Glaucoma and Chinese Medicine: Liver Yang, IOP, and the M48 Pressure Protocol

Posted June 29, 2026

The Disease That Doesn’t Warn You

Glaucoma is often called the “silent thief of sight” — and that phrase earns its cliché. Primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, causes no pain, no acute vision disturbance, no warning flare. Peripheral vision erodes so gradually that most people do not notice until more than 40% of optic nerve fibers are already gone. By the time a patient feels something is wrong, significant and irreversible damage has typically occurred.

For the millions of people living with glaucoma — and the estimated two million in the US who have it without knowing — that silence is the core clinical challenge. Conventional care responds with IOP-lowering medications, laser procedures, and surgical intervention when necessary. These are essential and well-validated tools. But they do not address every dimension of this complex disease. This post explores what classical Chinese medicine and the M48 ophthalmic acupuncture protocol may offer as a parallel support layer — alongside, not instead of, conventional care.

What Conventional Care Addresses — and Where It Has Edges

The standard glaucoma model centers on intraocular pressure (IOP). When pressure builds inside the eye — from impaired drainage of aqueous humor — it compresses the optic nerve, causing progressive fiber loss. Reduce the pressure; slow the damage. The medications that do this — prostaglandin analogs, beta-blockers, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors — are effective and widely used.

But there is a significant exception: normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). In NTG, IOP reads consistently within normal range (below 21 mmHg), yet the optic nerve continues to degenerate. This affects an estimated 30–40% of glaucoma patients. The mechanism is not fully explained by pressure alone. Research points to microvascular insufficiency — inadequate blood flow to the optic nerve head — as a central driver. The optic nerve is vulnerable not because of excess pressure, but because of constitutional, vascular, and neurological factors that IOP-lowering medications do not directly reach.

This is where the classical framework offers a complementary lens: not competing with pressure management, but addressing the terrain in which optic nerve vulnerability develops.

Three TCM Patterns in Glaucoma

Classical Chinese medicine identifies glaucoma through three distinct patterns, which may appear individually or in combination:

Liver Yang Rising (Gān Yáng Shàng Kàng, 肝阳上亢)

This is the pattern most classically associated with elevated IOP. The Liver governs the free and orderly flow of Qi through the body. When Liver Yang rises unchecked — stirred by stress, emotional constraint, or a Yin substrate too depleted to anchor it — that Yang energy surges upward. The eyes, which the Liver “opens into” in classical theory, are the first territory to register that upward pressure. Clinically, these patients often present with temporal headache, red or irritated eyes, a sense of pressure behind or around the orbit, and a strong correlation between IOP readings and stress levels. Anger, frustration, and emotional suppression are frequent triggers.

Liver Qi Stagnation Converting to Heat (肝气郁结化火)

When Liver Qi stagnates over time — from chronic stress, prolonged emotional suppression, or a sedentary pattern of life — it does not stay static. Stagnant Qi transforms into Heat. This Heat ascends along the Liver’s natural upward trajectory and contributes to IOP spikes. In clinical practice, these patients often report that their pressure readings are markedly variable and stress-correlated. They may notice more eye discomfort after difficult weeks, after poor sleep, or during periods of emotional intensity. The constitutional picture includes irritability, a tendency toward facial flushing, and a burning quality to any eye discomfort.

Kidney Deficiency with Normal-Tension Glaucoma (Shèn Xū, 腎虛)

Normal-tension glaucoma points toward the Kidney root. In classical Chinese medicine, the Kidney governs constitutional reserve — the deep Essence (Jing, 精) that nourishes the densest, most metabolically demanding tissues in the body. The optic nerve, with its extraordinarily high metabolic requirements, is among the most Jing-dependent structures we treat. When Kidney Essence is depleted — through age, chronic illness, or constitutional insufficiency — the optic nerve loses the deep nourishment it requires to maintain structural integrity, independent of whether IOP is elevated. This pattern requires a meaningfully different acupuncture and herbal strategy than the Yang-rising picture.

