Eye

General TCM Eye Diagnosis:

Eye – connects with all zang and fu organs
Eye lid – spleen (rou – muscles)
Inner and Outer Canthus – heart (xue)
Sclera – Lung (qi)
Iris – Liver (feng – wind)
Pupil – Kidney (shui – water)

Common Eye Treatment:

Wind Heat – Bo He, Fang Feng, Huang Qing, Man Jing Zi, Jing Ying Hua, Ju Hua, Qiang Huo,
Pu Gong Ying
Rx – modifications of Yin Qiao San
Wind Heat with Dampness – Che Qian Zi, Cang Zhu, Chen Pi, Hou Xiang Bai Zhu
Purging Fire and Detoxifying
Liver Fire – Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Heart Fire – Xie Xin Tang, Dao Chi San
Stomach Fire – Bai Hu Tang
3 Jiao Fire – Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
Liver Kidney Yin Deficiency – Qi Ju Di Huang Wan
Liver Kidney Wind – San Jia Fu Mai Tang
Kidney Yang Deficiency – Yang Gan Wan, Quan Lu Wan
Qi Blood Deficiency – Ba Zheng Tang
Qi Blood Stagnation – Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Reducing Nebula to improve eyesight – Mu Zie, Mi Meng Hua, Bai Ji Li

Common Eye Diseases:

Stye – an acute localized pyogenic infection of the glands of the eyelash follicle beginning with pain, redness and tenderness on the lid margin of the eye. It is followed by lacrimation, photophobia and the sensation of a foreign body within the eye. In TCM Stye belongs the spleen and stomach which is caused by damp heat or over consumption of greasy, spicy foods causing internal Heat which upsurges with wind.
Beginning Stage – Wind Damp Heat – Che Qian Zi, Cang Zhu, Chen Pi, Hou Xiang , Bai Zhu
Forming/Bursting Stage – Toxic Heat – Bai Hu Tang, Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin, Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin

Chalazion – a granulomatous enlargement of a meibomian gland from a blockage (occlusion) within it’s duct causing inflammation of the gland and surrounding tissues. Beginning stages Chalazion may not be distinguishable with a Stye! Symptoms include lid edema, swelling and irritation which resolves leaving a painless slowly growing mass in the eye lid. In TCM a Chalazion relates to damp heat in the spleen and stomach with phlegm blocking the meridians and collaterals.
Eliminate phlegm and dissolve hardness – Su Zi Jiang Qi Tang
With fire symptoms – Yin Qiao San + Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
External applications of moist hot herbal compress’s will aid recovery

Must Read: Long Dan Xie Gan Tang – clear Liver Gallbladder Heat, Damp/Heat in low Jiao

Lid Edema – crinkly lid edema which may be associated with allergies. In TCM lid edema relates to damp heat, wind fire, or xue fire.
Excess Heat – wind heat symptoms with swollen painful eye, aggravated by pressure, tearing and photophobia
Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin, HJuang Lian Jie Du Tang, Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin
Spleen Deficiency – little or no pain and/or redness, pressure ameliorates swelling, difficulty opening eye
Sheng Ling Bai Zhu San, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang

Blepharitis – inflammation of the lid margins with redness, thickening and possible scale or crust formation and in severe cases ulcerations. There is itching, burning, redness, pain, crusting, photophobia, tearing
Wind Damp – excessive discharge – Qiang Huo, Ku Shen, Bai Xian Pi, Xiao Feng San
Toxic Damp Heat – painful, red, swollen, stinky discharge from eye – Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin, Huang LIan Jie Du Tang
Spleen Deficiency with Dampness – slight red, discharge, itchy, little or no pain – Er Miao San
Canthus Area – Severe itch, relates with Heart! – Xie Xin Tang, Dao Chi San

Blepharoptosis – drooping of upper eye lid
Spleen and Kidney Deficiency – Si Jun Zi Tang + You Gui Yin
Spleen Qi Deficiency – Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
Phlegm – Liu Jun Zi Tang + Phlegm Herbs (Dan Nan Xing, Jiang Can, Ban Xia, Di Long,
Tian Ma, Bai Fu Zi)

