MYOPIA
The World Health Organization list of conditions for which acupuncture is commonly used includes myopia. Both French and Chinese writers report on the treatment of myopia in children. A French study treated 10 individuals aged between 6 and 14 years; two of the younger age goup were stable for up to two years, as were 2 of the 13 year olds (Ribaute 1987). In a Chinese study, 992 myopic eyes were treated between 10 and 20 sessions. The authors report that “the vision of 868 eyes was improved... the vision completely recovered in 131 eyes and the diopter decreased –0.75 to –1.0 DS in 13 eyes.” Follow-up for two years showed that the effects remained stable (Li, Li & Chen 1993). Another study using ear acuponts also saw a high rate of improvement (Liu et al, 1994). A five year follow-up of a Russian study demonstrated that electroacupuncture had “stopped the progress of myopia, normalized the accommodation system, improved the natural vision acuity and other visual functions.” (Val'kova & Niurenberg 1989).
Ribaute A 1987 Stabilisation de la myopic Ovolutive, par acupuncture, chez des enfants prep. La Revue Francaise de Medicine Traditionelle Chinoise 125:309-311
Li B, Li L L, Chen J 1993 Observation on the relation between propagated sensation along meridians and the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on myopia of youngsters. Chen Tru Yen Chin 18(2):154-158 [Chinese]
Liu H, Lu Y, Dong Q, Zhong X 1994. Treatment of adolescent myopia by pressure plaster of semen impatientis on otoacupoints. J Tradit Chin Med 1994 Dec;14(4):283-6. ABSTRACT: “295 cases (424 eyes) of adolescent myopia were treated by pressure plaster of Semen Impatientis on otoacupoints with a cure rate of 44.3% and a total effective rate of 98.5%. 36 random cases (69 eyes) were compared with the same number of similar control cases. Findings were that the therapeutic effects of the pressure plaster group excelled significantly those of the control group.”
Tsikova TD. Laser puncture in the combined treatment of a weak degree of myopia in schoolchildren. Oftalmol Zh 1990;(1):39-42. CONCLUSIONS: “Laser puncture has a positive influence on visual acuity and accommodation-convergence system.”
Val'kova IV, Niurenberg OIu. 1989. Use of electroacupuncture reflexotherapy in myopia. Vestn Oftalmol 1989 Jan-Feb;105(1):33-5. RESULTS: “A follow-up of 5 years has demonstrated that electroacupuncture has stopped the progress of myopia, normalized the accommodation system, improved the natural vision acuity and other visual functions.”
Yang CL. Treatment of 1040 cases of myopia with auriculotherapy using medicated pellets. J Tradit Chin Med 1987 Dec;7(4):273-8.
Chen MC. 1989. 112 cases of juvenile myopia treated by auricular acupressure. J Tradit Chin Med 1989 Sep;9(3):173
Yang C, Hu L, Zhu F, Li L. 268 cases of myopia treated with injection and pellet pressure at auriculoacupoints. J Tradit Chin Med 1993 Sep;13(3):196-8.
Cheng H, Ma Y. Treatment of juvenile ametropia by auricular-plaster therapy combined with plum-blossom needle tapping--a report of 200 cases. J Tradit Chin Med 1998 Mar;18(1):47-8.
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