Macular Degeneration — What It Is
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the progressive breakdown of the macula — the small central area of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision (reading, faces, driving). AMD occurs in two forms: dry AMD, the more common and typically slower-progressing form involving thinning and deposits (drusen) under the macula, and wet AMD, involving abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage that can cause rapid, significant vision loss if untreated.
Wet AMD is a medical priority — anti-VEGF injections and prompt ophthalmologic care are the standard of care and significantly reduce the risk of severe vision loss. This program does not replace that treatment at any stage.
How TCM Reads Macular Degeneration
The macula sits within the Water Wheel (水輪) and Flesh Wheel (肉輪) — territory shared by the Kidney’s essence and the Spleen’s nourishing function. Two patterns dominate AMD presentations:
- Liver-Kidney Yin deficiency. The primary age-related pattern — as Kidney Jing and Liver Blood naturally decline over the years, the deep nourishment that sustains the macula thins. This is the pattern most associated with dry AMD’s gradual course. Signs: gradual onset, tinnitus, low-back weakness, dry eyes, night-vision changes.
- Spleen-Qi deficiency with Dampness. Where fluid, leakage, or edema is a more prominent feature — more relevant to wet AMD’s presentation — the Spleen’s failure to transform and transport fluid properly is read as contributing to abnormal fluid accumulation at the macula. Signs: fatigue, poor digestion, a sense of heaviness, swelling tendencies elsewhere in the body.
Our Approach — M48 Acupuncture + Classical Herbal Prescription
Acupuncture: Sessions address the Water Wheel through Kidney-Liver Yin nourishment and, where fluid/Dampness is a feature, the Flesh Wheel through Spleen-channel work to support fluid metabolism. How M48 ophthalmology acupuncture works.
Herbal prescription: Liver-Kidney Yin deficiency presentations commonly draw from the Qi Ju Di Huang Wan (杞菊地黃丸) family. Where Spleen-Qi deficiency and Dampness are prominent, formulas from the Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (參苓白朮散) family are considered to build Spleen Qi and resolve Dampness before or alongside Yin-nourishing work. The specific prescription is individualized to your pattern and to which type of AMD is present. See our herbal formula approach for eye conditions.
What to Expect
This program helps manage symptoms and constitutional patterns commonly associated with macular degeneration — it does not regenerate macular tissue or reverse vision loss that has already occurred. For wet AMD, ongoing anti-VEGF treatment and ophthalmologic monitoring remain the priority; this program is scheduled around, not in place of, that care.
Makari works alongside your ophthalmologist, not as a replacement. Individual results vary.
Wet macular degeneration requires prompt and ongoing ophthalmologic treatment. This program is supportive in nature and does not replace ophthalmologic evaluation or treatment when indicated. Individual results vary.
Program and Pricing
Macular degeneration cases are evaluated on the Vision Program track. Initial evaluation: $200 (applied to package). Package of 10: $2,500 (10 sessions + 1 month custom herbal formula + supplements). Package of 20: $4,500 for complex presentations.