Natural Remedies & Herbs for Diabetic Retinopathy

Bilberry extracts standardized to contain 25% anthocyanosides have been suggested as a treatment for people with early-stage diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy. In a small preliminary trial, people with various types of retinopathy, including diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration, were given 600 mg of bilberry extract per day for one month. While researchers found that the tendency to hemorrhage in the eye was reduced and that blood vessels were strengthened, there were no reports of improved vision. A small double-blind trial found that 160 mg of bilberry extract taken twice per day for one month led to similar improvements in blood-vessel health in the eye and slightly improved vision in people with diabetic and/or hypertensive retinopathy. Larger and longer clinical trials are needed to establish the effectiveness of bilberry for treating retinopathies.

The use of 160 mg per day of a standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba for six months has been reported in a small double-blind trial to improve impaired visual function in people with mild diabetic retinopathy.