Natural Eye Care
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers some of the most effective and safest forms of natural eye care available today. This is great news since we are facing an epidemic of "age-related eye diseases", such as:
- Macular Degeneration
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
Treatment options are limited and preventative care is rarely provided.
That's about to change!
A Holistic Approach to Eye Care
There is a natural eye care revolution happening right now and it is being lead by Acupuncturists.
Marc Grossman, OD, LAc, describes himself as a behavioral optometrist. He has been treating "incurable" eye diseases for over 20 years, and he is desperate eager to get the word out that eyes can heal and vision can improve!
He has written books for his patients and the general public to educate them about how to care for their eyes. These books include:
- Natural Eye Care Book: Your Guide to Healthy Vision
- Magic Eye Beyond 3D: Improve Your Vision (this is in our waiting room and a favorite of children and adults!)
- Greater Vision: A Comprehensive Program for Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Clarity
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Dr. Marc Grossman, OD, LAc, and Michael Edson, MS, LAc wrote a special book just for for optometrists, ophthalmologists, acupuncturists, herbalists, nutritionists, and other holistic practitioners called, Natural Eye Care: A Comprehensive Manual for Practitioners of Oriental Medicine. If your practitioner does not know about this book, go ahead and share this webpage with him or her. |
There are some excellent treatment recommendations that most acupuncturists would be happy to provide as long as they fit in with your overall care.
Dr. Marc Grossman, OD, LAc maintains a busy eye care practice in New Paltz, New York, but still offers free support and consultations to patients and practitioners. He lectures around the world about healing eye diseases because he know that so eye diseases many can be preventive with natural eye care and nutrition.
As an optometrist, acupuncturist, and avid researcher, Dr. Marc Grossman has personally formulated effective herbal and nutritionally based products to mitigate eye diseases and symptoms. These include:
- Retinal Support Formula, which can be helpful with macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt's, diabetic retinopathy, cone-rod dystrophy, macular edema, and other related retinal disorders.
- Vision Tone Formula is based on an ancient Chinese formula for aging eyes and is a tonic for visual problems such as cataracts, dry eyes and light sensitivity.
- Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula can help you save your eyes and help keep your vision clear and strong for years to come, no matter what your age or the condition of your eyes.
- Bright Eyes Eye Drops and Viva Drops for safe, effective and protective eye drops.
If you want to search natural eye care recommendations for a specific eye disease, condition or symptom, I suggest you take a look at Dr. Grossman's list on Vision Health Treatment Options & Nutrient Recommendations.
Andy Rosenfarb, LAc, CA is a successful acupuncturist in Westfield, NJ dedicated to treating the whole patient.
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He has specialized in natural eye care and written a comprehensive book called, Healing Your Eyes with Chinese Medicine for anyone interested in effectively treating eye diseases and preventing vision loss.
His book is also a great resource for acupuncturists and one we refer to in our practice. |
There are many gifted acupuncturists and holistic medicine practitioners contributing to the expanding field of holistic approaches to natural eye care. As the population ages we will certainly need more health care providers trained in treating eye diseases with safe and effective methods.
Start Healing Your Eyes Today!
Never listen to someone who says that there is nothing you can do to help your eyes. (If you are in doubt, just read Ray Amsterdam's, "Macular Degeneration Recovery".)
Macular Degeneration used to be thought of as a "fact" of aging. According to Dr. Marc Grossman, "It has been proven beyond a doubt that Macular Degeneration is a nutritionally receptive condition".
That means that there are foods you can eat to help your eyes! The same is true for cataracts and floaters and other eye conditions. They respond to nutritional supplementation and other methods of natural eye care!
Below is a partial list of some of the most clinically relevant foods you can start eating TODAY to help heal your eyes.
I have also listed a few supplements, but you should really work with your health care practitioner to make sure you are getting good quality supplements with the correct "network" of anti-oxidants, vitamins, herbs, nutrients, and co-factors.
- Kale: contains high amounts of a type of carotenoid called Lutein. You can decrease your risk of macular degeneration by 43% just by eating 6 mg of Lutein per day. That's astonishing! A half-cup of cooked kale provides 10 mg of Lutein, which has also been shown to be important for protection against breast cancer, arthritis, and lung problems.
- Orange Peppers: are just like green peppers, but they contain a different carotenoid called Xeoxanthin which gives the pepper its bright orange color. Lutein & Xeoxanthin are two carotenoids that are concentrated in the eyes and work to nourish and protect them. Low levels of these important anti-oxidants are associated with many eye diseases.
- Vitamin C: is found in the highest concentrations in the body in two places: the lens of the eye and the adrenal glands. So for cataracts that affect the lens, increasing Vitamin C intake is essential. What's even more interesting is that in Chinese Medicine the lens and the Kidney system (which includes the adrenal glands) are considered part of the same "circuit". A TCM practitioner trained in Natural Eye Care would use acupuncture to supplement the kidney system to help strengthen the lens of the eyes.
- Vitamin E: stabilizes cell membranes and blood vessels. Low Vitamin E levels have been shown to double the risk for macular degeneration.
- Omega-3-Fatty Acids: and especially DHA are important for blood flow to the eye and maintaining the strength and integrity of the neural tissue. It decreases the effects of stress and strain on the eyes as well.
- Beta-Carotene: is the vitamin that is well known for being high in carrots. Low levels of Beta-carotene result in a 7x increased risk of Cataracts. So your mom was right, eat your carrots!
- Bilberry, Grapeseed, Selenium, Chromium, etc.,: are other vitamins and nutrients that have been shown to improve eye health. Look for eye formulas that contain these.
These are just a few of the foods, vitamins, and nutrients important for eye health. Do not under estimate the power of nutrition to heal your eyes.
Our visual system is a highly vascularized and specialized part of our brain. In fact 20-25% of all the nutrients we take in, and one-third of the oxygen we breathe in goes to supporting, maintaining, and repairing our visual system.
So call you TCM practitioner for treatments and an evaluation today. Or order Dr. Grossman's Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula to help keep your vision clear and strong for years to come.
And don't forget to eat your kale!
Learn More About Healing Your Eyes Naturally
Points of Origin Acupuncture Clinic
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