Page 69 - What Doctors Don't Tell You - AU-NZ (February-March 2020)

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nthe spring of 2018, Connie Coker, 72, of High Falls, New York,
awakened to a gray cloud obscuring her central vision. Immediately she
called her ophthalmologist, who examined her the next day. Concerned,
he referred her to a retinal ophthalmologist who confirmed the diagnosis
of macular degeneration.
The retinal specialist injected her affected eye with Eylea, an anticancer ThestagesofAMD
drug designed to block what’s known as vascular endothelial growth Macular degeneration, also known as
factor (VEGF)— a signaling protein produced by cells that stimulates the age-related macular degeneration or
formation of blood vessels, in this case in the retina. After the injection, he AMD, is the slow deterioration of cells in
told her to come back in a month. the macula, a tiny yellowish area near
Eylea, which costs an average of $2,000 per injection, is one of three the center of the retina where vision is
popular injectible anticancer drugs used for macular degeneration, most focused.
along with Lucentis and Avestin. They all have numerous side-effects; In later stages, this decline in macula
Eylea negatively impacts over 30 percent of those given it. health often shows up as a shadow or
Side-effects include burst blood vessels in the eye, eye pain after the cloud affecting the central visual field
injection, cataracts, watery eyes, blurred vision, swelling of the eyelids, needed for everything from driving,
vitreous detachment (a condition where the gel-like substance that fills the reading and writing, to watching
inside of the eyeball shrinks and separates from the retina), eye “floaters,” movies and identifying faces.
increased pressure within the eye, light sensitivity and sudden numbness Another problem that occurs with
or weakness, especially on one side of the body, as well as sudden severe macular degeneration is that straight
headache, confusion and problems with speech or balance. lines in the centre of one’s vision
After a follow-up eye scan, Connie’s doctor recommended doing become crooked or wavy. Peripheral
another injection, and from then on she had injections every two months. vision—vision to the sides—is usually
“Sometimes there would be fluid and blood in there, and sometimes left undisturbed.
there wouldn’t,” she said. “But his protocol recommendation was always There are three stages of macular
the same, to continue with the injections.” degeneration and two names for it.
The doctor carried on with his Early and intermediate AMD are known
A few pioneering doctors are recommendation, even when Coker as “dry” macular degeneration. Early

using a mix of diet, supplements, developed a severely infected eye from AMD typically presents with changes to
an injection she quite possibly didn’t the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE),
acupuncture and more to reverse need—an infection that required the cell layer that nourishes retinal

macular degeneration. surgery to correct. neurons, the cells responsible for vision,
At this point, Coker began seeing as well as the presence of small, hard
Cate Montana investigates Dr Marc Grossman, optometrist, New fatty deposits called drusen underneath

York state-licensed acupuncturist, and the macula.
coauthor of Natural Eye Care: Your Guide to Healthy Vision and Healing. Intermediate AMD is characterized by
Grossman started her on a regime of acupuncture, nutrient-rich foods, continued RPE deterioration and the
supplements and Chinese herbs to help stabilize her condition, and after presence of large, soft drusen, which
an examination that showed her retina to be clear of blood and fluid, he further break down the macula cells.
recommended that she stop the injections and continue with monthly Soft drusen are the usual precursor
checkups to monitor the situation. to advanced AMD, also known
After coping with the infection, Coker vowed never to have another as “wet” macular degeneration,
injection. Recently she switched to another retinal ophthalmologist where something called choroidal
who is collaborating with Grossman, and who recognizes the value of neovascularisation occurs—a condition
acupuncture and nutritional supplements for macular degeneration. where abnormal blood vessels begin
Says Coker: “I’m very optimistic based on my history working with Dr to grow toward the macula, frequently
Grossman that I won’t have to have another injection.” leaking blood, obscuring vision and

breaking the macula down even further.
Causes of AMD If left untreated, wet AMD results in
For decades, little was known about the cause of AMD aside from the rapid vision loss and eventual blindness.
fact that it is age-related and affects a higher percentage of women of On average, approximately 10 to
European descent than men and other ethnicities. Today, studies have 15 percent of cases of dry macular
shown that diet and lifestyle are also major contributors to the disease. degeneration progress to the stage of
“Macular degeneration is starvation of the retina, such that we’re not wet macular degeneration.
able to use nutrients that we take in in an effective and efficient way,” says
Grossman. “And we’re not getting the carotenoids that we need. Frankly,
I think that the first approach for macula health is nutrition and diet, then
acupuncture and microstimulation. But if I had only one approach I
couldtake,Iwouldgowithnutrition.”

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