Age Related Macular Degeneration

ARMD / AMD

What is Age Related Macular Degeneration?

Macular Degeneration (ARMD or AMD) is the slow degradation of the macula cells, in a tiny area near the center of the retina, where vision is the most precise. ARMD causes the loss of central vision, which you use for reading, writing, driving and recognizing faces, but peripheral or side vision isn't damaged..

Blindness is avoidable for people suffering from AMD. There is a huge amount of peer review research showing ARMD to be responsive to nutrition and lifestyle changes. That means that with the proper customized strategy, you can stabilize and possibly even improve your vision with healthy lifestyle choices.

Nearly 90% of all ARMD cases are “dry-AMD”, 10% being of the “wet-AMD” variety.

Dry macular degeneration (sometimes described as non-neovascular) happens in the early stages of this disease and results mostly from the overall aging and breakdown of the macular tissue in the eye itself. Pigments and proteins are accumulating inside of the macula, creating your blind spots.

Symptoms

Lines look distorted or wavy
Blurred or fuzzy shapes in the center
Colors appear more dim and less distinct
Difficulty reading
Blank areas or dark spots the center area of your vision

What can taproot acupuncture & herbs

do for AMD ?

Research shows very promising improvement rates with acupuncture for patients suffering of AMD.

At taproot, we provide you with a complete integrative protocol that includes 2 sessions of acupuncture a day, with micro-current stimulation for your eyes, personalized herbal formulas and supplements, as well as lifestyle and nutrition recommendations.

In a 2005 study on 108 patients treated by acupuncture for AMD disease, 69% of patients improved in distant vision and 69% improved in near vision.

Patients with both wet and dry forms of AMD benefited equally. Half of patients had subjective vision improvement, 33% of patients gained more than 2 lines on EDTRS charts, 20% reported lessening or disappearance of scotomas, and 7% of patients noted improved color vision.

Reference:

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Your treatment plan to improve vision & eye health

We offer either a 5- or 10-day treatment plan. We recommend that first-time patients come for two weeks (ten days of treatment) so we can see how you respond to treatment. Some patients have the most response during a five-day plan, while others do best on a ten-day protocol.

Prior to treatment, we recommend that you receive testing from your local eye doctor to establish a baseline. We might conduct a series of vision tests (central acuity near and far, visual field, contrast and color vision) to establish a baseline.
Bring your report of findings to the initial consultation and assessment
Therapy consists of two 30-minute sessions per day, with at least an hour break in between treatments. Depending on your eye condition we might include acupuncture, electro-acupuncture or micro current therapy (see below).
Receive a customized plan for diet, exercise, vitamins & supplements, herbal formulas, breathing exercises and eye exercises to improve maintenance while at home.
Reassess your vision after your treatments with your ophthalmologist.

Maintenance and continued treatments are possible if the patient showed an obvious positive response. Maintenance treatments can be offered monthly or seasonally, depending on your needs.

And of course, no needle ever goes into the eye.

Acupuncture

for the eyes

Acupuncture is the use of very thin, sterile needles that are inserted into specific points on the body, face and ears to promote circulation and blood flow in and around the eyes, promoting eye cell metabolism and detoxification. Acupuncture is painless and has almost no side effects.

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Chinese herbal

formulas

Each herbal formula is a unique combination of Chinese herbs specifically designed to address you as a whole : your body type, medical history and specific

eye condition.

You will go home with your own mix of granules to drink daily, during treatment and maintenance phase. Research shows promising results for eye health using herbs alongside acupuncture.

E-stim

Electro-acupuncture

Electro-acupuncture or

e-stim combines acupuncture needles with low-level electricity. It increases stimulation to key points around the eyes.

Eye conditions that respond favorably to e-stim include RP, dry AMD, optic atrophy, retinal occlusions, normal tension glaucoma and lazy eye.

Nutrition

& supplements

For nourishing your eyes from the inside, we will recommend a targeted plan of carefully chosen vitamins and minerals, and discuss best food options to optimize ocular function.

All our recommendations focus on anti-oxydants, enzymes, or

phytonutrients that have been thoroughly researched for your eye condition.

Micro-current

for the eyes

Electrical stimulation has a long history in ophthalmology and was thought to be beneficial as early as 1873. It works by administering external electric impulses to the region around the eyes and triggers brain neuroplasticity.

Breathing, Yoga

& eye exercises

Eye exercises have been around for thousands of years in the Chinese culture.

Daily eye exercises help

promote better flow of blood, oxygen and energy through the eyes.

There are many muscles in the eyes that control how well we see, and they are trainable like any other muscle in the body to become stronger and more flexible.

taproot acupuncture & herbs