Myopia (Near-sightedness)

Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.

I&#39m not certain I understand the comment you made above - "Though I have studied acupuncture, I did not complete a program, therefore acupuncture treatment is not an option for me." You seem to be saying that unless you can treat yourself there are no options for you. Even for professionally trained acupuncturists, self-treatment is a very bad idea. Certainly there are some things you can do yourself but even massage wise it is near impossible to provide the right amount of pressure and angles on yourself. I highly recommend that you both consult with and regularly visit a fully trained and licensed acupuncturist in your area.

Acupuncture generally is used for a range of eye disorders including optic nerve atrophy, glaucoma, etc. Myopia, however, is different because it involves - as you seem to well know - an irregularly shaped eye. Causes can be genetic but we also see increasingly high numbers in societies where people spend high numbers of hours reading, watching tv, and/or using a computer and less elsewhere. What this means is that at least some of it is a "learned" response by the body. By increasing circulation to the eye, reducing local inflammation, etc. you can at the very least limit the degradation in function. And as books such as Liberman&#39s there is at least some evidence that the eye can be trained into a more regular shape allowing you to see without glasses - there are limits to this however as I believe even Liberman admits in the text (it has, however, been years since I&#39ve read it...).

There is certainly enough evidence of benefit from acupuncture along with other techniques to severely offset further problems and to even heal quite extensively to warrant treatment. While you should definitely consult with a practitioner as I state above you can get some ideas of acupressure points and/or areas to use tuina from reading the glaucoma and optic nerve atrophy sections of our conditions section. The most important from our system would be around the huatuo area "next to the spine" of Cervical Vertebrae 3, along with SI 16 and LI 18 all of which control the nerves and circulation in the eyes.

Comment by Archived User

Dear Chad Dupuis, L.Ac.

Thank you very much for your very helpful suggestions and comments. I did not mean to be confusing when I stated that acupuncture was not an option for me, as I&#39d not completed a program. I meant that I am limited to treating myself, as I am looking for work and cannot afford treatment. Once I am able, I do intend to travel to visit a behavioral optometrist, and also continue with the acupuncture and herbal treatments I had been receiving for several years.

I will try to enlist a massage therapist friend&#39s help in attending to the areas you suggested, and I can see what you mean about how difficult it would be to massage these areas myself -- particular huato jiaji points -- nearly impossible! : )

Thank you very sincerely -- the help is very appreciated and your advice will go a very long way.

By the way, as you stated it had been a while since you&#39d last read Dr. Liberman&#39s book: he does state that his method of correction/healing one&#39s vision does not actually improve the myopic shape of the eye. He explains in his book that an eye doctor uses subjective and objective means to determine the patient&#39s Rx. The subjective means involves the eye chart and other questions he asks the patient. The objective means involves looking at the eye through the sensitive instruments that measure the shape of the cornea, and look at the way the cornea refracts the light.

In his case, when he applied subjective tests, his vision had improved from 20/200 to 20/15! But when he used his office equipment to gauge his own Rx, it yielded the result that his vision was still 20/200 -- had not improved. However, subjectively speaking, he could see clearly. The conclusion he drew from this was that his vision had improved despite the fact that his eye had not resumed a normal shape. Truly remarkable. It is my understanding from his book that the patients he assisted in healing their vision also did not find a newly shaped cornea, and yet they, too, could suddenly "see" clearly. Some patients&#39 vision fluctuated between 20/20 and something less than that, like 20/100, and yet the total improvement, compared with before they sought help, was very great indeed.

The conclusion he drew was that "vision" is something that involves much more than the eye.

Seeing as acupuncture and TCM draw from a similar understanding, and seem to involve more than simply cells and tissue (working with the Qi, for instance, is showing an understanding that there is more than meets the eye, when it comes to the human body), I felt certain that the meridians must hold some mysteries regarding vision. If it is true that vision involves more than merely the physical eye, there is hope for the myopically challenged like me!

Thank you greatly and take care,

Michele

Comment by Archived User

For myopia try UB1&2, ST1&2, Extra points Tai Yang(both temples), Yu Yao(in the middle of eyeblows), GB20, Extra points behind your ear rings&#39 area. To massage UB1&2 please use index finger and thumb together massage. each points must massage at least 50-100 times before sleep and morning twice a day, for liver qi stagnation person add Lv 2 &3, Li4. for spleen qi def. person add ren 4, 6 and 12. Try sleep at 9:00 pm everyday, because 9:00-11:00 pm is liver channel working time, Liver is open door at eyes. don&#39t watch too much TV or computer, because Ray will stimulate eyes, don&#39t read book on vehicle or on bed. everyday see green colour more ( trees). try look far distance object on high place(mountain, ocean).

Thank you

Comment by Archived User

I appreciate your help so much. I will follow your advice!

Thank you and take care,

Michele