Stargardts Disease Treatments NYC by Marc Bystock L.Ac.

What is Stargardt's Disease?



Stargardt's disease is most often diagnosed in childhood or adolescence. It is a genetically inherited form of macular degeneration. Stargardt's disease causes central vision loss. It is often referred to as early-onset macular degeneration, Stargardt's macular dystrophy, juvenile macular degeneration, or fundus flavimaculatus.

Estimates claim that over 30,000 people in the United States alone suffer from this devastating disorder. 

Vision loss results from degeneration of photoreceptor cells in the macula, the retina's center. The retina is located at the back of the eye. The retina tissue is very sensitive. It is responsible for receiving light and converting it into an electrical signal that travels down the optic nerve to the brain, where it is processed into images.

The macula is the dense location of cone photoreceptors. They are responsible for sharp vision, central vision, reading, facial recognition, daytime vision in light, and color vision. With a decrease in photoreceptors' function, central vision loss becomes the main characteristic of Stargardt's disease. Usually, some central vision may remain intact, but progression rates can vary. 

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a thin layer of cells that supports the photoreceptors. In Stargardt's disease, damaged proteins in photoreceptor cells may lead to lipofuscin accumulation in the retinal pigment epithelium. Photoreceptors shed themselves daily, creating layers of toxic necrotic tissue. If this waste material is not cleared, it can destroy the retinal pigment epithelium. When RPE is lost, so are the photoreceptor cells that lie above it. This leads to loss of vision.

Common symptoms of those suffering from Stargardt's disease are similar to those who have age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Symptoms include the slow loss of central vision bilaterally. The timing of symptom progression may vary among patients. Usually, it starts slowly with blurry vision, followed by gray or black spots at the center of the eye.

Patients notice that adjusting from brightness to darkness takes longer than before. Many of Stargardt's patients will end up with 20/200 vision and loss of side vision with age. Symptoms may include:

• Decrease in sharp vision
• Central vision loss
• Observing blind spots
• Loss of color vision
• Blurry vision
• Black spots in the vision field
• Sensitivity to light
• Trouble seeing in dim light
  

An ophthalmologist or optometrist may be able to diagnose Stargardt's disease for you. After a retinal examination, they will determine if you have lipofuscin deposits. These can be observed as yellow spots in a ring-like pattern surrounding the macula. A variety of eye tests may be performed to diagnose a positive Stargardt's disease.

• A visual field test is used to evaluate the overall field of vision, including peripheral and central vision. The central nervous system processes this as four quadrants of neurological activity.

• Color test - The Ishihara color vision test is the most commonly used. It consists of colored dots that make up pictures. There is usually a figure alongside a number. A color-blind person will not be able to make out the number.

• Fundus Photo - The fundus refers to the back of the eye, including the macula, retina, optic nerve, and blood vessels that feed the retina. The eye doctor will look for lipofuscin in these regions.

• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)  - An imaging technology that shows a high-resolution cross-sectional view of the retina

• Electroretinography (ERG)  - This test measures the electrical activity of the photoreceptors in the retina

There are no cures for Stargardt's disease. Intraocular injections are given if leakage is detected in the vessels, as in wet macular degeneration. Research shows that proper nutrition and UAV protection may slow down the progression of Stargardt's disease. In addition, excess vitamin A may cause harmful effects to the eyes.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) always searches for the systemic root causes of any disorder. The eyes do not exist in isolation but are intricately connected to the rest of the body. Therefore, the eyes are an outward expression of other related imbalances throughout the body. In TCM, the liver connects to the eyes via meridians. The liver holds blood made from the digestive system. Therefore, if the digestive system does not produce healthy blood and the liver does not function optimally to deliver it, then imbalances may become inherent.

Acupuncture has been shown to benefit patients with Stargardt's by increasing blood perfusion to the eye, specifically the retina. When blood is healthy and rich in nutrients, it delivers the necessary molecules to support the formation of healthy cells and tissues. 

In my clinic, we provide various acupuncture services for Stargardt's patients, including but not limited to Micro Acupuncture, Acunova acupuncture, Traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture, electrical stimulation, pulsed electromagnetic frequency, Ondamed, dietary plans, herbs, nutrients, and exercises.