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Acupuncture and Macular Degeneration – Part Two

From part one of the Acupuncture and Macular Degeneration series we learnt the anatomy of the eye relevant to Macular Degeneration (the retina, macula and fovea) and what happens inside the eye for Macular Degeneration to occur (broken blood vessels and drusen).

In this second instalment we will be exploring the symptoms of Macular Degeneration and when you should see your GP for a diagnosis, lifestyle choices that can cause the disease and pre-emptive measures you can take to fight against Macular Degeneration.

Symptoms of Macular Degeneration

The most obvious early warning sign of Macular Degeneration is the loss and distortion of central vision which can be experienced through:

  • Seeing lines that are supposed to be straight as wavy
  • An area of blurred vision that won’t focus with change of distance from subject matter
  • Increased difficulty in seeing detail or colour

For sufferers of Wet Macular Degeneration an early diagnosis is very important as the above symptoms can worsen in a very short space of time, from a few weeks to as rapid as a few days. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms listed you should book to see your doctor as soon as possible.

As the disease continues, sufferers can experience a wide range of symptoms disruptive to their daily life such as:

  • Extreme distortion or loss of the central field of vision making “…reading, driving, watching TV and recognizing faces…” highly difficult. (BrightFocus Foundation, n.d., para. 5).
  • Difficulty differentiating between slight changes in textures and colour hues in your environment –being unable to distinguish differences in the texture of the ground or stairs, “…can be dangerous and lead to an increased risk of falls…” (BrightFocus Foundation, para. 5)
  • Increased difficulty using depth perception – when it becomes hard to judge the differences in the distance between objects, simple tasks like walking or driving can become frustrating and dangerous.
  • Sufferers of Macular Degeneration may also find their eyes more sensitive to light – when reading or writing you may need brighter light to see fine details like writing, glare from the sun can cause your eyes to malfunction and render you unable to see anything but the glare, drastic changes in light levels such as walking outside after being in a movie theatre can also become noticeably difficult for your eyes to adjust to.

If you recognise any of the above symptoms in you or your loved ones, please contact your doctor for a diagnosis immediately.

Causes of Macular Degeneration

The most common cause of Macular Degeneration is unfortunately one we cannot yet escape – age. There are however, other contributing factors that can bring about an early onset of the disease that you can avoid to prevent Macular Degeneration.

  • Smoking: Just one of the many diseases caused by tobacco smoking, Macular Degeneration can be brought about early through this expensive and dangerous habit. 
  • Alcohol consumption: Cutting alcohol from your diet can help prolong and maintain good health as alcohol can lower your immunity and your body’s ability to fight sickness and disease. 
  • Obesity and poor diet: Unhealthy eating habits can cause an abundance of harmful issues and macular degeneration is no exception. Don’t forget – you are what you eat! 
  • Blue-violet light: We all know that the sun and UV (Ultra-Violet) light can damage our skin, but it can also cause a lot of damage to our eyes as “UV light affects the front of the eye (cataract formation), while blue light causes damage to the back of the eye (risk of AMD)”. (Review of Optometry, 2014, para. 3). It can be beneficial in this case to fork out for a quality pair of sunglasses that can sufficiently protect your eyes from harmful rays.   
  • Hereditary: In some cases it just all boils down to your genes and unwanted inheritances from your parents and their parents. Not all Macular Degeneration is hereditary but having an immediate relative with Macular Degeneration can definitely increase your chances of developing the disease yourself. 

Macular Degeneration Eye Causes

As you can, see all the usual culprits of poor health are present for Macular Degeneration, which is actually somewhat encouraging as many of these causes can be controlled through proper diet and restricted substance consumption. The downside is that no human can escape the sun, their genes or growing older.  While mainstream medicine does not currently have a cure for Macular Degeneration, our qualified Chinese Medicine practitioners can help you manage the condition effectively.  At Centre of Balance clinics in Hamilton and Remuera, Auckland, we can help treat macular degeneration through natural, holistic techniques like acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

  • Part one of Macular Degeneration and Acupuncture
  • Part three of Macular Degeneration and Acupuncture

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  • BrightFocus Foundation. (n.d.). Understanding Your Disease – Signs and Symptoms. Retrieved from         http://www.brightfocus.org/macular/symptoms-and-signs
  • Review of Optometry. (2014). The Lowdown on Blue Light: Good vs. Bad, and Its Connection to AMD. Retrieved from         https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/ce/the-lowdown-on-blue-light-good-vs-bad- and-its-connection-to-amd-109744
  • Free photos retrieved from https://www.pexels.com
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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.