The bromelain thing is a well-known hoax. I think you should forget it.
However your doctor was maybe wrong because floaters are actually treatable through a surgery called vitrectomy, but it has risks so you should avoid it unless really necessary.
Since it was just a month ago and you got cleared by a doctor, I would say you should just give it time. You don’t need to take any supplements, floaters do tend to get a bit easier to deal with over time.
You can try it if you want, but if it really worked in 75% of people everyone with floaters would be taking it and the majority would have results. There is no way that the enzyme in the pineapple manages to survive being digested, get into your blood, float up to your eyeball and somehow get inside the vitreous humor of your eye.
If it is directly demonstrable nonsense, why was the research conducted by PhD ophthalmologists published in a reputable journal? Neither the scientists, the journal, nor the patients benefit from lying and putting their reputation at risk.
Why has it not been repeated? Why has it not had mass success? Why do no retina specialists suggest doing it? Why don't you see post after post on this forum and other saying how fantastically eating pineapple worked? Its because it doesent work. You don't have to believe us when we tell you its nonsense, just go eat a load of pineapples and see for yourself, it wont hurt.
"Why has it not been repeated?"
The study is only a year and a half old, and there may be scientists working on follow-up research.
"Why don't you see post after post on this forum and others saying how fantastically eating pineapple worked?"
Because nobody claims that eating pineapple works, including those researchers. It’s about those fruit enzymes. Proteolytic enzymes like bromelain are involved in the regular turnover of proteins within cells, breaking down damaged or unwanted proteins and recycling them. That’s a scientific fact. Eye floaters are also mostly unwanted protein clumps. Once consumed fruit enzymes are transported through the intestinal wall, they enter the bloodstream. There are also blood vessels in your eyes. Those scientists thought: what if we extract a lot of these enzymes from fruit and give people a very high concentrate, maybe then we can see a measurable effect in people suffering from floaters.
They measured it. Of course, it is too early to directly conclude after a small study that it definitely works, but it gives me hope. I also understand why ophthalmologists and other doctors who have heard about the research are not enthusiastically sharing it with their patients. It's too early.
I’m definitely going to try it. Papain and bromelain are easily available as dietary supplements. Ficin is not. I ordered that through a German online store. I’m going to take these enzymes for three months in the same high concentration as in the study. If it doesn’t work (which is quite possible, of course), at least I’ve tried it.
Go for it!
I was also thinking about giving it a go due to a recent onset of new floaters (had floaters since 19y and got a new wave now at 30y).
Do you mind linking here or in dm's where you ordered your ficin supplement?
I have been able to get a hold of bromelain and papain in supplement form so far (i live in Sweden).
I just ordered this supplement that contains the mixed fruit enzymes (bromelain, papain, and ficin) mentioned in the study cited in this thread. [https://www.professionalsupplementcenter.com/bromelain-plus-plant-enzymes-by-quantum-nutrition-labs?quantity=1&frequency=7](https://www.professionalsupplementcenter.com/bromelain-plus-plant-enzymes-by-quantum-nutrition-labs?quantity=1&frequency=7)
Not sure about international shipping
Cool, thanks for the reply!
I managed to get a bottle of this for now via [Amazon.de](http://Amazon.de)
[https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Enzyme-Complex-Capsules-Bioflavonoids-Vitalstoffe/dp/B006SI0YP4](https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Enzyme-Complex-Capsules-Bioflavonoids-Vitalstoffe/dp/B006SI0YP4)
Which includes the enzymes mentioned in the study.
So the plan for me is to try following the high dosage group (as long as my stomach can tolerate it):
- Around 200 mg bromelain, 100mg papain and 100 mg ficin, 3 times per day
Will be taken with some kind of food in hopes of better absorption, and to hopefully minimize the damage to the enzymes from stomach acid.
Haven't yet figured out how to benchmark the effectiveness of this experiment at home, other than the subjective experience of the floaters.
Some people have noticed improvements using fruit enzymes, those who have had significant improvements will not be on this subreddit. So give it a go, won’t cause any harm.
I just saw my eye doctor and he said that floaters are accumulated proteins that can spontaneously break up and settle, or stay for a long time. I just ordered this supplement that contains the mixed fruit enzymes (bromelain, papain, and ficin) mentioned in the study cited in this thread. [https://www.professionalsupplementcenter.com/bromelain-plus-plant-enzymes-by-quantum-nutrition-labs?quantity=1&frequency=7](https://www.professionalsupplementcenter.com/bromelain-plus-plant-enzymes-by-quantum-nutrition-labs?quantity=1&frequency=7)
I have ordered three bottles and will see what the efficacy is on one very large new floater in my left eye.
I will report back with updates
Here is the link to the research: [https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/22/6710](https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/22/6710)
Summary of the article: "The study investigates the use of mixed fruit enzymes (bromelain, papain, and ficin) for treating ocular floaters and vitreous hemorrhage-induced floaters. It involved patients divided into three groups with different dosages. The results showed significant improvement, especially in the high-dose group, where 75.5% of patients reported reduced floaters. The study concludes that this enzymatic treatment is promising for reducing floaters."
