Retinal Vein & Artery Occlusion — What It Is
Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and retinal artery occlusion (RAO) occur when a blood vessel supplying the retina becomes blocked — by a clot, or from pressure by an adjacent, hardened vessel. The retina downstream of the blockage is deprived of proper blood flow, or blood and fluid leak into the retina from the congested vessel, causing sudden vision loss or a blurred, distorted visual field. These are vascular events that require prompt ophthalmologic evaluation — RAO in particular is considered a time-sensitive emergency.
Treatment and outcome depend heavily on which vessel is affected, how much retina is involved, and how quickly care begins. Ongoing management often includes anti-VEGF injections, laser treatment, and monitoring for complications such as macular edema or abnormal new vessel growth.
How TCM Reads Retinal Vessel Occlusion
A sudden vascular blockage maps directly onto Chinese medicine’s Blood-stasis framework, usually layered onto an underlying constitutional weakness that made the vessel vulnerable in the first place.
- Blood stasis (瘀血) obstructing the collaterals. The acute-phase pattern — Qi and Blood failing to move smoothly through the fine vessels (絡脈) of the eye, whether from stagnation, phlegm, or simply the sluggish flow that comes with aging vessels. Signs: sudden onset, a sense of “blockage,” visible hemorrhage or engorged vessels noted by the ophthalmologist.
- Underlying Qi, Blood, or Yin deficiency. Most occlusion patients carry a background pattern — often Qi deficiency failing to move Blood adequately, Blood deficiency leaving the vessels under-nourished and fragile, or Yin deficiency generating internal heat that thickens and slows the Blood. This is frequently connected to systemic conditions such as hypertension or elevated blood lipids, which Chinese medicine also reads through these patterns.
Our Approach — M48 Acupuncture + Classical Herbal Prescription
Acupuncture: Once your ophthalmologist has assessed the acute event, sessions address local and distal points to support circulation to the eye and invigorate Blood in the collaterals, alongside constitutional points for the underlying Qi, Blood, or Yin pattern identified. How M48 ophthalmology acupuncture works.
Herbal prescription: Blood-stasis presentations often draw from the Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang (血府逐瘀湯) family to invigorate Blood and resolve stasis. Underlying deficiency patterns are addressed separately and in sequence — Qi-and-Blood-building formulas from the Ba Zhen Tang (八珍湯) family, or Yin-nourishing formulas from the Qi Ju Di Huang Wan (杞菊地黃丸) family, depending on presentation. The specific prescription and its sequencing are individualized. See our herbal formula approach for eye conditions.
What to Expect
This program supports circulation and constitutional recovery patterns after a retinal vein or artery occlusion — it does not reopen a blocked vessel or reverse tissue damage that has already occurred. Continued ophthalmologic monitoring for complications (macular edema, neovascularization) is essential throughout recovery.
Makari works alongside your ophthalmologist, not as a replacement. Individual results vary.
Retinal vein and artery occlusion are vascular events requiring prompt ophthalmologic evaluation and ongoing monitoring. This program is supportive in nature and does not replace that evaluation or any indicated medical treatment. Individual results vary.
Program and Pricing
Retinal occlusion 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.