The Benefits of Acupuncture for Your Eyes
Do you have a problem with your eyes? Whether you want to relieve the discomfort of dry or itchy eyes or prevent an eye condition from worsening, acupuncture offers a safe, natural solution.
How Acupuncture Works
Acupuncture corrects imbalances that block the flow of Qi. Qi, an energy source needed for good health, flows through your body through pathways called meridians. Blockages in the pathways can disrupt your body's balance and lead to a variety of uncomfortable symptoms.
Ancient Chinese medical practitioners developed acupuncture to clear blockages and treat imbalances. Their system involved inserting hair-thin needles at the site of blockages to restore the normal flow of Qi. Once blockages were removed, the practitioners noticed a dramatic improvement in their patients' health. Centuries later, acupuncture remains an effective way to treat many conditions that affect physical and mental health.
Eye Conditions Acupuncture Can Help
Acupuncture may improve or relieve symptoms of these eye conditions and diseases:
- Dry Eye. A thin layer of tears constantly coats your eyes, spreading moisture across the surface. If you have dry eye, you may not produce enough tears, or the tears you make may not keep your eyes properly lubricated. A research study published in Clinical Ophthalmology in 2019 explored the effects of acupuncture treatment on dry eye symptoms. Three months after receiving the treatments, patients reported a significant reduction in redness, dryness, and scratchiness.
- Glaucoma. Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, the pathway between the brain and the eye, causing permanent vision loss. The damage occurs when the pressure inside the eye is too high. Acupuncture, in addition to medication, lowers the pressure before it can harm your vision. Patients who received acupuncture treatments had lower pressure readings 60 minutes after treatment in a study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2020.
- Myopia. Acupuncture may even help myopia (nearsightedness) from getting worse in children and teenagers. Results from a 2020 systematic review published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, showed that auricular (ear) acupressure treatments could slow the progression of myopia. Other studies have shown that acupuncture combined with atropine drops can have a beneficial effect on myopia.
- Retinitis Pigmentosa. This inherited eye disease causes night blindness and gradual loss of peripheral vision. Some patients who participated in an acupuncture research study saw improvements in night vision, visual acuity (sharpness of vision), or visual fields (peripheral vision.) The research was published in the May 2014 issue of Clinical and Experimental Optometry.
- Other Eye Conditions. Acupuncture treatments might also be helpful if you have conjunctivitis (pink eye), cataracts, allergies that cause eye symptoms, or optic neuritis.
Are you ready to improve your eye health with acupuncture? Contact our office to schedule your acupuncture treatment.
Sources:
NCBI: Clinical Ophthalmology: Acupuncture and Dry Eye: Current Perspectives, 4/24/19
HealthCMi: Acupuncture Improves Visual Acuity, Reduces Eyesight Defects, 4/18/16