Eye Disease with Name of Pigment

Pigment Dispersion Syndrome and Pigmentary Glaucoma

Joe Jarosz is an engineer who was diagnosed with pigment dispersion syndrome while in his 40s. Relatively young, Caucasian and nearsighted, Joe fits the typical profile for this syndrome. Although rare, pigment dispersion syndrome and pigmentary glaucoma tend to occur at a younger age than primary open angle glaucoma.

Pigment dispersion syndrome occurs when pigment granules that normally adhere to the back of the iris (the colored part of the eye), flake off into the clear fluid produced in the eye, called the aqueous humor. Sometimes these granules flow toward the drainage canals of the eye, slowly clogging them and raising eye pressure. This rise in eye pressure can damage the optic nerve, the nerve in the back of the eye that carries visual images to the brain. If this happens, pigment dispersion syndrome becomes pigmentary glaucoma.

Treatment

Doctors usually treat pigmentary glaucoma with eyedrops such as Betagan, Timoptic, Optipranlol and Xalatan. These eyedrops have a relatively low incidence of side effects and are generally well-tolerated in younger patients. Doctors may also use medications such as Pilocar, and Ocusert, which are from a class of drugs called miotics. These medications cause the pupil to constrict (become smaller) and inhibit the iris from rubbing against the supporting fibers of the eye’s lens, helping to prevent further release of pigment. However, miotics have side effects such as blurred vision which can limit their use.

In some patients, a laser treatment called argon laser trabeculoplasty works well. This procedure helps open up the drainage system in the eye to increase fluid flow, which lowers eye pressure and protects the optic nerve.

Another treatment for pigmentary glaucoma is a procedure called a laser iridotomy. A laser is used to make a small hole in the iris, causing the iris to move away from the lens of the eye. This prevents the lens fibers from scraping the pigment from the iris and clogging the eye’s fluid flow. However, it has limitations and does not always achieve its desired effect. Researchers are now conducting more evaluations of this procedure to determine its effectiveness.

The Exercise Connection

Studies have found that vigorous exercise such as jogging and basketball can cause more pigment to be released from the iris, which can further block eye drainage. Patients with pigment dispersion syndrome or pigmentary glaucoma should discuss this issue with their doctor.

Progression of pigment dispersion syndrome into pigmentary glaucoma

It is estimated that pigment dispersion syndrome develops into pigmentary glaucoma in about 30% of cases. Although pigment dispersion syndrome appears to strike both men and women at an equal rate, researchers are investigating why men develop pigmentary glaucoma up to three times more often than women. Studies have also shown this syndrome develops into pigmentary glaucoma at a younger age in men than in women.

Article From:- ( glaucoma.org/learn/pigment_dispers.php )

ABOUT CHROMATECH INCORPORATED

Color Pigments, Pigment Dispersions and

Fluorescent Pigments by Chromatech

Chromatech is a manufacturer and supplier of pigments with specialized performance when opacity and resistance to fading in light are required.

If your product requires an opaque coating or the ability towithstand sunlight, we have many pigments available to suit these requirements.

Our pigments are designed to help you manufacture your product by providing the following performance advantages:

1. Perfect color selection providing the right color for your products.
   
   
   
2. Long-term color stability that resists fading or changing over time.
   
   
   
3. Ease of Manufacturing - Our high quality liquid and powder colorants are always consistent.

Fragrant Olive May Offer Red Pigment For Formulators

By Stephen Daniells, 09-Feb-2009

Related topics: Formulation, Ingredients and additives

Seeds of the Osmanthus fragrans plant may offer a novel red colour for food formulators, and tap into the growing demand for natural colours, says new research from China.

Osmanthus Fragrans, also known as the sweet or fragrant olive, has a long history of use in Chinese cuisine with the flowers providing fragrance to teas, jams, soups, and dumplings. However, its use in the EU is not known, and therefore any introduction here would require novel foods approval.

“In a broad sense, the good characteristics of [the red pigment] give it potential for use by the food processing industry as an additive. Considering its excellent free radical scavenging capability, it can be also used as an antioxidant,” wrote lead author Yingming Pan from Guangxi Normal University.

According to research published in the journal Food Chemistry, said to be the first of its kind, pigments extracted from the plant’s seeds could offer a naturalalternative to synthetic colours.

The main natural red pigments are anthocyanins, betalains, and carotenoids sourced from berries and grapes, red beetroot, and red fruit, vegetables and flowers, respectively, according to Leatherhead Food International (LFI).

The most widely used natural pigments in the red-purple colour range are anthocyanins. However, these compounds are relatively unstable above pH 3. This means that betacyanins, and betalains in particular, are the natural pigments of choice to provide red-purple colour to low acid foods.

Study Details

The researchers extracted the pigment fro the seeds of O fragrans and report that it showed good solubility in both alkaline and acidic waters. As with other pigments, the colour was affected by the pH of the solution, with a red colour observed at low pH (pH 1-5), changing to a henna colour at pH 7-10. Above pH10 a green colour was observed, said the researchers.

Pan and co-workers report: “No evident influence of sodium chloride as food additives on the pigment stability was observed.” Good heat stability was also reported.

However, they note that the pigment was not resistant to chemical oxidation, and stressed that “oxidizers should be avoided when refining, processing and using of the pigment”.

Using the 2,20-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radicals methods to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the pigment, they report that the pigment exhibited “excellent” activity, and noted that it was “superior to butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)”, a commonly used synthetic antioxidant.

The Return to ‘Natural’

The food industry is experiencing a shift back to the use of natural food colours in foods. Natural colours lost their appeal when synthetic colours arrived on the scene, as they provide less consistency, heat stability and colour range than their chemical alternatives. Moreover, natural colours are more expensive.

However, as consumer awareness increases over the link between diet and health and trends move towards more clean-label products, natural colourings are back in fashion.

One of the most significant studies deterring consumers from artificial colourings was the Southampton Study, published in The Lancet, which found that a concoction of artificial colours led to hyperactivity in children.

Article From : ( confectionerynews.com/Formulation/Fragrant-olive-may-offer-red-pigment-for-formulators )