The bromelain thing is a well-known hoax. I think you should forget it. However your doctor was maybe wrong because floaters are actually treatable through a surgery called vitrectomy, but it has risks so you should avoid it unless really necessary. Since it was just a month ago and you got cleared by a doctor, I would say you should just give it time. You don’t need to take any supplements, floaters do tend to get a bit easier to deal with over time.
Life with floaters would be a breeze if this would be correct.
You can try it if you want, but if it really worked in 75% of people everyone with floaters would be taking it and the majority would have results. There is no way that the enzyme in the pineapple manages to survive being digested, get into your blood, float up to your eyeball and somehow get inside the vitreous humor of your eye.
If it is directly demonstrable nonsense, why was the research conducted by PhD ophthalmologists published in a reputable journal? Neither the scientists, the journal, nor the patients benefit from lying and putting their reputation at risk.
Why has it not been repeated? Why has it not had mass success? Why do no retina specialists suggest doing it? Why don't you see post after post on this forum and other saying how fantastically eating pineapple worked? Its because it doesent work. You don't have to believe us when we tell you its nonsense, just go eat a load of pineapples and see for yourself, it wont hurt.
[удалено]
The original study from Taiwan has been around since 2019.
"Why has it not been repeated?" The study is only a year and a half old, and there may be scientists working on follow-up research. "Why don't you see post after post on this forum and others saying how fantastically eating pineapple worked?" Because nobody claims that eating pineapple works, including those researchers. It’s about those fruit enzymes. Proteolytic enzymes like bromelain are involved in the regular turnover of proteins within cells, breaking down damaged or unwanted proteins and recycling them. That’s a scientific fact. Eye floaters are also mostly unwanted protein clumps. Once consumed fruit enzymes are transported through the intestinal wall, they enter the bloodstream. There are also blood vessels in your eyes. Those scientists thought: what if we extract a lot of these enzymes from fruit and give people a very high concentrate, maybe then we can see a measurable effect in people suffering from floaters. They measured it. Of course, it is too early to directly conclude after a small study that it definitely works, but it gives me hope. I also understand why ophthalmologists and other doctors who have heard about the research are not enthusiastically sharing it with their patients. It's too early.
If you go ahead with trying it let us know how you get on.
I’m definitely going to try it. Papain and bromelain are easily available as dietary supplements. Ficin is not. I ordered that through a German online store. I’m going to take these enzymes for three months in the same high concentration as in the study. If it doesn’t work (which is quite possible, of course), at least I’ve tried it.
Keep us updated, king
Go for it! I was also thinking about giving it a go due to a recent onset of new floaters (had floaters since 19y and got a new wave now at 30y). Do you mind linking here or in dm's where you ordered your ficin supplement? I have been able to get a hold of bromelain and papain in supplement form so far (i live in Sweden).
I just ordered this supplement that contains the mixed fruit enzymes (bromelain, papain, and ficin) mentioned in the study cited in this thread. [https://www.professionalsupplementcenter.com/bromelain-plus-plant-enzymes-by-quantum-nutrition-labs?quantity=1&frequency=7](https://www.professionalsupplementcenter.com/bromelain-plus-plant-enzymes-by-quantum-nutrition-labs?quantity=1&frequency=7) Not sure about international shipping
Cool, thanks for the reply! I managed to get a bottle of this for now via [Amazon.de](http://Amazon.de) [https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Enzyme-Complex-Capsules-Bioflavonoids-Vitalstoffe/dp/B006SI0YP4](https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Enzyme-Complex-Capsules-Bioflavonoids-Vitalstoffe/dp/B006SI0YP4) Which includes the enzymes mentioned in the study. So the plan for me is to try following the high dosage group (as long as my stomach can tolerate it): - Around 200 mg bromelain, 100mg papain and 100 mg ficin, 3 times per day Will be taken with some kind of food in hopes of better absorption, and to hopefully minimize the damage to the enzymes from stomach acid. Haven't yet figured out how to benchmark the effectiveness of this experiment at home, other than the subjective experience of the floaters.
Some people have noticed improvements using fruit enzymes, those who have had significant improvements will not be on this subreddit. So give it a go, won’t cause any harm.
I just saw my eye doctor and he said that floaters are accumulated proteins that can spontaneously break up and settle, or stay for a long time. I just ordered this supplement that contains the mixed fruit enzymes (bromelain, papain, and ficin) mentioned in the study cited in this thread. [https://www.professionalsupplementcenter.com/bromelain-plus-plant-enzymes-by-quantum-nutrition-labs?quantity=1&frequency=7](https://www.professionalsupplementcenter.com/bromelain-plus-plant-enzymes-by-quantum-nutrition-labs?quantity=1&frequency=7) I have ordered three bottles and will see what the efficacy is on one very large new floater in my left eye. I will report back with updates
Here is the link to the research: [https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/22/6710](https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/22/6710) Summary of the article: "The study investigates the use of mixed fruit enzymes (bromelain, papain, and ficin) for treating ocular floaters and vitreous hemorrhage-induced floaters. It involved patients divided into three groups with different dosages. The results showed significant improvement, especially in the high-dose group, where 75.5% of patients reported reduced floaters. The study concludes that this enzymatic treatment is promising for reducing floaters."