Seeing is Believing with N-Acetylcarnosine Eye Drops

N-Acetylcarnosine (NAC) eye drops offer a number of benefits to those who wear contact lenses, suffer from eye problems and retinal diseases and/or need a solution to discomfort through eye strain, inflammation or dry eye syndrome. Developed by Dr. Mark Babizhayev and his team in 1996, the Can‑C™ Eye Drop product was patented in the 1990s under strict pharmaceutical standards.

What do Can‑C™ Eye Drops do?

Can‑C™ Eye Drops contain a specially formulated antioxidant compound for lubrication and improving overall eye health. NAC is the main ingredient (although other ingredients such as carboxymethylcellulose are also present). NAC is an antioxidant that helps to protect the lens from oxidative stress and resulting damage.

Oxidative stress is a condition whereby excess amounts of free radicals (unstable molecules in the body that damage other cells, proteins and DNA) circulate and the body is unable to neutralize them. The presence of NAC helps rebalance and support the lens, defending against aging and the formation of cataracts.

Key Findings from Clinical Studies on N‑Acetylcarnosine (NAC) Eye Drops

Babizhayev et al. – 2002, Drugs in R&D

A 6-month randomized placebo-controlled trial for 49 patients / 76 eyes with a 24 month follow up. 26 patients / 41 eyes were given a treatment of 1% NAC eye drops twice daily; the control group of 13 patients / 21 eyes were given placebo eye drops and the final 10 patients / 14 eyes did not receive any type of eye drop.

All patients in the study had a diagnosis of senile cataract with minimum to advanced opacification in various lens layers. The average age was 65.3 +/- 7.0 years.

6-month results

• 90% of the 26 patients/41 eyes treated with 1% NAC eye drops showed improvement in best corrected visual acuity.
• 9% also showed improvement of 27-100% enhancement in glare sensitivity.
• Topographic image analysis revealed that 5% of treated eyes had measurable improvement in lens clarity, notably, more pronounced in cortical and subcapsular cataracts.

24-month results

• The eyes treated with NAC during the initial 6 months saw sustained improvement at 24 months. No cases showed any sign of worsening.
• Those in the control group with placebo eye drops had seen worsening in the intervening months.

Babizhayev MA et al., Clinical Interventions in Aging, 2009 – Open-Label Study

Clinical study to assess the vision before and after a 9-month period whereby 75 adult patients with age related cataracts in one or both eyes and acuity of 20/40 (or worse) in one eye were treated with NAC eye drops as an alternative to surgical intervention. These patients must not have had corrective surgery prior to this trial.

The study involved two groups: 75 older adults with age-related uncomplicated cataracts and 72 adults without cataracts. Participants with cataracts were aged 53–83 years (average 69), and those without cataracts were aged 54–78 years (average 66). Both groups were predominantly white and matched for general inclusion criteria.

Cataract subjects had visual acuity of 20/40 or worse, no prior cataract surgery, a primary cataract diagnosis, and were still driving. Most (95%) had cataracts in both eyes. In the right eye, 46% had nuclear sclerotic cataracts, 8% cortical, 9% posterior subcapsular, and 38% a mix; the left eye had similar distributions.

Additionally, 74% of cataract subjects had no other eye conditions beyond refractive error. Others had conditions like early maculopathy (6%), glaucoma (9%), diabetic retinopathy (3%), or other ocular issues (7%).

The non-cataract group had 20/25 vision or better in both eyes and no other eye diseases except refractive error.

Cataract types involved this trial:

• Cortical
• Subscapular
• Nuclear
• Mixed forms

Split into two groups, half of the patients received NAC 1% Can C™ Eye Drops and half were in the control group with placebo eye drops.

9-month results

• At the start, functional vision metrics were recorded using the Halometer (glare test), visual acuity, color perception, and subjective reports.
• Over the 9 months of the study, significant enhancement in lens clarity, reduced glare disability, improved color perception, and visual acuity in cataract patients were reported from the group using NAC drops.
• NAC drops were well tolerated with no ill

General note

Dr. Babizhayev has stated that studies focus primarily on cataracts with some membrane involvement, such as cortical and subscapular cataracts. He said, “In these cataracts, we can predict a significant improvement. When we face brunescent, nuclear cataracts and the vision is depressed significantly, then the effect of improvement is less pronounced,”

He has also stated that anyone involved in a study must have a baseline vision no worse than ~0.3 (moderately reduced vision) for maximum improvement

Can C™ Ingredients

• NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) 0% is the primary antioxidant/prodrug in Can‑C™ Eye Drops.
• Carboxymethylcellulose3%, a water-soluble cellulose derivative, is also present, which allows it to be sold as a lubricating eye drop.
• Glycerin 1.0%, an additional lubricant.

Using NAC eye drops

Can-C™ eye drops have been shown to have measurable effects within only 1-month of use, but for maximum efficacy, it is recommended that a maintenance dose continue for 3-5 months.

N-actylcarnosine works best the sooner it is used after a cataract is detected.

Typical courses of treatment are:

• Two drops twice a day in one eye meaning 2 bottles (1 box) will last a month
• 2 drops twice a day in two eyes meaning 2 bottles (1 box) will last about 2 and a half weeks.
• Ongoing maintenance dose of 1 drop twice a day in both eyes is highly recommended.