Macular Degeneration ARMD Homeopathic Medicine

There are two types of AMD: dry (atrophic) and wet (neovascular or exudative). Most AMD starts as the dry type and in 10-20% of individuals, it progresses to the wet type. Age-related macular degeneration is always bilateral (i.e., occurs in both eyes), but does not necessarily progress at the same pace in both eyes. It is therefore possible to experience the wet type in one eye and the dry type in the other.

Dry Macular Degeneration

The dry (atrophic) type affects approximately 80-90% of individuals with AMD. Its cause is unknown, it tends to progress more slowly than the wet type, and there is not—as of yet—an approved treatment or cure. In dry age-related macular degeneration, small white or yellowish deposits, called drusen, form on the retina, beneath the macula, causing it to deteriorate or degenerate over time.

Wet Macular Degeneration

The wet/neovascular type affects approximately 10-15% of individuals with age-related macular degeneration, but accounts for approximately 90% of all cases of severe vision loss from the disease.

In wet age-related macular degeneration, abnormal blood vessels under the retina begin to grow toward the macula. Because these new blood vessels are abnormal, they tend to break, bleed, and leak fluid, damaging the macula and causing it to lift up and pull away from its base. This can result in a rapid and severe loss of central vision.

The condition develops as the eye ages. Dry macular degeneration affects the macula — an area of the retina that's responsible for clear vision in your direct line of sight. Over time, tissue in your macula may thin and lose cells responsible for vision.

Factors that may increase your risk of macular degeneration include:

Age. This disease is most common in people over 60.

Family history and genetics. This disease has a hereditary component. Researchers have identified several genes that are related to developing the condition.

Race. Macular degeneration is more common in Caucasians.

Smoking. Smoking cigarettes or being regularly exposed to smoke significantly increases your risk of macular degeneration.

Obesity. Research indicates that being obese may increase your chance that early or intermediate macular degeneration will progress to the more severe form of the disease.

Cardiovascular disease. If you have had diseases that affected your heart and blood vessels, you may be at higher risk of macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration is a progressive disease. This means that it’ll get worse over time.

You may not notice vision problems in the early stages of the disease. You’re also less likely to notice vision changes when they affect both eyes at the same time.

The signs and symptoms of dry macular degeneration include:

a reduction in central vision

a distortion of straight lines in your field of vision

the need for brighter lighting

difficulty adapting to low lights

blurriness

trouble recognizing faces

retinal damage

Some symptoms of wet macular degeneration resemble those of dry macular degeneration, such as visual distortions and reduced central vision.

If you have wet macular degeneration, you may also experience:

a blurry spot in your field of vision

a dark spot in the center of your vision due to blood vessels bleeding or leaking fluid

hazy vision

rapidly worsening symptoms

Wet macular degeneration progresses more quickly than dry macular degeneration.

Self-Checks/At-Home Testing

The Amsler grid (sometimes referred to as the Amsler chart) is perhaps the most common test that is used at home to screen for the possibility of wet AMD. The Amsler grid had been used since 1945.

The chart displays horizontal and vertical lines and is used to evaluate and monitor changes in a person's central visual field. The grid was developed by a Swiss ophthalmologist named Marc Amsler. The grid can be used to perform ongoing self-eye screenings at home.

Eye Examination and Tests

Macular degeneration can be discovered via symptoms that you notice at home, but also can be diagnosed during a scheduled yearly eye exam.

The initial part of wet AMD diagnostic testing is an eye examination, which takes place after the eyes are dilated. If macular degeneration is present, the ophthalmologist sees the presence of drusen (cellular debris present under the retina) as well as macular pigment changes. These changes can often be observed by the eye doctor before visual symptoms occur.

Screening Tools

Visual screening tools are often used for the initial evaluation of eye disorders such as AMD. The ophthalmologist uses an ophthalmoscope or a retinoscope a handheld instrument that checks refractive power using light emitted to the retina) to visually exam the eyes. There are many other tools and pieces of equipment that ophthalmologists commonly use to perform an eye exam.

Imaging

Imaging tests are commonly used to form a definitive diagnosis of AMD. There are two forms of AMD, the wet form and the dry form. Wet AMD involves new blood vessels that are not formed correctly. These dysfunctional blood vessels burst and cause bleeding in the eye.

This abnormal formation of blood vessels is also referred to as neovascularization. In wet AMD, neovascularization may be seen in or under the retina by means of imaging examinations.

Fundus Autofluorescence Imaging

Fundus autofluorescence (AF) imaging is a non-invasive test that utilizes the body’s natural fluorescence to examine the retina for signs of wet AMD. This test takes advantage of the body’s natural ability to light up when exposed to certain types of light. The structures that light up are called fluorophores.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

Optical coherence tomography is a non-invasive imaging test (no injections required) that shows details of the retina and provides very useful diagnostic information about the telltale signs of wet AMD (such as new/abnormal blood vessels, hemorrhaging, drusen, and more).

Indocyanine Green Angiography

Indocyanine green angiography is a diagnostic procedure that utilizes green dye to illuminate the blood flow in the choroid. The choroid is a layer of blood vessels located between the white of the eye (called the sclera) and the retina.

