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What You Can Do
Now: In this office and in several other centers around the country, a great deal of work has been devoted to the treatment of macular degeneration and other retinal diseases using microcurrent stimulation, a very specific form of low current bioelectrical stimulation that with the current state of the technology can improve cellular metabolism and promote some healing in the retina. The results have been quite remarkable, with most of the people treated showing statistically significant improvement in one or both eyes. We have treated people with the dry and wet forms of macular degeneration, and younger people with Stargardt's disease, and all of these types have responded positively to the treatments. Please see the section, Results From the First 120 Patients Treated. Other centers where similar work is being done are reporting similar results. This treatment has proven to be remarkably safe, easily done, and painless. What is microcurrent stimulation? It is the therapy that involves
the application of a very precise, low current, tightly controlled
electrical current to specific points on the body. The surface of
the body is not uniform in terms of its electrical properties, and
there are specific points on the body which have very low resistance
and these are chosen as the points of treatment to allow a deeper
penetration of these low current stimulations. These points of low
electrical resistance correspond with classical acupuncture points,
and some of the points that are used with microcurrent stimulation
are chosen because it has been demonstrated that there is a benefit
to stimulation of these acupuncture points. The procedure is safe,
noninvasive and painless. What is the technology
that is involved? The technology is quite sophisticated
and complex. When properly designed, the technology can effect electrical
properties at the level of the cell membrane resulting in an increase
in the energy production of the cell by almost 1000%. Almost all
of the centers that are using microcurrent stimulation therapy to
treat retinal disease are using devices manufactured by MicroStim
Technology, Incorporated. Theirs is a constant current device which
tightly controls the delivery of current over a wide range of resistances,
and incorporates some patented technology that allows these very
low currents to penetrate very deeply into the tissues that are
being treated without harm. The trick is to provide a very low current
stimulation but to do it in such a way that you are treating more
than just the surface of the skin. There are many devices that are
marketed as microcurrent stimulators but that in reality are woefully
inadequate for the treatment of retinal disease. Numerous people
have come through this office who report that they have had their
eyes treated with microcurrent stimulation with no positive results
who were actually treated with inadequate technology and who did
respond positively to further treatment with an appropriate stimulator. How does microcurrent
stimulation work? Please go to the page "Mechanisms of Action
of MCS" About the Home Treatment Unit The results from treatment with microcurrent stimulation
have been very optimistic. Not all electrical stimulation is the
same, and the improvements in vision seen with our current treatment
protocol are felt to be due to refinements and improvements in the
specific devices used. These devices deliver currents much closer
to the level of currents found naturally in the body. Other devices
use levels of current which are much stronger. The waveform and
quality of the microcurrent output of this device seems particularly
effective in stimulating the retina when the stimulation is applied
to points around the eyes and points on the surface of the body
related to the eye. This particular machine is "current-driven"
rather than "voltage-driven." This means that this machine is able
to adjust for varying resistance, and provide a stable level of
current, whereas a "voltage-driven" machine, provides a current
that is driven by voltage output without adjustment for varying
resistance. Laboratory research has shown that the parameters for
successful treatment involve tightly controlled levels of current,
waveform and frequency. At the current time, all of the practitioners
treating macular degeneration with microcurrent stimulation are
using the devices manufactured by Microstim Technologies, Inc. The
portable unit allows people to do the frequent treatments that are
required at home. This sophisticated device is easy to use, durable,
reliable and safe. It is available only on the order of a physician.
