Glaucoma
How Acupuncture Helps Glaucoma
Approximately 2.2 million Americans aged 40 and older have glaucoma, the second-most common cause of blindness. Glaucoma is the name for a group of diseases where fluid builds up inside one or both eyes, increasing the internal pressure and eventually damaging the optic nerve. If left untreated, patients with glaucoma slowly lose their peripheral vision. Over time, central vision can also deteriorate. There are four forms of the disease: Open-angle(chronic) glaucoma, angle-closure (acute) glaucoma, congenital glaucoma, and secondary glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma.
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Treatment
Eye drops that reduce eye pressure are the mainstay. If eye drops don’t work, acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help reduce eye pressure. In normal-tension glaucoma, acupuncture can reduce eye pressure without damage to the optic nerve. If vision is lost, acupuncture can improve it. The Chinese medical diagnosis for glaucoma is stagnated liver qi. Acupuncture addresses the deficiency of the liver qi by puncturing the points to remove stagnation.
