Homocysteine related eye problem

Homocysteine related ocular problem

In clinical studies elevated homocysteine is associated with an increased risk of eye disease as well as other heart disease, stroke, and possibly Alzheimer's disease with additional roles in pregnancy, depression, and osteoporosis

What is homocysteine ?

Homocysteine is a type of amino acid, it's a chemical of body uses to make proteins.

 Normally, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and folic acid break down homocysteine and change it into other substances your body needs.There should be very little homocysteine left in the bloodstream.

Homocysteine is a sulfur-containing and non-proteinogenic amino acid. 

Normal range of homocysteine in bloodstream

In a healthy person, normal homocysteine levels are around 5 to 15 micromoles per liter (mcmol/L).

A high homocysteine level also called hyperhomocysteinemia, can contribute to arterial damage and blood clots in your blood vessels. 

High homocysteine levels usually indicate a deficiency in vitamin B-12 or folic acid.

 A normal level of homocysteine in the blood is less than 15 micromoles per liter (mcmol/L) of blood.

Extremely low levels (four or five range), known as hypohomocystemia, means that the body is not converting enough methionine into cysteine. It also could mean the body isn't producing enough glutathione, taurine, or sulfate—all of which are necessary for detoxification pathways.

Homocysteine and eye problem

• The increase the normal range of homocysteine in plasma due to increase the more risk factor of ocular arterial and venous disease like Retinal artery occlusion, Retinal veins disease and also increase other eye disease. 

• Many eye problems occur in homocysteinuria with subluxation of the lens, myopia, cataracts, cystic retinal degeneration, and retinal detachment. Central retinal artery occlusion and retinal haemorrhages have been reported, but not retinal vein occlusion.

• In clinical studies elevated homocysteine is associated with an increased risk of eye disease as well as other heart disease, stroke, and possibly Alzheimer's disease with additional roles in pregnancy, depression, and osteoporosis.

• Homocysteine level in tear film and plasma.  Scientists believe that elevated levels of plasma homocysteine are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and two studies have found higher levels of plasma and tear fluids homocysteine level in psuedoexfoliation patients.

• Increased homocysteine level in bloodstream and tear film in this patient has may be suffering from pseudoexfoliation,  Crysteline lens subluxation.