Macular degeneration and the central retina

Macular Degeneration Treatment

Integrative, non-surgical support for the macula — alongside the care of your ophthalmologist.

What macular degeneration does to vision

Macular degeneration damages the macula, the central portion of the retina responsible for detailed, straight-ahead vision. As the macula is affected, central vision becomes blurry or distorted. Patients may notice dark spots in the centre of their field of view, or find that straight lines appear wavy.

Because peripheral vision often remains relatively intact for a long time, the loss tends to show up first in the tasks that depend on fine central detail — reading, recognising faces, and seeing clearly in dim conditions.

Our approach

Netra Eye Institute provides non-surgical macular degeneration care that integrates herbal medicine and Ayurveda. Our methods employ acupuncture to support blood flow to the retina and to nourish the delicate nerve tissue behind vision, drawing on Traditional Chinese Medicine and classical natural healing practice.

Rather than targeting a single measurable endpoint, the aim is to address the contributors that influence retinal resilience over time: microvascular circulation and oxygen delivery, oxidative burden, inflammatory signalling, and neurotrophic support. This reasoning is explained further in the science behind NRT.

A plan built around you

Every treatment plan is individualised. After a comprehensive consultation based on Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine, a diagnosis is arrived at and a plan is built around your particular presentation, with the goal of supporting vision and maintaining visual independence.

Related conditions we also treat include Dry AMD, Wet AMD, macular dystrophy, and macular edema.

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Selected References for Scientific Support

Evidence scope: These sources describe AMD biology, established care, nutrition evidence, ocular perfusion associations, and the limited evidence for acupuncture. None directly establishes that Netra Restoration Therapy changes AMD progression.

  1. Mitchell P, Liew G, Gopinath B, Wong TY. Age-Related Macular Degeneration. The Lancet. 2018;392(10153):1147-1159. Provides an authoritative overview of AMD epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and established management.
  2. Fleckenstein M, Schmitz-Valckenberg S, Chakravarthy U. Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Review. JAMA. 2024;331(2):147-157. Reviews AMD pathogenesis, classification, monitoring, and evidence-based treatment.
  3. Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 Research Group. Lutein + Zeaxanthin and Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The AREDS2 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2013;309(19):2005-2015. A large randomized trial defining evidence and limitations for modifications to the AREDS supplement formulation.
  4. Romano F, Vingopoulos F, Yuan M, et al. Decreased Macular Choriocapillaris Perfusion Correlates With Contrast Sensitivity Function in Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Ophthalmology Retina. 2024;8(12):1140-1150. An observational study associated reduced choriocapillaris perfusion with contrast-sensitivity changes; it does not prove that increasing perfusion reverses AMD.
  5. Sun W, Zhao Y, Liao L, et al. Effects of Acupuncture on Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. PLOS ONE. 2023;18(3):e0283375. Rated the evidence low to very low certainty and concluded that high-quality evidence of effectiveness was unavailable.
  6. Chen KY, Chan HC, Chan CM. Is Acupuncture a Viable Therapeutic Strategy for Degenerative Eye Diseases? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2025;93:103235. Reported mixed findings, with no statistically significant pooled improvement in visual acuity or intraocular pressure.

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Saikumar Gandapodi, DAOM, Dipl. OM, L.Ac. Patients should continue the diagnosis, monitoring, medications, and procedures recommended by their ophthalmologist. Individual results vary.

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