Sudden blindness

Sudden loss of sight, attributable to liver qì ascending counterflow, qì stagnation and blood stasis, or major vacuity of original qì.

Biomedical correspondence: acute optic neuritis; thrombosis of the central artery of the retina; retinal hemorrhage; retinal detachment.

Medicinal therapy: For liver qì ascending counterflow, clear heat, calm the liver, and rectify qì with variations of Moutan and Gardenia Free Wanderer Powder (丹栀逍遥散 dān zhī xiāo yáo sǎn). If there is bleeding, treatment should take the form of cooling the blood and stanching bleeding assisted by dispersing stasis. Use a decoction of raw typha pollen (Typhae Pollen Crudum, 生蒲黄 shēng pú huáng), eclipta (Ecliptae Herba, 墨旱莲 mò hàn lián), salvia (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, 丹参 dān shēn), moutan (Moutan Cortex, 牡丹皮 mǔ dān pí), charred schizonepeta (Schizonepetae Herba et Flos Carbonisatae, 荆芥炭 jīng jiè tàn), curcuma (Curcumae Radix, 郁金 yù jīn), dried/fresh rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix, 生地黄 shēng dì huáng), and chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma, 川芎 chuān xiōng). For qì stagnation and blood stasis, dispel stasis and free the network vessels with House of Blood Stasis-Expelling Decoction (血府逐瘀汤 xuè fǔ zhú yū tāng). For major vacuity of original qì, use formulas such as Pure Ginseng Decoction (独参汤 dú shēn tāng) or Pulse-Engendering Powder (生脉散 shēng mài sǎn).

Acumoxatherapy: Select local eye points and points according to pattern. Any of the following sets of points can be used as main points:

1. BL-2 (Bamboo Gathering, 攒竹 zǎn zhú), Greater yáng (tài yáng) (太阳 tài yáng), GV-21 (Before the Vertex, 前顶 qián dǐng), GV-23 (Upper Star, 上星 shàng xīng), and Inner Welcome Fragrance (内迎香 nèi yíng xiāng) and prick all of them to bleed
2. Drain BL-1 (Bright Eyes, 睛明 jīng míng), GB-14 (Yáng White, 阳白 yáng bái), and Shielding Brightness (翳明 yì míng), and apply moxa on ginger at Thumb Bone Hollow (大骨空 dà gǔ kōng) and Little Finger Bone Hollow (小骨空 xiǎo gǔ kōng).
3. Drain Back of the Ball (球后 qiú hòu), Greater yáng (tài yáng) (太阳 tài yáng), GB-20 (Wind Pool, 风池 fēng chí), and GB-37 (Bright Light, 光明 guāng míng).
4. Drain ST-1 (Tear Container, 承泣 chéng qì), TB-23 (Silk Bamboo Hole, 丝竹空 sī zhú kōng), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), and LR-2 (Moving Between, 行间 xíng jiān).

Point selection according to pattern:

• For liver qì ascending counterflow, add ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), and GB-34 (Yang Mound Spring, 阳陵泉 yáng líng quán), and needle with drainage.
• For qì stagnation and blood stasis, add BL-18 (Liver Transport, 肝俞 gān shù), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi), and LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), needling with even supplementation and drainage.
• For major vacuity of original qì, add BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), BL-18 (Liver Transport, 肝俞 gān shù), BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), CV-4 (Pass Head, 关元 guān yuán), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), and KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), needling with supplementation and adding moxa.