Eye Lid Twitch – Eye Lid flickering, due to wind from either internal or external wind.
Heart and Spleen Deficiency – Gui Pi Tang or Si Quan Da Bu Tang
Liver Wind – Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin
External Wind Invasion – Gui Gan Long Mu Tang

Nictitation – exaggerated or frequent blinking/winking of eye
Lung Yin Deficiency – Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang
Spleen Deficiency – Shi Zhen Tan

Lacrimation – Excessive Tearing
Liver and Kidney Deficiency – Qi Ju Di Huang Wan or Zou Gui Yin + expel wind herbs
Qi and Blood Deficiency – Ba Zheng Tang + expel wind herbs
(expel wind herbs – Fang Feng, Bai Zhi, Mu Zei, Xi Xin)

Chronic Dacrystitis – lacrimal sac infection, blockage of nasolacrimal duct giving rise to pain, redness, swelling, watery/oozing pus with a possible fever
Heat – Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin + Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
With deficiency – Ren Shen Yang Ying Tang
Beneficial herbs: Jing Ying Hua, Long Dan Cao, Tian Hua Fen, Lu Gen, Sheng Di Huang, Chi Xiao Yao, Mu Dan Pi, Zhu Ye

Pseudo Membranous Conjunctivitis – inflammation of conjunctiva giving rise to blood shot eyes,
yellow discharge, itchy pain, aversion to cold, hot tearing, photophobia, headache, fever, nasal congestion
Wind – more tearing, excess photophobia – Qiang Huo Xheng Feng Tang
Heat – Burning, thick/yellow discharge, red eyes, thirsty, constipation – Xie Fei Yin
Beneficial Herbs: Fang Feng Tong, Xia Ku Cao, Jing Ying Hua, Pu gong Ying,
Ye Ju Hua, Sheng Tang

Acute Congenital Conjunctivitis – due to toxic heat in lung and stomach *contagious
Red eyes, dry, itchy, aggravated by heat, photophobia, yellow thick eye discharge, fever, sore throat, nasal discharge
Early Stage – Yin Qiao San
Toxic Heat – Xie Fei Yin
Stomach Heat (constipation) – Liang Ge Lian Qiao San

Chronic Conjunctivitis – dry itchy eyes leading to pain. Usually chronic condition which takes a ong time to occur
Lung Yin Deficiency – Yang Ying Qing Fei Tang or Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang
Liver and Kidney Deficiency – Qi Ju Di Huang Wan
Damp Hat in Lung and Spleen – Sang Bai Pi

Pterygium – Triangular overgrowth of cornea, slow onset with slight dryness and itching of the eye
Heart Heat – Dao Chi San or Xie Xin Tang
Long Term Use – Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan or Gan Lu Xiao Du Yin

Cataracts – cloudiness progressively impairing vision becoming a painless condition where one looses there vision. Light entering the eye is blocked, distorted or diffused.
Wind Heat – Yin Qiao San
Toxic Heat – Swelling Discomfort – Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
Liver Heat -Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Kidney Yin Deficiency – Recovery – Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan or Qi Ju Di Huang Wan
Phlegm Dampness – Excessive Tearing – San Ren Tang

Suppurative Cataracts – severe acute pusy eye infection with pain radiating to the forehead, excessive tearing with green/yellow/white discharge
Early Stage – Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
Late Stage – Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
(cool blood, discharge pus – San Qi, Tao Ren, Hong Hua)

Keratomalacia – may cause: Corneal Ulcer
Cornea becomes dry and clouds over impairing vision (night blindness) due to a deficiency in vitamin A. Cornea surface dies and ulcers may appear leading to possible infections.
Spleen Deficiency – Fei Er Wan, Shen Ling Bai Zhu San, Fu Zi Li Zhong Tang

Glaucoma – excess eye ball pressure exceeding the normal 10-20 mmHg pressure to 50 mmHg. Can be asymptomatic in first stages but may include headache, visual disturbances, Halo Vision, Cloudy vision leading to tunnel vision, distended eye pain radiating to head areas.
Liver/Gall Bladder Fire – Long Dan Xie Gan Tang or Xie Gan San
Promote blood circulation – Yi Mu Cao
Cold – nautios, vomit, cold limbs – Wu Zhu Yu Tang
Wind – dizziness, tinnitus – Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin or Ling Yang Gou Teng Tang