The effects of Acupuncture Treatment on the improvement of Visual Acuity

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate effects of acupuncture treatment on the improvement of visual acuity.
Six patients (male: 5, femal: 1, aged: 20-24) in the department of Ophtalmology were diagnosed with myopia grevis.
Used acupoints were EX-HN4, Jingming (B1), Hegu (Li4), Feugchi (G20), which were stimulated with the leaving needl techniqe for 10 minutes.
Acupuncture treatment was performed everyweek.
After 10 times treatment, the effect of acupuncture on visual acuity was evaluated.
As a result, three patients showed a remarkable improvement of the visual acuity and others not subsequently, the improved patients observed for 5 to 7 weeks without treatment in order to examine the durability of acupuncture effects.
While, the other three patients were treated with the electro-acupuncture instead of the leaving needl technique.
The visual acuity of the patients in whom acupuncture effective declined without treatment, but their visual acuity was kept at on higher level than before treatment.
On the other hand, the visual auity of the other patients improved by using electro-acupuncture.
These results suggest that acupuncture treatment is effective in improbvement of visual acuity and the effect remains for a certain period, and electro-acupuncture is effective when we do not get effect on vusual acuity with the leaving needle techniqe.