Clear-eye blindness

Gradual blindness that in severe cases can be total. It is attributable to insufficiency of the liver and kidney and depletion of essence-blood, combined with spleen-stomach vacuity preventing essential qì from reaching up to the eyes.

Biomedical correspondence: optic atrophy.

Medicinal therapy: Enrich the liver and kidney; replenish essence and supplement the marrow; open the orifices and brighten the eyes. Formulas include Lycium Berry, Chrysanthemum, and Rehmannia Pill (杞菊地黄丸 qǐ jú dì huáng wán) or variations of Long Vistas Pill Variant Formula (驻景丸加减方 zhù jǐng wán jiā jiǎn fāng) with the addition of fresh pig’s spine marrow (Suis Spinae Medulla, 猪脊髓 zhū jǐ suǐ).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on BL, ST, and back transport points, selecting BL-1 (Bright Eyes, 睛明 jīng míng), ST-1 (Tear Container, 承泣 chéng qì), BL-18 (Liver Transport, 肝俞 gān shù), BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), GB-37 (Bright Light, 光明 guāng míng), and GB-1 (Pupil Bone-Hole, 瞳子髎 tóng zǐ liáo). For liver-kidney depletion, add GV-4 (Life Gate, 命门 mìng mén)^mx. For spleen-stomach vacuity, add ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), and BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù). Use a weak stimulus for points around the eyes. Other points should be needled with supplementation.

Etymology

Chinese: 青 qīng, green-blue; 盲 máng, blind. Note that in the Chinese term, the character qīng, green-blue, also has the meaning of black or any dark color. It appears to be used here to suggest blindness without any white or other pale-colored eye screen; hence it is rendered more clearly in English as clear-eye.