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Dear All,

This request is primarily addressed to the medics and
others professionally involved as I need details of
scientific publications and studies rather than anecdotal
evidence, however interesting the latter may be.

The situation is that Karin (my coeliac wife) has serious
eye problems.  She is very short-sighted and this
apparently leads to the major problem she is suffering
where there is a tendency for the retina to tear and blood
vessels to grow through the retina damaging it.

In Karin's right eye, the damage is in the fovea and her
eye-sight is now very poor indeed.  Even with her glasses
on she can only read the top two lines of the sight chart.
In her left eye it is her peripheral vision which is
damaged.  Unfortunately the Registrar at the Eye Hospital
is not only of the opinion that there is nothing that can
be done, he is refusing even to consider that other factors
might be involved making matters worse and driving the
vision loss more rapidly towards complete loss of vision.

I am aware that many coelics continue to have poor
absorption of vitamins and other micronutrients and would
like to know of any known studies showing a connection
between the very rapid loss of eyesight/growth of such
blood vessels from this cause and low or twilight levels of
any nutrient/micronutrient.  Any studies simply suggesting
a link between coeliac and this problem would be of value.

Karin is also suffering from inflammation of the
conjunctiva of both eyes.  The Eye Hospital gave her drops
which have been totally ineffective, the local GP has since
given her some drops presuming some allergic cause which
have had some small but non-permanent effect.  Is this
likely to be caused/made worse by coeliac? Does anyone know
of any studies to this effect?  May this be due to some
autoimmune response mediated in some way by the same
processes as coeliac or by associated processes likely to
be present in people suffering from coeliac or other
autoimmune disease (Karin also suffers from arthritis)?

The reason for asking these questions are even more acute
than usual, as Karin is an Artist, very dependant on her
sight and visual acuity.  At the current rate of loss, she
is unlikely to have any useful vision (as an artist) by the
time she returns to the hospital for her next 6 monthly
check.  Without some fairly powerful ammunition, the medics
will refuse to do anything until it is too late.  Already
she is having problems driving at night and I cannot give
her the support she will need if she ceases to be able to
see to drive safely (I have the usual 30 hrs a day 16 days
per week job - with NO backup).

I would greatly appreciate any help that members of the
list or any others can give.  I would also greatly
appreciate the prayers of those people on the list who
share with me belief in the power of prayer.

I will eventually summarise to the list and keep you
informed of any aspects which appear to be of relevance to
coeliacs as a whole.

Regards

David

David J Walland
University of Bristol Radiation Protection Adviser
[log in to unmask]
Tel +44 (0)117 928 8323
Fax +44 (0)117 929 1209