Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a hereditary disorder that causes
progressive vision loss and may eventually lead to blindness. RP
affects approximately 1 in 5000 individuals worldwide. The condition
affects the rod and cone cells in the retina, which is the
light-sensitive nerve layer at the back of the eye.
RP
usually affects both eyes equally and the severity of the symptoms can
range from no visual problems in some families to blindness at an
early age in others. In RP, symptoms often appear at a young age and
progress over time. Factors like diet, lifestyle and genetics can
significantly impact the rate of vision loss in RP.
Types
of Vision Loss from RP:
At the moment, there is no cure for retinitis pigmentosa. Research shows
that taking certain vitamins, preferably vitamin A, may help fight the
progression of retinitis pigmentosa.
Other methods such as
gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and retinal replacement may also be
considered. Talk to your ophthalmologist for more information on any of
these options.
Retinitis Pigmentosa is generally a hereditary disorder. That means
you get it from your parents. However, 40% of RP patients have no
known previous family history.
In these cases, the cause
of RP may be another genetic disorder such as Kearns-Sayre syndrome,
Bassen-Kornzweig disease, Waardenburg syndrome, Alport syndrome or
Refusum disease. Although hereditary remains the key risk factor, some
sources suggest prolonged, unprotected exposure to sunlight may
accelerate vision loss.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Theory, the health of the eyes
has not limited the function of the eyeball but is closely related to
the proper functioning of the liver, digestive organs and the kidney
energy.
When blood supplied by the Liver is strong, it
can nourish the eyes to ensure good vision and proper cell
regeneration; when the blood supplied by the liver is weak, the lack
of nutrients causes vision problems. The Liver function is also
supported by the energy of the digestive organs, and Kidneys.
The Spleen and Stomach help extract the nutrients from
food and deliver them to the rest of the body through the blood. The
kidney also aids in the functional movement blood to reach the eyes.
In 2014, Dr Andy Rosenfarb ND, Lac and researchers from
John Hopkins University tested the effect of a specific acupuncture
protocol for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa (click link for paper).
They found that 50% of patients showed measurable,
significant visual function improvements after treatment, and the
remaining 50% showed stabilization or mild improvements. Currently, Dr
Rosenfarb is the leading expert in the field of Chinese Medicine
Ophthalmology for retinitis pigmentosa. His acupuncture treatment
protocol can see advanced patients recover 5-15 degrees, and others
recover the entire 90-degree field of vision.
Our
practitioner Andrew has received extensive training from Dr Rosenfarb
and fully certified to treat Retinitis Pigmentosa and a number of
other eye conditions. Acupuncture treatments have shown to increase
blood flow to specific regions of the body. For RP, treatments have
demonstrated increased blood circulation to the eye and retina. In
doing so, this will bring oxygen-rich blood to the rod and cone cells
of the retina.
