Do Not Take Your Eyes for Granted, Try Makari Wellness

An alternative treatment for Stargardt disease symptoms is available here at Makari Wellness. We are specialized in treating degenerative eye conditions such as retinitis Pigmentosa, Wet/Dry Macular Degeneration, Uveitis, Myopia, Glaucoma, and many others.

We offer a combination of unique and natural TCM protocols to slow the rate of Stargardt disease and ease the symptoms. It includes Micro 48 Acupuncture, Acu-laser Therapy, Nutritional Supplements, and Chinese Herbs – a customized treatment for each case.

For more information, call us at (888) 871-8889 and book an appointment.

What is Stargardt Disease?

STGD is an inherited disorder of the macula. The macula is the functional center of the retina, an oval-shaped pigmented area near the center of the retina that is responsible for the central, high acuity vision.

The macula comprises several regions: umbo, foveola, foveal avascular zone, fovea, parafovea, and perifovea. Fovea and foveola both contain a high density of cones, which are photoreceptors with high acuity. So, the macula is responsible for:

• What you see in front of you
• The vision which is needed for the detailed activities such as reading, writing, or driving
• The ability to differentiate colors

This kind of vision is impaired if the macula is damaged. The patients will develop irreversible vision loss due to macular atrophy.

Juvenile and early-adults STGD usually occurs between 8-25 years, while late-adult onset STGD may occur later in older adults. Patients with early-onset will have worse visual outcomes than those with adult disease onset.

Stargardt Disease Cause

The cause of the disease is the mutation in the ABCA4 gene (sometimes in ELOVL4 and PROM1 genes), responsible for taking the toxic byproducts out of the photoreceptor cells. When mutated, those genes are not able to remove toxic substances properly.

It eventually leads to the accumulation of the fatty yellow pigment (lipofuscin) and the improper shuttling of Vitamin A throughout the retina, resulting in the death of the cells.

Mutations in the genes responsible for the proper function of Vitamin A account for about 95% of Stargardt’s disease. Other 5% of cases are caused by the mutations in genes responsible for the lipofuscin function.

Children inherit the STDG when both parents (carriers) have one mutated copy of the faulty gene and a normal copy. So, when 2 carriers have a child, there is a:

• 1 in 4 chance of having a child with the disease
• 1 in 2 chance of having a child who is a carrier
• 1 in 4 chance of having a completely healthy child (who neither has the disease nor is a carrier)

In most cases, it is an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern, with the parents who do not express the gene (unaffected carriers).

Stargardt Disease Symptoms

Although the symptoms of the Stargardt disease vary from person to person, the main symptom is a gradual loss of visual acuity in both eyes that cannot be corrected with glasses. In addition, every person experiences a different vision loss progression rate, with a rapid vision loss in people with earlier onset of the disease.

What does someone with Stargardt disease see?

Some additional commonly noticed symptoms include:

Stargardt eye disease usually does not affect the peripheral or side vision, so people with the condition can move around independently. Some patients, usually those with the later onset, can maintain good visual acuity for extended periods and perform tasks such as driving, reading, or writing.

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Stargardt Disease Diagnostics

An ophthalmologist will conduct a series of tests to confirm the Stargardt disease. Some of them may include:

• Visual Acuity Test is a visual clarity test by reading the standard eye chart at a certain distance. It checks how well you see the details of a letter or symbol. For example, a 20/20 vision means that your visual acuity at 20 feet away from an object is normal. If you have 20/40 vision, that means you need to be 20 feet away to see an object that people normally can see from 40 feet away.
• Color Testing can be beneficial in spotting the condition as people will lose color vision in the late stages of the disease.
• Visual Field Testing measures how much you can see in the corners of your eyes and can determine if you have blind spots (scotoma) in your vision and where they are.
• Fundus Photography is basically photography of the back of the eye (fundus). It can identify the presence of lipofuscin deposits.
• Electroretinography (ERG) is measuring the electrical responses of the retinal rods and cones to the light. The electrode is placed on the cornea while the light is flashed into the eye. The response is monitored and recorded.
• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is ultrasound-like testing with a device that uses light waves to capture images. The retina is exposed to near-infrared light, and the experts then analyze these pictures searching for any abnormalities in retinal thickness.
• Fluorescent Angiography involves the injection of the fluorescent dye to highlight blood vessels in the eye. Then, the doctor observes the blood vessels in the back of the eye, taking and analyzing the photos ‘before and after’ the dye injection.

Treatment for Stargardt Disease

Unfortunately, Stargardt disease cure does not exist. However, some doctors advise protecting your eyes from harmful UV and blue light with protective sunglasses, thus reducing the additional eye damage.

Stopping smoking, avoiding food rich in Vitamin A, and regular exercise can help control the disease.

Stargardt disease stem cell therapy has passed Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. The results are encouraging, with significant vision improvement for some patients. Stem cells are cells that divide multiple times and can replace damaged or missing cells in different tissues. For example, if they can be turned into specialized retinal cells, they can replace cells damaged by Stargardt disease.

Gene therapy aims to replace or reconstruct defective genetic material with a healthy copy of the ABCA4 gene.

Some drugs that target the clumpy deposits of Vitamin A are in phase II clinical trials. They are developing a modified form of Vitamin A which metabolizes in the retina and results in much less waste.

Another drug that slows the toxic waste product buildup is currently also in Phase II clinical trials.

Acupuncture for Stargardt Disease

When talking about Stargardt disease treatment, we must mention natural treatment options. It includes acupuncture, micro acupuncture 48, nutrition and lifestyle counseling, auricular acupuncture, and Chinese herbs.

Acupuncture is a procedure in which thin needles are inserted through a person’s skin at specific points.

The goal of acupuncture is to restore health and balance by manipulating the flow of the “Qi,” a vital life force through invisible energy pathways called meridians. They are separate from nerve and blood vessel pathways.

Eye acupuncture focuses on promoting Qi and blood circulation around the eyes. In addition, some studies show that acupuncture acts on the macula, improving the central acuity, thus relieving the Stargardt disease symptoms.

It re-stimulates and energizes eye cells and boosts the cell’s ability to get rid of the waste products of the metabolism. It also increases the blood and nutrients supply into the eyes.