What myopia is
In a nearsighted eye, close things are clear and distant ones blur. Most myopia comes from the eyeball growing a little too long from front to back, so light comes to a focus before it reaches the retina. It usually starts in childhood, often runs in families, and tends to progress through the school years before it settles.
Long hours of close work and little time outdoors in daylight are both linked with it, and it has become much more common worldwide. Glasses, contact lenses and refractive surgery correct the focus. For children, eye doctors also offer myopia control, such as low-dose atropine drops, special spectacle or contact lenses and more time outside, aimed at slowing the eye's growth.
Why higher myopia needs regular exams
A longer eye stretches the retina thin. Higher myopia raises the risk of lattice degeneration, retinal detachment, glaucoma and changes at the macula later in life. Keep up with dilated exams, and treat new flashes, a burst of floaters or a shadow in your vision as a same-day visit to an eye doctor.
Acupuncture and herbs do not shorten an eye or replace corrective lenses. What we work with is the strain around it: eyes that ache after reading, headaches at the temples, poor sleep and the pattern behind them.
How we work with it
For adults, M48 micro acupuncture is combined with Master Tung's points, scalp acupuncture and electro-stimulation when appropriate. For children we keep things gentle: very fine needles used sparingly, or none at all, with acupressure they can learn at home. A formula may be added when the pattern calls for it, and screen, sleep and food habits are drawn from that pattern too, see dietary therapy.
Your optometrist or ophthalmologist measures the prescription. We follow eye fatigue, comfort with close work and sleep with you.
Questions people ask
Can acupuncture correct nearsightedness?
No. Acupuncture and herbs do not change the length of the eye or replace glasses and contact lenses. What we work with is the strain that travels with myopia, such as tired eyes, headaches and poor sleep.
Is acupuncture suitable for my child?
We adapt everything for children: very fine needles used sparingly, or no needles at all, with acupressure they can learn at home. Your child's eye doctor stays in charge of their prescription and any myopia control plan.
Does high myopia need anything extra?
Regular dilated eye exams, because a longer eye has a thinner retina. New flashes, a burst of floaters or a shadow in your vision means a same-day visit to an eye doctor.
This is general wellness information, not medical advice.
