ISOTINE, AN HERBAL EYEDROPS, IMPROVES CATARACT-INDUCED BLINDNESS: A RETROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Gradual vision loss is linked to degenerative changes and cataract. The Isotine-herbal eyedrop has been clinically used for 36 years with a claim to reverse the cataract-induced visual impairment. This retrospective observational study on 308 cataract patients, registered between 2017 to 2019 at Basu Eye hospital, Bareli, UP, India, having 3 months of treatment, shows the significant therapeutic response in uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) based on logMAR mean before and after treatment (P<.001). The improvement has been observed in patients having UDVA 0.1 to 1.7 and in UNVA from N-6.1 to N-36and above. Patients of partial vision impairment, having logMAR up to 0.99, significantly attained either normal vision or below 6/18 (logMAR- 0.47). In 103 patients of severe vision impairment (logMAR mean 1.0 to 1.77, considered as Blind by WHO), only 40 patients did not respond, but the remaining 63 patients attained a logMAR mean below logMAR-0.8. In the case of UNVA, 169 patients had vision between N-12 to N35, but after treatment, either they got normal vision of N-6 or lower than N-12. In patients with severely impaired visions (N36 or more), 39 patients got visions below N-12 and 62 below N-20. Only 27 patients were left in range, but about 60% of them further improved their vision by using external eyeglasses. Thus, it could be concluded that Isotine probably improved cataract-linked impaired vision for distance and near vision through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and protease activities, reducing lens-opaqueness, strengthening the ciliary muscle, lens-growth/nutrition supply, and improved retinal sensitivity.