Acupuncture and Eye Health. (From Acufinder.com)

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Acupuncture and Eye Health
By: Diane Joswick, L.Ac.

http://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Acupuncture+and+Eye+Health

Your eyes are a reflection of your overall health.  Illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease can be revealed in the eyes. Conditions such as glaucoma, optic neuritis or vision loss are often associated with systemic health problems.  It is this interconnection between your eyes and your health that acupuncture and Oriental medicine can tap into and utilize to treat eye and vision problems.  Eye conditions respond well to acupuncture and it has been used successfully to treat a wide range of eye problems for centuries. 

How Eye Disorders Are Treated With Acupuncture

Oriental medicine pays close attention to the relationship between tissues and organs.  Sometimes an imbalance within the body can manifest as an eye problem, just as the health of the eyes is often a reflection of an imbalance or health problem elsewhere in the body. 

When you are treated for an eye condition with acupuncture, any underlying imbalances that are attributing to your symptoms will be addressed.  The eye problems will also be treated directly by promoting circulation of Qi (life force) and blood around the eyes. 

Common eye problems treated with acupuncture include:

 

• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Chronic Dry Eyes
• Macular Degeneration
• Optic Neuritis
• Optic Atrophy

Acupuncture Points Around the Eye

There are several powerful acupuncture points around the eyes that promote eye health.  These points bring Qi and blood to the eyes to nourish the tissue and improve the condition of the eyes.

Jingming (UB-1) – When translated, Jingming means Bright eyes.  This point is located in the inner corner of the eye.  It is one of the primary points to bring Qi and blood to the eyes and is used for eye problems of all kinds including early-stage cataracts, glaucoma, night blindness, conjunctivitis and blurred vision.

Zanzhu (UB-2) – This point lies in the depression at the inner end of the eyebrow. Like Jingming, it is a primary point for the eyes and is used for all types of eye problems.  Some of the indications to use this point include headache, blurring or failing of vision, pain in the supraorbital region, excessive tearing, redness, swelling and pain of the eye, twitching of the eyelids and glaucoma.

Yuyao – In the hollow at the midpoint of the eyebrow, directly above the pupil. It is used for eye strain, pain in the supraorbital region, twitching of the eyelids, ptosis, cloudiness of the cornea, redness, swelling and pain of the eyes.

Sizhukong (SJ 23) – In the hollow at the outside end of the eyebrow. This point is used for eye and facial problems including headaches, redness and pain of the eye, blurring of vision, twitching of the eyelids, toothache and facial paralysis.

Tongziliao (GB 1) – Located on the outside corner of the eye. This point is used to brighten the eyes as well as for headaches, redness and pain of the eyes, failing or blurring of vision, photophobia, dry, itchy eyes, early-stage cataracts and conjunctivitis.

Qiuhou – Below the eye, midway between St-1 and GB-1 along the orbit of the eye. Used for all types of eye disease.

Chengqi (St 1) – With the eyes looking straight forward, this point is directly below the pupil, between the eyeball and the eye socket. This is a main point for all eye problems, conjunctivitis, night blindness, facial paralysis and excessive tearing.

In addition to acupuncture, there are several things you can do each day to maintain eye health and avoid problems. Drink eight to ten glasses of water to keep your body and eyes hydrated. Stop smoking.  Exercise to improve overall circulation. Make a conscious effort to stop periodically to rest and blink frequently especially when reading, working on a computer or watching television. Avoid rubbing your eyes. Always remember to always protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV light and glare with protective lenses.

Would you like to learn more about how acupuncture can help you with an eye condition?  Find an acupuncturist near you for a consultation – the best place to find an acupuncture provider is on Acufinder.com.  A custom-tailored treatment plan will be created to suit your individual needs so that you can feel better quickly and safely!

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Acupuncture Eased Glucoma Induced Headache, by Dr. Arthur Fan in the Greater Washington DC

Glucoma is a common eye- problem, which induces headache, vision blurry and dizziness, etc. due to increase of inner eye pressure.

Recently, a 59 years old patient, Ms. S. C., saw Dr.Fan for such issue.  She had constant headache about one year. The eye doctor’s diagnosis is glucoma, she had two surgeries. After each surgery, her headache decreased significantly. However, the effectiveness doesn’t last very long.  Currently she takes Januvia, Verapamil, Baby Aspirin. She also has diabetes.

She feels frustrated, sometime vision lost-just half- vision, frequently dizziness, headache, very depressed.

After 4 sessions’ acupuncture, three packs herbs, she feels very comfortable. There were one day with no-headache, no-vision blurry, and no dizziness. On the average, she feels 80% better.

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Acupuncture Corrected Faicial Palsy Post- Guilain-Barre Syndome, By Dr.Arthur Fan in Washington DC

Recently a patient visited our acupuncture and Chinese medicine center in Vienna, Virginia for her partial facial palsy post Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS). Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine helped her very much, now her face looks normal after two months of treatments.

She had Guillain Barre Syndrome in late of January this year (2010), at that time she had both side facial palsy and fingers and toes numbness, lost of walking balance, short of breath, etc., hospitalized for one week, using IVIG, etc. to treat. After extensive neurological treatment, in late of March, she started to see Dr. Fan for help with her facial palsy’s recovery. At initial time, her left eye could not close tightly, and eye lid movement was poor; right face muscle and right side of upper mouth lip movement was very poor, and she could not whistle.

Now everything is about “99%” improved and looks normal.

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Acupuncture treats visual or eye problems, by Arthur Fan in the Greater Washington DC

During times like these I recall time spent with Dr. Su Shangyi, a TCM doctor (CMD) in Nanjing, China when I was an intern during 1985-1986.

Dr. Su was passed away in the late 1990s.

He was actually a very famous acupuncture doctor in 1950-1960s in China, when due to political reasons, he had to get “re-educated” in the countryside for a few years. After he came back to Nanjing, he was assigned to a local small hospital.  However, due to his skills, he got immediate respect from patients and doctors in other hospitals. His patients all belonged to hard-to- treat, many of them also in danger. I saw many infants from Nanjing Hospital for Children who were in critical condition, esp. who suffered from virus “Fall season diarrhea” , at the end stage-very dehydrated and often with circulation failure.  Dr. Su used quick acupuncture and acupressure, and sometime with herbal tea.  Dr. Su saved many of these patients.

Many patients came from very far away, such as northwestern of China.  Dr. Su was very famous in acupuncture treating vision loss due to optical nerve atrophy caused various reasons, such as MS (multiple sclerosis). Since I studied with him I not afraid to treat the patients who have critical conditions or intractable illnesses with acupuncture or Chinese herbal tea. At that time, I was about 22 years old. I graduated from Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine in 1986.

In his office, about 400-500 sq ft, there were many “Thanks Flags” on the wall given by patients. During a 4 hour period he would see about 40-50 patients.

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