APIMEDICA Presentation: Bee Products in Ophthalmology in Lithuania

APIMEDICA 2006, October 15, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Jurate Jankauskiene, Sigitas Vasiliauskas, Dalia Jankauskaite
Kaunas Medical University, Company “Medicata Filia”

Summary Points:

* Bee products (honey, propolis, bee pollen, royal jelly) are widely used in ophthalmology today in Lithuania.

* Bee pollen is used in patients with retinal atherosclerosis, ischemic changes of the retina and optic nerve, myopia, age-related macular degeneration, retinal degenerations.

Pollen tablets (Adults (2-4 tablets per day). Children (1-3 tablets per day).
Pollen tablets with bee bread and vitamin C (Pollens – 68.7%, Bee bread – 30%, Vitamin C – 1.3 %)
Pollen tablets with propolis and vitamin C (Pollens – 94.7%, Propolis – 4%. Vitamin C - 1.3 %)
Pollen tablets with vitamin C (Pollens – 98.7%, Vitamin C – 1.3%)

* Royal jelly is used in patients with ischemic changes of the retina and optic nerve, atrophy of optic nerve, angiosclerosis of the retinae, myopia, age-related macular degeneration, other retinal degenerations.

Royal Jelly Tablets (royal jelly, glucose)

“Viziovitalis” (Royal jelly 30 mg, blue berry 215 mg, beta-carotene 0.75 mg, vit. C 9 mg, Vit.E 2.25 mg)

* We have found a positive effect of 20 percent honey eye drops on the state of the cornea, best results were observed when the treatment was started early while there were no corneal damages.

* In patients with wounds infected with antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, not responding to antibiotic therapy, good results have been achieved after application of honey.

* Honey may be used as a traditional therapy for dry cornea to prevent corneal complications and antiinflammatory action, which reduces the swelling.

* According to the results of investigation, honey drops have very good anti-inflammatory action, regenerative and anti-toxic features and we recommend use them to treat such eye disorders as, dry eye syndrome keratopathy, keratitis, corneal ulcers, corneal opacities, conjunctivitis.

* In patients with Graves’ ophthalmopathy who used Royal jelly an improvement of visual functions and reduction of retinal blind spot (p<0.05) was noted.

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

* In patients with age-related macula degeneration who used "Viziovitalis," there was an improvement of visual functions (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, mean threshold sensitivity of central visual field).

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