The test can help with differential diagnoses, because it allows for specific evaluation and analysis of the choroidal circulation. The choroidal circulation is the area in which vascular dysregulation (abnormal blood vessels) occurs in wet AMD.

Many homeopaths are reluctant to treat age related macular degeneration for several reasons. First, there is a poor understanding of the pathology and its affect on the visual system. Second is the belief that only a specialist should treat this serious disorder, and lastly is the belief this condition will not respond to homeopathy-it is an incurable state.

Since there is no effective allopathic treatment, why not try homeopathy? The homeopathic treatment of macular degeneration is a unique opportunity for homeopaths. I would like to share my experiences using homeopathy in the treatment of this disorder.Homeopathy treats the person as a whole on wholistic concept. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition based on symptoms.Symptoms are sign of internal turbulance or loss of equilibrium. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution, family history, presenting symptoms, underlying pathology, possible causative factors etc.  A homeopathy doctor tries to treat more than just the presenting symptoms. The focus is usually on what caused the disease condition especially. Why this patient is sick in this way while others not in same house or condition. The disease diagnosis is important but in homeopathy, the cause of disease is not just probed to the level of bacteria and viruses. Other factors like mental, emotional and physical stress that could predispose a person to illness are also looked for. No a days, even modern medicine also considers a large number of diseases as psychosomatic. The correct homeopathy remedy tries to correct this disease predisposition. The focus is not on curing the disease but to cure the person who is sick, to restore the health. If a disease pathology is not very advanced, homeopathy remedies do give a hope for cure but even in incurable cases, the quality of life can be greatly improved with homeopathic medicines.

BENZENUM DINITRICUM

Blindness.-Colour-blindness, "central scotoma for red and green.".-Disc pale; greyish; edges defined; retinal vesselThe most obvious result of poisioning by skin absorbtion are changes in RBC and liver degeneration in amblyopia, colour blindness, retinitis. Field of vission contracted. Black urine.

CROTALUS HORRIDUS 

Crotalus hor is best for Retinal detachment due to retinal hemorrhages. Bleeding eyes after a stroke. The person is very sensitive to light especially lamp light. T.Very sensitive to light, especially LAMP LIGHT. Yellow color of eyes. Illusions; blue colors. CILIARY NEURALGIA; tearing, boring pain, as if a cut had been made around eye. FOR ABSORPTION OF INTRA-OCULAR HEMORRHAGES, into the vitreous, but particularly for non-inflammatory retinal haemorrhages. Diplopia.here is intense ciliary neuralgia, tearing, boring pain, as if a cut had been made around eyes

CARBONEUM SULPHURATUM 

Myopia, asthenopia, andDis-chromotopsia, cloudiness and atrophy of optic disc and central scotoma for light and for red and green and not for white. Optic neuritis advancing towards atrophy. Arteries and veins congested. Retinal congestion ; Optic disc pale. Everything seems in a fog. Vision greatly impaired. Color-blindness.

GELSEMIUM 

Ptosis; Eyelids heavy, double vision , vision blurred and smoky. Dim sighted , orbital neuralgia, with contraction and twitching of muscles. Serous inflammations. Detached retina, glaucoma and descemetitis.The person experiences orbital neuralgia with contraction and twitching of muscles. There is a feeling of bruised pain in the back of the orbits. Complete blindness coming suddenly. There is blurring and discomfort in the eyes even after accurately adjusted eyes. There is intense pain over the right eye with double vision and vertigo. Gelsemium is also best for detachment of retina from myopia.Gelsemium is best  in cases of Retinal detachment & Macular degeneration it is suited to nervous and hysterical persons. Retinal detachment of rheumatism. It is also used for Retinal detachment after injury. There is retinitis with deep inflammation with haziness of vitreous .The intra -ocular pressure is increased. 

NAPHTHALINUM 

Naphthalinum is one of the top remedies for  Macular degeneration & Retinal detachment. Marked affinity for the eye. It produces detachment of the retina; papillo-retinal infiltration; deposits in patches upon the retina; amblyopia and consecutive amaurosis; sparkling synchisis; soft cataract. Exudation in the retina, choroid and ciliary body. The eyes inflamed, painful and blood shot. Shiny bodies are seen in vitreous. White patches are seen on retina, which is oxalate , sulphate and carbonate of calcium. There is exudation in the retina, choroid and ciliary body, also opacity of the cornea. There is amblyopia and consecutive amaurosis and sparkling synchisis.The person always have symptoms of hay fever.

RUTA GRAVEOLENS 

Ruta is best for Retinal detachment with asthenopia, astigmatism, and a sensation of violent heat in eyes. There is disturbances of accommodation and pressure deep in orbits. Ruta is a remedy for eye strain, headache from eye strain. Eyes red, hot, and painful from sewing or reading fine print (Nat mur; Arg nit). Disturbances of accommodation. Weary pain while reading. Pressure deep in orbits. Tarsal cartilage feels bruised. Pressure over eyebrow. Asthenopia.