Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is one of the most common causes of vision loss for people over 60. If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed, you are likely looking for answers — and wondering if there is anything more you can do beyond what your eye doctor has offered. Ophthalmic Acupuncture is one option worth understanding.
What Is Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration, also called age-related macular degeneration (AMD), happens when the macula — a small area at the centre of the retina — starts to break down. The macula is responsible for your central vision, the kind you use to read, drive, and recognize faces. When it deteriorates, that central vision becomes blurry or distorted. Your side vision usually stays intact.
There are two main stages:
Dry AMD
- The most common form, accounting for roughly 90% of cases
- Involves a gradual thinning of the macula
- Tends to progress slowly over time
- Currently has no conventional medical treatment
Wet AMD
- Less common but more aggressive
- Caused by abnormal blood vessels growing beneath the retina and leaking fluid
- Results in faster and more noticeable vision loss
- Typically managed with eye injections to slow the leaking
Dry AMD can develop into wet AMD over time, which is why any sudden changes in vision should be checked by your eye doctor immediately.
Risk factors include age, smoking, high blood pressure, family history, and prolonged exposure to oxidative stress.
Why Dry Eye Is More Than Just a Surface Problem
Dry eye is often treated as a simple lubrication issue — your eyes are dry, so you add moisture. But in many cases, the problem runs deeper than the surface.
Chronic inflammation plays a major role. When the surface of the eye stays irritated over time, inflammation builds up in the tear glands and surrounding tissue, which makes them less effective at producing quality tears. This creates a cycle — dryness causes inflammation, and inflammation causes more dryness.
Poor circulation to the area around the eyes can also reduce the function of the glands responsible for producing the oil layer of your tears. Without enough oil, tears evaporate too quickly. Nerve function matters too — the nerves that signal your glands to produce tears can become less responsive, especially with extended screen use or aging.
This is why drops alone often fall short. They add moisture temporarily, but they do not address the inflammation, circulation, or nerve function that are driving the problem.
How Ophthalmic Acupuncture Treats Dry Eye
Ophthalmic acupuncture treats dry eye by addressing the underlying factors that cause it — not just the dryness you feel on the surface.
No needles are placed in or on the eyes at any point during treatment.
The acupuncture points used are located around the eyebrows, temples, and face, as well as on the arms and legs. The points near the eyes help improve circulation to the tear glands and reduce the local inflammation that impairs their function. The points further from the eyes support the nervous system and help restore the signaling that tells your glands to produce tears naturally.
Many patients notice their eyes feel more comfortable within the first few sessions. Over a course of treatment, the goal is to retrain the body to produce better quality tears on its own — reducing or eliminating your dependence on drops.
In our clinic, dry eye patients report less burning, less grittiness, fewer episodes of watering, and longer stretches of comfort throughout the day. Progress is tracked by monitoring your symptoms and, where relevant, working with your eye doctor’s findings on tear quality and quantity.
Results and What the Research Shows
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Medicine analyzed 16 clinical trials involving 1,383 dry eye patients. The study found that acupuncture combined with artificial tears was significantly more effective than artificial tears alone — improving both tear stability and tear production.
A separate 2024 network meta-analysis reviewed 41 studies with 2,931 participants and found that acupuncture improved tear break-up time, tear production, and corneal surface health. The study also noted that long-term use of artificial tears alone can cause side effects including allergies, blurred vision, and eye pain — making acupuncture a valuable alternative for patients seeking lasting relief.
A 2025 review published in the International Journal of General Medicine confirmed that acupuncture treats dry eye through multiple pathways — reducing inflammation, stimulating tear production, and improving the nerve signaling that controls tear gland function.
In our clinic, patients consistently see improvement that goes beyond what drops alone were able to achieve. Results vary by individual, but for many patients ophthalmic acupuncture provides the lasting relief they had been looking for.
If you are dealing with chronic dry eyes and want to explore what ophthalmic acupuncture can offer, visit our Honor Vision Program page to learn how we can help.
