Now that I’m convinced Traditional Chinese Medicine—combined with diet and lifestyle changes—can help heal my eyesight from Retinitis Pigmentosa, I’m obsessed with learning as much as possible about what I can do to preserve and improve my vision. And I want to share it here for anyone who is interested.
Before I write more, I want to clarify my last blog post because I think it left some people assuming that I’ve already regained an extensive amount of eyesight. This isn’t the case. I still have a blind donut around a very narrow central core of eyesight and don’t have the vast majority of my peripheral vision.Nor do I have any night vision. What has improved for me as a result of Chinese herbs, acupuncture, eye exercises, green juicing, and other diet and lifestyle modifications is the vision in my mid-periphery. I’ve always had a little bit of blurry vision there. But it’s expanding and becoming much more clear–as is the vision in my bottom visual field. It was because of this vision in my mid-periphery that I was able to see both my husband and youngest daughter when looking across the table at my oldest daughter. To some it might be a small victory. To me, it was monumental because it proved that healing my eyesight is possible.
Since I’ve started my healing journey, I’ve heard from many people suffering from RP who can’t afford extensive acupuncture treatments and the travel and lodging costs associated with it. So I’ve been exploring everything that can be done inexpensively from home.
I just came across Natural Eye Care, a fantastic Web site that is packed with information on diet and lifestyle changes necessary to preserve and improve eyesight. It even includes free eye exercises and green juicing recipes. Here are some of the prevention tips/links I copied form the web site. Just click on any of them to access the information.
The bottom line? There is plenty we can do to help maintain and improve our eyesight. We just have to DO IT.
- Prevention self help – our 1-2-3 vision wellness protocol
- Free eye exercises with specific recommendations for vision conditions.
- Juicing recipes: juicing tips and juicing recipes for vision conditions such as cataracts, conjunctivitis, glaucoma and macular degeneration.
- Anti-oxidants? What are they and why do we need them?
- Good digestion: Tips for taking vitamins, enzymes and herbs.
- Harmful drugs: Drugs that damage the retina and optic nerve, hinder blood flow to the eyes and cause or aggravate glaucoma, cataracts, dry eyes, macular degeneration and other eye conditions.
- Why cut down on sugar?
- Nutrient food sources – which foods supply much-needed amino acids, bioflavonoids, carotenoids, essential fatty acids, minerals, other nutrients, and vitamins for your eyes, cross-referenced by disease and recommended products.
- Alkalizing Foods Chart
Bravo! I always think it’s so important to show people there are options out there. Not everyone has money or the ability to travel, etc, but they shouldn’t give up hope. Thank you so much for sharing this information here, and continued luck with your own treatment.
Alysa — thank you for your amazing friendship and support. xoxo – Ing
Thank you for gathering and posting these helpful links to good information all in one spot. It was a pleasure to meet you here in Vancouver BC. Thanks for all your good work.
~ Pat (Tracy’s mom)
Pat – it was a pleasure meeting you and Tracy, too! I loved the energy in the office. Hope her treatments went well. Look forward to seeing you in July!
Thank you so much for sharing your research!
Thank you so much for sharing your research!
Susan – I’m glad you find it helpful. I’m determined to heal my eyesight and do everything I can to help other RP patients along the way.
Just looked at the juicing recipes. Looks nasty. What is your take on the taste? I think I am going to order the DVDs for Yoga and eye excersises. My husband just had his annual check up and his vision stayed the same – 5 degrees each each eye. The doctor said it probably wouldn’t get any worse, so that’s good news.
Hi Susan,
I’ve been juicing kale, celery, cucumber and a green apple every day for the past month. At first I wasn’t crazy about the taste (not bad, though). Now I really enjoy them and I feel so much better since starting. I’ve discovered that diet and lifestyle makes a huge difference in RP — just like any other disease — so I highly recommend. And cool re: ordering the yoga and eye exercises DVDs. I think I’m going to order the yoga DVD as well. And I might order the bilberry supplements from his web site because it comes in liquid form. Dr. Yu stresses the importance of those three components. I do Dr Yu’s acupressure and eye exercises, but I’m sure they are all good. The key is getting the blood flow going and strengthening the eye muscles. Very cool to hear that your husband’s eyesight is holding steady.
Hi Ingrid,
Rachel and I are nominating you for a Liebster Award. It is a kind of bloggers circle award for awesome blogs. You can find out more at http://www.writeinseattle.wordpress.com.
I’m super happy to learn how the acupuncture and herbs are helping you! It is inspiring me to get back to some of the habits that I know can help my body, but are easy to let go in times of stress. I really like making herbal infusions like nettle tea, but if it isn’t in my daily routine, I don’t do it!
Take care, -Janis
Wow – thank you, Janis. It’s great to hear from you. Would love to catch up sometime take care – Ingrid