Age-related macular degeneration

Overview

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition affecting the macular region of the retina. The exact mechanism is still unknown. The majority of AMD are dry, i.e. with no neo-vascular formation. Patients with AMD usually suffer visual impairment.

Treatment options

Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment available.

Acupuncture

We assume that chronic poor blood supply over the retina/macula is an important factor for the condition. The vision impairment may be partially reversed by improving retinal blood supply. During the treatment of dry eyes, several patients with AMD reported improvement of visual acuity, night vision and colour vision. We are recruiting 6-10 patients with dry AMD for acupuncture treatments.

Inclusion criteria

• Dry AMD diagnosed by ophthalmologists
• Independent mobility

Exclusion criteria

• Anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy
• Current or past Anti-VEGF treatment
• Severe dementia

Treatment protocol (UPDATED)

• Initial consultation, 20 minutes to review medical history
• Acupuncture treatments twice per week for 6 weeks (minimum 10 treatments in total), 40 minutes each session

Early results (UPDATED)

The early results for the trial are very exciting. Patients with atrophic macular degeneration noticed the improvement of vision, including visual acuity and night vision as soon as the 1st treatment. The improvements seem to sustain as well.

Fee

The acupuncture treatments are bulk billed with no out-of-pocket cost. We require a 100-dollar deposit.