Macular Degeneration Treatment

Macular Degeneration is an eye condition that affects your ability to see. Catching conditions like these early helps to provide the best treatment options. This is why it is important to have regular eye check ups, especially if you notice a difference in your vision. If you suspect you may have macular degeneration, a number of tests can be done to conclude a diagnosis. 

Diagnostic methods for Macular Degeneration 

  • Amsler Grid Test – This test is to check your central vision. The test is to look at a grid pattern with a dot in the middle. Signs of macular degeneration are if any of the grid patterns look irregular. This indicates wet macular degeneration. The test can also be used to monitor any progression with the disease. 
  • Fluorescein Angiography – a coloured dye is injected into your vein through the arm. This dye eventually travels to your eye which allows a doctor to examine the vessels throughout the eye. The doctor may also take a picture of your eye to examine further. 
  • Indocyanine Green Angiography – this test is similar to fluorescein angiography. A green dye is injected into the arm which travels to the eye. This test is to confirm the results of the fluorescein angiography and to determine which type of macular degeneration you have. 
  • Optical Coherence Tomography – This method is to take images of the retina from different angles to monitor swelling, thickening or thinning. 

Once diagnosed with macular degeneration, either wet or dry, there are a range of treatment options. The treatment for the two types of this condition differ.

Wet Macular Degeneration Treatment

  • Low-Vision rehabilitation specialist – Since Macular Degeneration is a condition which causes eyesight loss, many people benefit from treatment with a low-vision rehabilitation specialist. This rehab is to help deal and cope with any loss of sight. 
  • Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (anti-VEGF) Drugs – this is a kind of drug that a doctor will inject straight into your eye. This is to stop the growth of new blood vessels. It can take up to a few weeks to notice effects from the treatment. 
  • Photodynamic therapy – a doctor injects medicine into the vein of your arm that is activated in certain lights. A laser is then used along with this medicine to repair veins in your eyes to help with vision. 
  • Photocoagulation – laser beams are used to destroy the developed abnormal blood vessels. This can help by stopping bleeding into the eye and reduce further damage. Sometimes the lasers can leave blind spots in the eye
Acupuncture for Eye Health

Dry Macular Degeneration

  • Low-vision rehabilitation specialist – as mentioned in wet macular degeneration treatment styles, working with rehabilitation is recommended to deal with the loss of vision. 
  • Surgery – eye surgery can be done to replace the natural eye lens with a telescopic lens to assist eyesight 

Other Treatments

Macular Degeneration Eye

Vitamins have been encouraged as treatment for this condition also. Studies have shown to reduce progress of the disease by up to 30% as well as reduce vision loss by up to 19%. The vitamins and supplements recommended are 

  • 500 mg Vitamin C
  • 400 mg Vitamin E
  • 80 mg Zinc
  • 15 mg beta carotene 
  • 2 mg copper 

Acupuncture Treatment is also one of the best methods for dealing with macular degeneration. At times this is used as an effective treatment when patients don’t want standard medical treatment. Although it is not a cure it assists greatly in helping your eyes to heal from this condition as well as managing symptoms. Acupuncture is a holistic approach, focusing on the body functioning as a whole system. After performing a basic eye assessment, a specialist places acupuncture needles in various parts of the head and eye area–not in the eyes. These needles are placed in sensitive areas to reduce inflammation around the macula, which is affected by macular degeneration. Patients only feel a small pinch. 

To know more about acupuncture and how it can help with macular degeneration contact us at Centre of Balance on 07 846 7956 or email info@balancetcm.co.nz.

Our Offer to You

Fill in our online questionnaire for free – and save the $135 it would cost you to do this detailed medical history in person with a practitioner.  You can request a phone call from a practitioner after they have read your online form, or just book your initial exam for $40.  Call us on 07 846 7956 to book, or fill in the questionnaire now.

References

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/health-and-fitness/2021/07/could-acupuncture-help-improve-macular-degeneration 

https://www.healthline.com/health/macular-degeneration

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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.