Methods:
1. Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy: The disease is divided into five basic patterns: spleen and kidney Yang deficiency, liver and kidney yin deficiency, spleen and stomach qi deficiency, blood stasis blocking collaterals, liver stagnation to transform fire and was treated with Jinkuishenqi wan, Mingmudihuang wan, Buzhongyiqi wan, Tongqiaohuoxue Decoction and Danzhixiaoyao San respectively.
2. Acupuncture: Points are: Jingming, Qiuhou, Zhuanzhu, Sizhukong, Tongziliao, Yangbai, Chengqi, Fengchi, Guangming, Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Taichong, Hegu, Dazhui, Zhiyang, Mingmen, Ganshu, Shenshu, Pishu, Weishu. Select 2-3 acupuncture points on the eye area, limbs, and trunk respectively each time, 20 to 30 sessions as one courses.
3. Supportive therapy: Massage, moxibustion, infrared lamp, detoxification therapy, laser acupoint, magnetic therapy, biological desensitization therapy, anti-oxidation agent, salmon oil, vitamins, trace elements, European and American herbal remedies, diet therapy, sports therapy, etc.
Results:
From 1999 to 2008, we have treated 108 cases of retinitis pigmentosa. The clinical outcomes were:
1. Improved central visual acuity: The patient’s central visual acuity improved markedly after treatment: the vision is clearer, the black and white contrast are more distinct, and the colors are more vivid. Some patients increased their vision from 0.4 to 1.0.
2. Visual field expansion: After treatment, most patients first showed wider expansion of peripheral visual field, and then expansion of the central field of vision. The patients had less time of bumping into the wall or falling while walking, and easier to go up and down the stairs. Patient's visual field can be expanded by 5 to 10 degrees, and the improvement is cumulative.
3. Improved color vision: Before treatment, most patients have blindness in one type of color: blue, dark green, black, purple, yellow or brown. After treatment, they can differentiate some subtle color differences, such as dark blue and light blue, black color and dark green, light yellow and white, etc.
4. Improved night vision: After treatment, the patient can see the road and steps clearly at night. They can also walk on their own.
5. Improved dark adaptability: After treatment, the patients’ dark adaption time is reduced. Some patients decreased the time of 30 minutes before treatment to 10min after treatment, and some can further reduce from 5min to 2-3 seconds.
6. Light sensitivity and glare are reduced or disappeared: Before treatment, most patients are sensitive to light. When they face the Sun, they have a sensation of dazzling, with much scattered light and shadows. After treatment, the dazzling sensation has been improved or even disappeared. This is the result of regeneration of retinal cells.
7. Electroretinogram (ERGi) examination: After treatment, the electroretinogram examination showed significant improvement in the amplitude and incubation time of a wave and b wave of the rod and cone cells. Some patients experienced an increase of 50% to 300% in a wave and b wave amplitude after five months of treatment. The induced potential of 30Hz flash (white light) can also have an increase of 100% to 300%.
8. Pigmentation deposit of retina: Funduscopy confirmed that the pigment deposit on the retina can show improvement after 1 to 3 years of treatment. The pigment deposit can be lighter, smaller, fewer, or even disappeared completely.
9. The reproducibility of clinical outcome and long-term effects: Among the 108 cases, more than 85% of them showed a positive response, and which has been confirmed by funduscopy performed at internationally renowned universities and hospitals, such as the School of Medicine at the University of Toronto; the University of British Columbia, the University of Calgary, Duke University, and Louisiana University. Eight cases reached a complete clinical cure outcome
Reference:
Weidong Yu. 108 Cases of Retinitis Pigmentosa Treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine. World Chinese Medicine.2008;3(3) :162. [In Chinese]
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