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In the field of eye care, the treatment of irreversible loss of vision has emerged as a new area of interest.
Although modern medicine has some treatment options for this type of vision loss, they are costly and often less effective. For example, gene therapy may cost around INR 6 crores and claims only about 10% improvement. Earlier, stem cell therapy was also explored, but it was largely unsuccessful.
This is where the role of other systems of medicine needs to be explored.
What is interesting about these systems is that they are collectively termed “Alternative Systems of Medicine.” However, many of these systems have vast literature, sometimes much more extensive than that of modern medicine.
The term alternative system literally means that if a treatment is not available in modern medicine, patients may try other systems such as Ayurveda, Acupuncture, or Homeopathy.
But why not adopt an integrated approach instead of an alternative approach?
An integrated approach means combining knowledge from different systems of medicine for more effective treatment. For example, considering the nutritional aspects discovered by modern medicine while advising patients according to Ayurvedic principles based on their constitution. In modern medicine, there is generally no individualized approach based on a patient’s constitution.
At present, many practitioners from different systems of medicine are trying to explore treatments in this field. Some are genuinely offering treatment, while some clinics claim successful treatment of retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, and other incurable conditions without sufficient experience.
One interesting aspect of these self-proclaimed doctors is that they often do not maintain proper treatment records, yet they present themselves as specialists capable of treating retinal and other eye diseases.
Many patients who have contacted us shared that they had been misled several times by such proclaimed healers.
So, how can one identify a genuine practitioner in this field?
- The doctor should be registered with at least one recognized system of medicine.
There should be no fake degrees mentioned by the practitioner. For example, some doctors write MD (Acu) as their acupuncture qualification. Worldwide, including in China, there is no such degree as MD in Acupuncture. Even renowned teachers and professors of acupuncture usually write C.Ac. (Certificate Course in Acupuncture). - Apart from patient testimonials, there should be objective results verified by modern medical diagnostic tools, such as OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) or visual field tests.
- It is preferable if treatment outcomes are published in national or international medical journals.
- If a doctor claims awards for their work, their credentials should be verified.
- Treatment response should be evaluated early, and the patient should show improvement as promised by the treating doctor.
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