Acupuncture for retinitis pigmentosa: a comprehensive review.

No notable developments in the existing therapeutic approaches for retinitis pigmentosa (RP) exist to date, leaving many patients seeking alternative treatments. Among these alternatives, acupuncture has gained increasing popularity among physicians due to its perceived effectiveness. Acupuncture has been applied in the treatment of RP and has achieved good therapeutic effects, as reflected in the improvement of vision. However, the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of acupuncture in treating RP remains unclear. This study suggests that acupuncture mainly achieves the goal of treating RP by inhibiting photoreceptor cell death, improving retinal blood flow status, and enhancing the corresponding brain function. Furthermore, this study delineated the efficacy, safety, and prospective avenues of acupuncture in the treatment of RP. We believe that acupuncture as an adjuvant therapy for RP has a certain potential; in the future, a combination of molecular biology and multi-center clinical studies is required to further verify its efficacy and optimize treatment plans.