Diabetic Retinopathy
If you have type I or II diabetes, you may have been diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, or you have been told you are at risk of it. So what is diabetic retinopathy? This is a condition where unabsorbed blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels supplying your eyes. They then break open and bleed into the retina, where your light- and color-sensing cells sit. Fortunately, Dr Dekhtyar, DACM at Life Balance Clinic provides effective treatment.
Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is the result of damaged blood vessels breaking open, becoming overgrown in response to damage, or both. This is why its symptoms aren’t just a gradual loss of eyesight. Instead, your vision can either simply deteriorate, become blurry, or even fluctuate, meaning you may have trouble seeing one day, and wake up to sudden improvement the next day.
If your retina damage is concentrated in a specific area, you could notice patches of vision loss that appear dark or empty. Floaters and flashers are common too, which are tiny pieces of damaged tissue that have broken off and are floating in the eye.
What Other Complications Can Diabetic Retinopathy Cause?
Diabetic retinopathy can cause sudden loss of vision in severe cases. Here, one dying blood vessel may be replaced by several fragile vessels, which may break open all at once. Outside of the eye, it can cause eye strain and headaches, as you struggle to see clearly.
Treatments for Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy treatment often involves improving control of your diabetes, to reduce the amount of further damage. However, this does not directly address vision impairment, it only gives your eyes a chance to somewhat recover.
At Life Balance Clinic, Dr. Vadim Dekhtyar, DACM takes diabetes-related retinopathy treatment one step further with the AcuNova protocol. This system of AcuVision was developed by Danish practitioner Dr. Boel and uses newly-discovered points on your hands and feet. Like traditional acupuncture, these influence bioenergetic channels that affect multiple organs and systems, including your eyes. Some patients may improve to the point that they can read books and drive again, despite conventional treatments providing no success.
Clinical research into acupuncture and Chinese medicine for diabetic retinopathy demonstrates a significant improvement in vision, whether the therapy is used alone or with another treatment. One benefit is an increase in blood vessel integrity, preventing further breakdown and deterioration or your retina. A trial using acupuncture alongside herbal medicine, which may provide additional antioxidant support and tissue-repairing effects, showed that 37 out of 40 patients enjoyed at least some benefit. Of these, one patient the authors focused on had no relapse of her condition after over three months.
If you’re struggling with diabetic retinopathy, new treatments such as acupuncture can help. Dr. Vadim Dekhtyar, DACM is one of the very few US-based physicians trained in AcuNova by Dr. Boel, making him highly sought after by patients specifically requesting this treatment. Call Life Balance Clinic today to schedule an appointment.