Macular Degeneration Treatment NYC by Marc Bystock L.Ac.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the United States and affects over 10 million people. It occurs when the retina in the eye becomes damaged, causing loss of vision over time. If you compare the human eye to a camera, the macula collects detailed central vision and forwards it to the brain via the optic nerve. When the macula tissue becomes inflamed and oxidized, images cannot be received appropriately.  

At the onset of the disease often are no symptoms. As a progression of the disease occurs, blurry vision may begin to set in. Finally, during the late stages, the patient may completely lose their central vision. Peripheral vision can continue because the rest of the retina may remain intact. Peripheral vision is significantly less clear than central vision.

There are several methods for your eye doctor to test for AMD. Drops may be placed into the eye to dilate them. Then a unique instrument will be used to look into the back of the eye to search for drusen. Drusen are the yellow and white fatty deposits mentioned above. An Amsler grid can be used as part of the examination. Straight lines may appear wavy and distorted with macular degeneration.

Fluorescein angiography can be used. During this procedure, a colored dye is injected into the patient’s arm, and the physician looks for detailed blood vessels in the eye for abnormalities and changes in the retina. Indocyanine angiography may be used. In this procedure, a dye is injected directly into the eye to confirm the results of the fluorescein test and to determine the type of macular degeneration.

The discovery of 48 new acupuncture points on the palmar surface of the hands and soles of the feet have not been associated with other acupuncture systems. These points may improve the vision of people who are suffering from Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Macular degeneration is a disorder of ocular oxidative stress, inflammation, and insufficient blood perfusion. Micro Acupuncture was initially experimented with to improve arthritic conditions, but, patients reported seeing with brighter contrast and clearer vision after the acupuncture procedure.

It is thought that this acupuncture system may stimulate the visual cortex in the brain sending signals to the optic nerve and retinal structure of the eye. This neuro-functional stimulation increases blood flow, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the starved tissue of the eye.

The standard Holistic Acupuncture Vision protocol is to receive two treatments per day for a period of one to two weeks. Other programs may be successfully implemented and are dependent on the frequency of the treatments as well as the individual needs of the patient.

Eye diseases should not necessarily be isolated to the eyes themselves. The eyes are part of the whole body that they are housed in. The health of the eye is dependent on the general condition and health of the entire body. To obtain optimal results, I treat the causative factors of the disease as well as the symptoms. My Holistic Acupuncture Vision program treats both the eyes and the condition of the whole body simultaneously.