Please note I don't have the address of the said doc. Since I am taking ayurvedic treatment, I haven't tried acupuncture. Eye and the needle
By Ridhi Kale/TNN New Delhi: There's light at the end of the tunnel. Patients suffering from decreasing vision due to diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and retinitis pimentos now have hope, thanks to microsystem acupuncture. This is an alternative treatment for vision loss. Though widely-prevalent abroad, in India its relatively new. Reduced vision is a part of the aging process and microsystem acupuncture helps to slow it down. Regular treatments are required to maintain vision levels. Dr. Avnish Chopra, Stone Clinic, says, " I have tried this technique on 12 patients so far. The whole idea is to help retain vision." Sneha Uppal, 49, was diagnosed with macular degeneration but after two weeks of treatment can read again. "I could only read newspaper headlines, but today, I can read the fine print," she says. Microsystem acupuncture is a painless procedure. No needles are placed anywhere near the eyes. It uses special, thin, stainless steel needles with a copper spiral on over 200 points in the body. The Times of India November 22, 2005 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shadab Husain" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 7:54 AM Subject: Re: [AI] Digital vision > Will you throw some more light on the acupuncturist of Delhi, please? > Although we have heard many such things, but when we went and lost > thousands then only we satisfied ourselves by disappointments. The old > typical heng shui of curiosity! However let us have a finger in this > pie too. I have also heard that Acupuncture can cure various diseases. > > Thanks > > Shadab Husain > > On 3/11/07, P. Subramani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Good research. But the problem is they are researching on retina only. >> even >> if the retina is activated with chips or new cells, the main snag is the >> optic nerves. Most persons suffering from RP also suffer from optic >> nerves >> disorders. So far no successful trials have been made to regenerate the >> said >> nerves or to bypass them and use something else. A Delhi-based >> acupuncturist >> has successfully cure RP, Macular Degeneration and Glaucoma to the extent >> of >> 80 percent or more. >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "vishnu ramchandani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> >> Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 4:46 PM >> Subject: [AI] Digital vision >> >> >> Digital vision >> >> Amazing scientific breakthroughs promise sight for the >> blind in the near future >> >> David Twiddy/AP >> >> In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Geordi La Forge is >> a blind character who can see through the assistance >> of special implants in his eyes. While the Star >> Trek character "lives" in the 24th century, people >> living in the 21st century may not have to wait that >> long for the illuminating technology. >> >> Dr Kristina Narfstrom poses with one of her cats used >> in the recent surgeries that implanted a microchip >> into the cat's eye. >> The working proof of this concept is a humble >> cinnamon-coloured, 4-year-old Abyssinian cat called >> Gingersnap. >> >> Gingersnap is fighting a losing battle with a disorder >> that is slowly killing her retinas. "By the time she'd >> be 5, she'd probably be blind," said Kristina >> Narfstrom, a veterinary ophthalmologist at the >> University of Missouri-Columbia. >> >> But a thin film at the back of the eyeball makes sight >> possible. >> >> Gingersnap's condition is similar to retinitis >> pigmentosa, an incurable genetic disease in humans >> that strikes one out of every 3,500 people around the >> world, often causing blindness by attacking the >> photoreceptor cells that register light and colour. >> >> Narfstrom, who discovered the feline version of the >> disease among Abyssinians in her native Sweden, is >> implanting special silicon chips in partially blind >> cats in a bid to help replace or possibly repair >> diseased retinas in humans. >> >> Encouraging results >> >> The chips, which provide their own energy, have shown >> encouraging results in clinical human trials, in some >> cases improving sight in people with retinitis >> pigmentosa or at least slowing the disease's >> development. Narfstrom said chips have been implanted >> in 30 people. >> >> Narfstrom's cats will help researchers fine-tune the >> chips' performance and train physicians on surgical >> techniques to implant the devices, because the >> structure of cat eyes is similar to human eyes. >> >> Dr Narfstrom and a colleague carrying out the >> procedure for microchip implantation. >> The 2-millimeter-wide chips, developed by Optobionics >> of Illinois, USA, are surgically implanted in the back >> of eye. Each chip is covered with 5,000 >> microphotodiodes >> that react to light, sending electric signals along >> the optic nerve to the brain. >> >> "We're placing it right where the photoreceptors are >> and, if they're lacking, this is supposed to replace >> what they're doing," she said. "At this point, >> it's impulses of light they're seeing (as opposed to >> images), but the aim of the research is to get more >> information out of the chip." >> >> Besides helping slow the advance of the disease, >> studies suggest that the electric currents generated >> by the chips may be regenerating damaged >> photoreceptors >> surrounding the implants. >> >> Narfstrom said she should know in about two years >> whether the implants are actually encouraging retinal >> cells in her cats to grow. >> >> Not the only cure... >> >> The Optobionics chip is just one of many research >> paths now swarming with scientists looking for ways to >> protect and restore sight. >> >> Besides genetic therapy, which is seen as a good tool >> to fight hereditary disorders, researchers are also >> looking to use stem cells to rebuild damaged retinal >> cells. Others are looking for substances that could >> trick healthy retinal cells surrounding the >> photoreceptors to take over for their diseased >> counterparts. >> >> Then there are the many attempts, like Optobionics, of >> creating artificial sight. Some efforts include >> miniature video cameras that pipe images straight >> to the brain, devices that send signals to a network >> of miniature electrodes attached to the retina or >> chips that eventually could graft themselves to >> retinal cells, creating a cyborg-like system for >> producing images. >> >> An enlarged photo of the actual microchip that is >> implanted >> A French company is conducting trials for an implant >> that would release proteins in the eyeball to offset >> the damage done to retinal cells, perhaps >> indefinitely. >> >> Tim Schoen, Director of research development for the >> Foundation Fighting Blindness, said technology to >> provide prosthetic sight is especially encouraging. >> >> "This offers great hope to individuals who have >> completely lost vision," said Schoen, whose group is >> not involved in the Optobionics chip. >> >> "We can treat these patients with gene therapy, but >> once the photoreceptors die, we have to replace them >> with stem cells or one of these artificial methods." >> >> Machelle Pardue, a researcher at Emory University and >> the Veterans Administration Hospital in Atlanta who is >> working with Narfstrom on the Optobionics chip, >> said she's glad she's not the only one doing such research. >> >> >> >> __________________________________________________________ >> Yahoo! India Answers: Share what you know. Learn something new >> http://in.answers.yahoo.com/ >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> with >> the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please >> visit the list home page at >> >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> with >> the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please >> visit the list home page at >> >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
