option for cataracts. Cataract-afflicted lenses must be surgically removed and replaced with artificial lenses. Thankfully, with the development of laser assisted cataract surgery options, patient outcomes are better than ever. With the LenSx laser surgery system we use at Gainesville Eye Physicians, patients often report improved vision before even leaving the surgical center.
To learn more about your cataract diagnosis and treatment options, schedule a consultation with Gainesville Eye Physicians today.