Cataract Surgeons in Fort Lauderdale Say Aging Eyes May Impact Body's Internal Clock

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL--(Marketwire - May 24, 2012) - Several recent studies in ophthalmology and biological rhythms may have linked aging eyes with a number of health concerns ranging from memory loss, insomnia, and depression to high cholesterol, obesity, inactive lifestyle, and even heart disease. Fort Lauderdale cataract surgeons Drs. Marc Bosem and Barry Concool at the CorrectVision Laser Institute say the gradual yellowing of the eye's lens and the narrowing of the pupil over time have been found to disturb circadian rhythm, which can ultimately lead to a range of medical complications due to its effect on the body's regulatory and hormonal function. At their center for LASIK and cataract surgery in Fort Lauderdale, Drs. Bosem and Concool say they have been recommending patients undergo eye exams if they experience certain symptoms such as sleep loss to detect the possibility of cataracts.

Dr. Bosem says the body's internal clock, helping it to start up in the morning and wind down at night, is regulated by blue light through photoreceptive cells that absorb sunlight and transmit messages to a part of the brain that governs circadian rhythm and releases the hormones melatonin and cortisol for proper function. However, as eyes age, he says their ability to receive blue light is diminished and the brain receives less of the messages it needs to control the internal clock. Dr. Bosem says cataract surgery works to replace the natural lens in the eye so that blue light reception is facilitated and can encourage the brain to react quicker and even improve one's overall mood.

source: Marketwire