The Dzung 5 Regions Lens: Iris and Pupil in Glaucoma

Dr. Dzung’s five-region mapping of eye anatomy to the organ systems provides clinical precision for understanding why glaucoma is treated through the Liver and Kidney channels:

Iris → Liver (Wood element) — the iris controls the aperture of the eye; its tonicity and drainage function are Liver-governed in classical theory
Pupil → Kidney (Water element) — the pupil represents the deepest constitutional sphere; optic nerve function and visual depth are Kidney-rooted

This anatomy maps directly onto the two glaucoma presentations. Elevated-IOP glaucoma affecting trabecular meshwork drainage corresponds to the Liver Yang pattern — Liver governs the iris and the drainage angle. Optic nerve degeneration independent of pressure corresponds to the Kidney root pattern — the optic nerve is the Kidney’s deepest visual expression. Classical acupuncture protocol design follows this logic precisely.

Acupuncture for Glaucoma: M48 and the Pressure Protocol

MA48 (Micro Acupuncture 48), developed by Andy Rosenfarb, ND, LAc, is Makari’s specialty protocol for degenerative eye disease. MA48 is a 48-point distal microsystem — 24 points on the hands, 24 on the feet — grounded in the ECIWO holographic principle developed by Professor Yingqing Zhang: the premise that every part of the body holographically encodes the whole, enabling organ-system influence through distal extremity mapping. Needling at these points influences the corresponding organ systems without placing needles anywhere near the eye itself.

For glaucoma, MA48 falls into the “Pressure” category — conditions characterized by Liver Yang rising and the associated ocular pressure dynamic. The specific protocol is individualized by pattern:

LR-A (Liver sensory/distal) — the primary Liver point in the MA48 system; addresses the functional, excess, Yang-ascending dimension; the most-used point for elevated-IOP presentations
GB-A (Gallbladder sensory) — Liver and Gallbladder are paired organs in classical theory; GB-A is added for temporal vascular involvement and headache accompanying IOP elevation
KI-B (Kidney structural/proximal) — B points address the constitutional, chronic, deficiency dimension; KI-B is the central point for normal-tension glaucoma where Kidney Jing depletion is the root pattern; it pairs with LR-A when both the Yang-rising surface and the Kidney root are present
Du Mai via SI-A / SI-B — the Governing Vessel runs along the spine and over the crown of the head; MA48’s Du Mai access points influence the central nervous system axis and the optic nerve signaling pathway; indicated when neurological and constitutional dimensions are prominent

Needles are 34-gauge, half-inch, inserted at approximately 45° angle onto the periosteum, retained 30 minutes (range 15–45 depending on patient constitution and response). Most patients notice a response within 1–4 treatments; approximately 15% do not respond to this protocol. Elevated-IOP presentations tend to be more responsive than normal-tension cases, where the constitutional root is deeper and the treatment course correspondingly longer.

Scalp Acupuncture and Electro-Stimulation

For glaucoma patients, the MA48 session incorporates the Scalp Vision Area from the Dr. Karl Tai lineage. Five needles are placed in the occipital region — 1 cm lateral to the external occipital protuberance (EOP), approximately 4 cm superior — targeting the cortical visual cortex representation for optic nerve stimulation. We pair this with LI-4 (Hegu), a classical point that benefits the head and eyes and serves as an anchor point for the galvanic circuit.

Mandatory electro-stimulation applies Dense-Disperse wave to the Vision Area needles — the “Pulling Qi Method” (Chōu Qì Fǎ, 抽气法) in the Tai lineage. This rhythmic stimulation drives enhanced retinal blood flow and optic-nerve conduction velocity via galvanic current. For the vascular and neurological picture of glaucoma, we apply frequencies in the 1–4 Hz range, appropriate for chronic degeneration, parasympathetic regulation, and sustained tissue support.

High-pressure type glaucoma is more responsive to this approach than normal-tension cases — though both presentations may benefit from enhanced optic nerve perfusion, which is compromised in both.

Chinese Herbal Support

Herbal medicine does not replace IOP-lowering medications or ophthalmologic monitoring. Never discontinue glaucoma medications without your ophthalmologist’s guidance. The herbal approach addresses the constitutional terrain — the Liver Yang and Kidney root patterns that contribute to optic nerve vulnerability — alongside conventional pressure management.