Is it safe? No side effects or adverse outcomes related to the procedure have been seen so far. Again, the number of people who have been treated has been small, and further work is needed before the real risks, if any, are known. Specifically, no increase in the conversion to the wet form of macular degeneration has been seen in those treated. This means, that although this treatment is thought to work by improving circulation, it has not been seen to increase any tendency to bleed or produce exudates. The National Institutes of Health recently published a Consensus Statement on Acupuncture (November, 1997) which included studies of treatments using microcurrent stimulation at acupuncture points for the treatment of pain and various musculoskeletal problems. The NIH Consensus Statement reports that, "One of the advantages……is that the incidence of adverse effects is substantially lower that of many drugs or other accepted medical procedures used for the same conditions." The complete document from the NIH may be found at: NIH
Consensus Statement on Acupuncture, 1997 What can I expect? It is possible to experience an actual improvement
in vision. Many report that their vision becomes clearer, brighter,
after treatment. Some experience increased visual ability as measured
on visual acuity tests (ability to read an eye chart). However,
this is not true for everyone, and for those that experience an
actual improvement in their vision, maintaining the improvements
has required continuous treatment. Treatments are easily done at
home with the portable treatment unit. Anyone thinking of undertaking
this therapy needs to realize that they must commit themselves to
what may be a lifelong therapy requiring some of their time several
days each week after the initial six month period of daily treatment.
When the treatments are successful and the vision improves, the
results are not permanent. Treatment needs to be continued in order
to maintain the improvements, and those who have had improvements
in their vision and then stopped treatments have regressed. Even
those people who have not experienced an improvement in vision,
most report that their vision has stabilized. Their vision is no
longer deteriorating at an accelerated rate.. Although everyone
would love to experience improvement, with a disease such as macular
degeneration, stabilization is a valuable gain. Indeed, if all that
microcurrent stimulation accomplished was to slow or stop the progression
of the disease, it would be a valuable treatment. Again, in order
to maintain stabilization, treatment needs to be ongoing. It is
thought that this treatment works by increasing blood flow and metabolism
in the area being treated. When the treatments are stopped, it is
thought that the improved blood flow and metabolism are also stopped.
This is evidenced by the regression in vision experienced when treatment
is stopped. This can be corrected again when treatment commences
again. Microcurrent stimulation is not a cure. It is not a magic
bullet, but when applied properly, using the best possible technology,
it can bring at best real improvements in vision.
What is treatment like? After learning in either a group or individual setting
how to self-administer treatment, individuals treat themselves at
home with the microcurrent home treatment unit. It is easy to learn
and apply, and is not painful in any way. The points are treated
daily, and the other body points are treated weekly. The daily treatment
takes fifteen to twenty minutes, and the weekly treatment takes
about twenty-five minutes. After the first six months, the points
around the eyes are treated two to three times a week, and the other
body points are treated every other week. Treatment needs to be
continued in order for any improvements and stabilization of vision
to be maintained. Is treatment painful? No. For which patients is this treatment
most likely to be successful? We have been treating people
with retinal disease in this office for two years now, and we have
just analyzed the results from
the first 120 patients that we have treated. The results have
been quite gratifying. One surprise that we find in analyzing the
data is how well the people with the wet form of aged-related macular
degeneration have responded. The conventional wisdom that was given
to Dr. Miller when he first started doing these procedures was that
the patients with "wet" macular degeneration (exudative macular
degeneration) did not respond as well as those with "dry" macular
degeneration (non-exudative macular degeneration). This data shows
that patients with exudative macular degeneration respond quite
positively. The data reflects improvements
as measured in visual acuity testing. Many of these patients have
also shown improvement in their visual fields and in scoring on
color testing, but follow up data in these areas was not consistently
available. Acuity testing was available for all the patients we
have seen and so that is what we present here. The other very pleasant surprise
was how well the patients with Stargardt's Disease have responded
to microcurrent stimulation therapy. Can the "Wet" Form of Macular Degeneration be Treated? Yes. Some people with the "wet" form of ARMD have benefited from this treatment, and we are currently treating both the wet and dry forms of macular degeneration. The damage caused to the retina by the exudates and bleeding can be so severe that the retina is permanently damaged, and if you have had laser procedures, there will be areas of permanent scarring in your retina. Still, the response to microcurrent stimulation therapy has been very good in those people we have treated with exudative or "wet" macular degeneration. If you have the "wet" form of macular degeneration in both eyes, we need to see the medical records from your recent eye exams, or arrange for an exam, to determine the extent of your disease before we can advise you if you should begin this treatment. Return to Microcurrent Stimulation Home Page
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