M48 Ophthalmology Acupuncture

M48 Ophthalmology Acupuncture — What It Is and How It Works

Most people have never heard of integrative ophthalmology acupuncture. That’s partly because very few practitioners in the United States are trained in it — and even fewer on the West Coast. Michael Woodworth, M.S., L.Ac. holds the M48A certification, trained under Dr. Andy Rosenfarb, whose clinical work with chronic and degenerative eye conditions represents one of the most developed integrative-ophthalmology programs in the country.

This page explains what M48 acupuncture is, what it draws on, and what working with us actually looks like.

M48 ophthalmology acupuncture is not a treatment for eye disease. It is supportive care — designed to work alongside your ophthalmologist, not replace them. Western medical management of your condition remains primary.

What M48 Draws On

The M48 framework integrates several distinct clinical traditions into a cohesive approach for chronic vision conditions:

  • Classical Chinese ophthalmology — the Five Wheels (五輪, Wǔ Lún). The foundational assessment system. Each anatomical region of the eye corresponds to an organ network: the iris/cornea to the Liver, the canthi to the Heart, the eyelids to the Spleen, the whites to the Lung, and the pupil and inner eye to the Kidney. This map tells the practitioner which organ-system dynamics are involved before a needle is placed. Read about the Five Wheels in detail.
  • Microsystem acupuncture. Points on the hands and feet that correspond to the eye and visual system, selected based on where in the eye the patient’s primary difficulty lies.
  • Master Tung’s acupuncture and Dr. Tan’s Balance Method. Two complementary distal-point systems that reach the eye through mirror-image channel relationships rather than local needling alone.
  • Scalp acupuncture for the visual cortex. Thin needles placed at a shallow angle in the occipital scalp region overlying the primary visual cortex (V1–V2). Used to support central nervous system processing of visual signal alongside peripheral retinal work.
  • Individualized classical herbal prescription. This is where Makari diverges most clearly from the standard M48 model. A full classical Chinese herbal formula — individualized to the patient’s specific Liver-Kidney-Spleen-Jing pattern — is prescribed alongside acupuncture, not as a generic supplement protocol. See our approach to classical herbal prescribing for eye conditions.

What Conditions M48 Work Supports

We work with patients managing symptoms commonly associated with the following conditions. In every case, this is supportive work under the supervision of your eye care team:

  • Macular degeneration (dry and wet, early-to-mid stage)
  • Retinitis pigmentosa
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Glaucoma (alongside prescribed IOP management — we never advise stopping glaucoma medication)
  • Retinal occlusion (post-acute stabilization)
  • Optic neuritis and optic nerve atrophy
  • Usher Syndrome and Stargardt’s disease
  • Chronic dry eye that hasn’t responded to first-line management
  • Age-related vision decline framed in TCM as Liver-Kidney Yin depletion

What a Session Looks Like

An M48 session at Makari is structured around the Five-Wheels assessment, not a standardized needle protocol. No two patients receive the same point selection because no two patterns are identical.

  1. Five-Wheel observation. The practitioner reads each region of the eye — color, vascular pattern, surface quality — and maps what’s visible to the classical wheel framework. This shapes everything that follows.
  2. Body-point selection. Distal points on the Liver, Kidney, Stomach, and Bladder channels are typically primary. Master Tung mirror-points and Dr. Tan balance-points are added based on which wheel region is most symptomatic. Spleen-channel support is included when central vision is the primary concern.
  3. Local periorbital points. A small set of peri-orbital points (Jing Ming BL-1, Zan Zhu BL-2, Tong Zi Liao GB-1, and others) may be used selectively. These require specific trained technique and are not placed in every session.
  4. Scalp acupuncture. The occipital scalp region overlying the visual cortex is needled to support central visual processing alongside the peripheral work at the eye.
  5. Classical herbal prescription. Outside of the acupuncture session, patients receive an individualized herbal formula selected to their pattern — often a member of the Di Huang Wan (地黃丸) family, modified to the specific Liver-Kidney-Spleen presentation. See the herbal formulas we work with.

Frequency, Timeline, and Re-Evaluation

Most patients begin with two sessions per week. For patients who travel specifically for this work, we can schedule up to two sessions per day with appropriate rest intervals.

At week 8, we conduct a formal re-evaluation. We look at both objective measures — visual acuity, any available OCT findings from your ophthalmologist — and subjective measures: changes in night vision, central-field clarity, eye fatigue, glare sensitivity. Patients who show measurable improvement continue at a reduced frequency. If there is no meaningful change in the first 8 weeks, we discuss whether continuing is appropriate for your case.

This work is honest about its limits. We do not promise outcomes, and we do not accept cases where the patient’s expectation is a cure. What we offer is a rigorous, pattern-based supportive protocol run in parallel with your medical management — and a classical herbal prescription that most integrative ophthalmology programs don’t provide at this depth.

Our Credentials

Michael Woodworth holds the M48A Certification in Micro Acupuncture for Ophthalmology, trained under Dr. Andy Rosenfarb. He is one of a small number of M48-certified practitioners in Southern California — and one of the only ones on the West Coast who also holds advanced classical Chinese herbalism credentials (ICEAM Certification #122, Arnaud Versluys lineage).

That combination — M48 ophthalmology acupuncture plus deep classical herbal training — is the differentiator. Acupuncture alone addresses one dimension of the pattern. An individualized classical herbal formula works on the same pattern 24 hours a day between sessions.

Supportive Care Disclaimer

M48 ophthalmology acupuncture is supportive care. It is not a medical treatment for macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, or any other eye condition. It does not replace ophthalmologic evaluation, prescribed medication, or surgical management. Patients should maintain regular monitoring with their retinal specialist or ophthalmologist throughout any course of care with us. Individual results vary. This is not a substitute for medical evaluation or treatment.

Ready to Discuss Your Case?

The first step is an in-clinic evaluation. We do not offer free phone consultations — accurate pattern assessment requires examination. You’re welcome to send a brief description of your situation through our contact page; Michael will respond honestly about whether your case is likely to be a fit before you book.

Book an initial evaluation — or see our Vision Program pricing.