Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration, usually called Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD or AMD), is an eye disease that loss central vision details, but peripheral vision will still be normal, in people over age 60. There is no cure for macular degeneration in conventional medicine, although there are laser therapy, medications, and vision aids that may have band-aid-like applications. (1)
There are two main types of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD): Wet and Dry. About 90% of the cases are the dry type, and 10% are the wet type. In the dry type of macular degeneration, the center of the retina deteriorates. Patients may have good central vision (20/40 or better), but they have some functional limitations such as limited vision at night or in the environment that not enough light (2). With wet type, leaky blood vessels grow under the retina. This leakage causes permanent damage to light-sensitive retinal cells, which die off and create blind spots in central vision.
Acupuncture treatment for Macular Degeneration
Acupuncture treatment for AMD is a combination of Acupuncture, Micro acupuncture 48, Herbal medicine, and Electronic Stimulation Acupuncture. It is mostly stimulate specify acupuncture points in the hands and feet to improve the blood flow to the retina and macula, and stimulate nerve activity. Acupuncture also sends nerve impulses up to the brain to fire off the optic nerve, retina and specifically the nerve cells in the macula and waken dormant cells. Also, acupuncture will dilate the blood vessels around the eyes and increase blood flow to bring food and oxygen to the retinal cells (3).
Because we can only wake up dormant cells, regenerate damaged or sick cells, timing of treatment is very critical. The longer you wait the more severe or permanent vascular and nerve damage to the macula and the retina. The sooner you get treatment the better your chances for improvement and long term preservation.
Sources:
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https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/macular-degeneration/default.htm
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JS Sunness, Visual function abnormalities and prognosis in eyes with age-related geographic atrophy of the macula and good visual acuity. Ophthalmology. 1997;104:1677-91.
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