Surgery of immature cataracts should be deferred in patients who consume aspartame until after abstaining from it for 1-2 months to determine if spontaneous improvement of vision occurs. These corporate neutral suggestions are based on considerable observaion, research and correspondence published in more than a score of articles and two books. These represent hard - won insights in the trenches of a medical practice. There is no bias or malice intended against any company, distributor, researcher or professional who may hold contrary views. These organs are highly vulnerable to metabolic disturbances and neurotoxins because of their unique metabolic requirements.
Methanol causes swelling of the optic nerve and degeneration of ganglion cells in the retina.
In the present context, these statistics are pertinent. Sixteen patients have lost vision in one or both eyes. They become compounded by the threat of falls and driving accidents. I have also expressed concern that aspartame products might be accelerating Alzheimer's disease. It is of use from time to time to take stock, so to speak of our knowledge of a particular disease, to see exactly where we stand in regard to it, to inquire what conclusions the accumulated facts seem to point to, and to ascertain in what direction we may look for fruitful investigations in the future.