Herbs selected vary by pattern, but the following are among the classical choices for the glaucoma presentation:

Gou Teng (Gōu Téng, 釣藤) — the hooks-and-thorns vine (Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis); classical anchor for Liver Yang; descends rising pressure and calms the upward-surging dynamic that corresponds to elevated IOP in the Chinese medical model
Ci Ji Li (Cì Jí Lí, 刺蒺藜) — tribulus; calms the Liver and brightens the eyes; indicated for the stress-IOP connection and for Liver Qi stagnation converting to Heat
Ju Hua (Jú Huā, 菊花) — chrysanthemum; the classical “eye herb”; clears Liver Heat, brightens the eyes, addresses upward Yang movement with gentle cooling action; used across virtually every glaucoma pattern as an eye-directed carrier
Sheng Di Huang (Shēng Dì Huáng, 生地黄) — raw rehmannia; nourishes Kidney and Liver Yin; the constitutional base for normal-tension presentations where deep Yin deficiency underlies optic nerve vulnerability

Actual formula design integrates these and other herbs according to the patient’s full pattern — the combination, proportions, and preparation method matter as much as the individual herbs. A formula for Liver Yang rising looks quite different from one for Kidney root NTG, even though both address “glaucoma” in the Western sense.

Functional Medicine Support Layer

From a functional medicine perspective, glaucoma research points to several converging systems that may support the conventional treatment picture:

Microvascular perfusion: Optic nerve blood flow is compromised in both elevated-IOP and normal-tension glaucoma. Magnesium has demonstrated effects on ocular blood flow via smooth-muscle relaxation; Ginkgo biloba extract has been studied for normal-tension glaucoma and ocular perfusion pressure in preliminary clinical trials.
Antioxidant neuroprotection: The optic nerve head is among the most metabolically active tissues in the body and is correspondingly vulnerable to oxidative stress. Coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamins C and E, and acetyl-L-carnitine have been examined for retinal and optic nerve neuroprotective properties.
IOP-supportive nutrients: Magnesium influences trabecular meshwork smooth muscle tone; certain omega-3 fatty acids have been studied for their effects on aqueous humor dynamics. These are not substitutes for pharmaceutical IOP management but may contribute to a more comprehensive supportive picture.

We approach functional supplementation through the same pattern-diagnosis lens as the herbal formula — the nutrients that best address the underlying Liver Yang or Kidney deficiency picture are integrated with the classical herbs and the acupuncture protocol as a coordinated whole, not as a parallel supplement stack.

What the Research Shows

A 2026 systematic review in Frontiers in Medicine by Bautista-Hernández MA and colleagues examined existing clinical studies on acupuncture for inflammation-related ocular conditions. Their honest conclusion: current evidence is insufficient to make definitive claims — studies are heterogeneous, sample sizes small, and methodology varied. This is not a verdict against acupuncture. It is a call for better, more standardized integrative research. Frontiers in Medicine, 2026.

For glaucoma specifically, there are preliminary findings around acupuncture’s effects on ocular blood flow and IOP, but the evidence base does not yet support definitive clinical claims. We believe in being honest about this with every patient. If you come to us for glaucoma, we will tell you what we know, what we don’t know, and what the clinical experience has suggested — and we will support your conventional care team rather than work around it.

Curious? Let’s Talk.

If you or someone you love is navigating glaucoma and wondering what integrative acupuncture and herbal support might look like, we’d love to have that conversation.

The M48 protocol isn’t a promise — it’s a conversation. One grounded in classical theory, clinical experience, and an honest engagement with the evolving science.

Makari Wellness — Michael Woodworth, M.S., L.Ac. (established 2005)
Specializing in degenerative eye disease via the M48 protocol

Call us: (888) 871-8889
Book online: makariwellness.com/book-appointment

Oceanside: 2111 S. El Camino Real, Suite 301, Oceanside, CA 92054
San Diego: 16486 Bernardo Center Drive, Suite 218, San Diego, CA 92128

This content is educational and does not constitute medical advice. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are not replacements for conventional ophthalmologic care. Always continue your care with your ophthalmologist.

Michael Woodworth, M.S., L.Ac.