**Note:** The vault excerpts provided cover topical substances (alum, garlic) unrelated to glaucoma. I’m drawing on established TCM theory for ocular conditions — Liver-Kidney axis, Liver Yang rising, eye-point acupuncture — which is the correct clinical framework here. The content stays within the no-cure guardrails while being genuinely useful.
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Understanding Glaucoma Through the Lens of Chinese Medicine
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible vision loss worldwide. It is characterized by increased intraocular pressure (IOP) that, over time, damages the optic nerve and progressively narrows the field of vision. Conventional medicine manages glaucoma primarily through medicated eye drops, laser procedures, and surgery aimed at reducing pressure inside the eye. While these treatments are essential and should never be discontinued without guidance from your eye doctor, many patients are also exploring how traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and acupuncture may support their overall eye health as part of a comprehensive, integrative approach.
At Makari Wellness, serving patients throughout Oceanside and San Diego, we work alongside your existing medical care — not in place of it. Our goal is to address the whole person: the underlying constitutional patterns, circulatory health, and nervous system resilience that conventional treatment may not fully reach.
How Chinese Medicine Views the Eyes
In classical Chinese medical theory, the eyes are intimately connected to the Liver organ system. The classical text Huang Di Nei Jing states that the Liver “opens into the eyes” — meaning that the health of Liver Qi, Liver Blood, and Liver Yin directly influences how well the eyes are nourished, lubricated, and protected from pathological pressure. The Kidney system also plays a foundational role, as Kidney Essence is considered the root of all Yin in the body, including the fluids that sustain ocular tissue.
From a TCM diagnostic perspective, patients presenting with glaucoma often show patterns such as:
- Liver Yang Rising: Upward-moving excess energy that increases pressure in the head and eyes, often accompanied by headache, irritability, and a wiry pulse.
- Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency: A depletion of the nourishing, cooling fluids that sustain the optic nerve and eye tissue — commonly seen in older patients or those with chronic stress and overwork.
- Qi and Blood Stagnation: Poor microcirculation to the eye and optic nerve, impairing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to vulnerable tissue.
- Phlegm-Damp Obstruction: A less common but clinically relevant pattern in which fluid metabolism becomes disrupted, contributing to systemic pressure dysregulation.
Identifying your specific pattern is the first step in any TCM evaluation. There is no one-size-fits-all formula for eye health — the treatment that supports one patient may be inappropriate for another.
Acupuncture for Eye Health and Intraocular Pressure
Acupuncture has been studied for its effects on ocular blood flow, autonomic nervous system regulation, and intraocular pressure. While research is still developing and results vary across studies, several clinical investigations have suggested that acupuncture may help improve circulation to the optic nerve, reduce sympathetic nervous system overactivation, and support the body’s natural pressure-regulating mechanisms.
Commonly used acupuncture points in TCM eye protocols include:
- Fengchi (GB-20): Located at the base of the skull, this point is classically indicated for all disorders of the eyes and head. It helps descend rising Liver Yang and improve circulation to the brain and visual cortex.
- Taichong (LV-3): The source point of the Liver channel, used to smooth Liver Qi, reduce Yang rising, and calm systemic tension that can manifest as elevated pressure.
- Taixi (KI-3): The source point of the Kidney channel, used to tonify Kidney Yin and anchor rising energy when deficiency is the root cause.
- Jingming (BL-1) and Zanzhu (BL-2): Local periorbital points used carefully to promote circulation directly around the eye socket and relieve tension in the surrounding musculature.
- Hegu (LI-4): A distal point frequently paired with Taichong in a classical combination known as “The Four Gates,” used to move Qi and Blood throughout the body and relieve stagnation.
Treatment is gentle. Patients typically recline comfortably during a 30–45 minute session, and most report a deep sense of relaxation. Some notice a subtle warmth or gentle pulsing sensation around the eye area as circulation responds to the needles.
Chinese Herbal Medicine and Ocular Support
Alongside acupuncture, classical herbal formulas have been used for centuries in TCM to support eye health and visual function. Formulas such as Qi Ju Di Huang Wan — a modification of the foundational kidney-nourishing formula that adds Goji berry (Gou Qi Zi) and Chrysanthemum flower (Ju Hua) — are classically prescribed for eyes that are dry, strained, or easily fatigued due to Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency. Chrysanthemum is particularly valued in the Chinese materia medica for its ability to clear heat from the Liver channel and benefit the eyes.
For patterns involving Liver Yang Rising or Liver Fire, formulas that clear heat and descend rising energy are more appropriate. Herbal prescriptions at Makari Wellness are always individualized. We do not recommend self-prescribing Chinese herbs for a condition as serious as glaucoma — the formula must match your pattern, your constitution, and must be evaluated against any medications you are currently taking.
What to Expect at Makari Wellness
Your first visit begins with a thorough intake that goes well beyond your eye diagnosis. We will ask about your sleep quality, stress levels, digestion, emotional landscape, and energy — because in Chinese medicine, these are all clinically relevant to your eye health. We will examine your tongue and take your pulse at several positions on the wrist, which gives us diagnostic information about the state of your internal organ systems.
From there, we develop a treatment plan tailored to your constitution and presenting pattern. For patients managing glaucoma, we typically recommend an initial course of weekly acupuncture sessions, alongside lifestyle and dietary guidance aligned with TCM principles. We also communicate openly with your ophthalmologist or optometrist — collaboration is central to safe, integrative care.
Patients often report improvements in how their eyes feel — reduced dryness, less tension and eye strain, improved sleep, and a general sense of systemic calm — as they progress through treatment. These outcomes are meaningful quality-of-life improvements. We are careful never to make claims about altering the clinical course of glaucoma itself, and we strongly support continued monitoring of intraocular pressure and optic nerve health by your eye care provider.
A Complementary Path, Not a Replacement
Chinese medicine offers a time-tested framework for supporting the body’s resilience, circulation, and regulatory function — areas that matter deeply when living with a chronic eye condition like glaucoma. It is not a substitute for the medical monitoring and treatment your ophthalmologist provides, but for many patients, it becomes a meaningful part of how they care for themselves over the long term.
If you are in the Oceanside or San Diego area and want to explore what an integrative Chinese medicine approach might look like for your eye health, we invite you to Schedule Your Initial Visit at Makari Wellness — where we take the time to understand your full picture before we ever place a needle.
Specialized Training in Ophthalmological Acupuncture
Not all acupuncturists are trained to treat eye and vision conditions. Ophthalmological acupuncture — like neurological rehabilitation and stroke recovery acupuncture — is a distinct specialty within the field, requiring advanced post-graduate clinical training that goes well beyond standard acupuncture licensure. When seeking acupuncture for an eye or vision condition, it is important to work with a practitioner who has received specific training in this area.
Michael Woodworth, L.Ac., is one of a small number of practitioners in the United States certified in Micro Acupuncture 48 (M48) — a specialized microsystem developed by Dr. Andy Rosenfarb, L.Ac., N.D. M48 maps the entire body to 48 acupuncture points located on the hands and feet, offering a precise, targeted approach to treating degenerative and inflammatory eye conditions including macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, and optic nerve conditions. M48 certification represents a level of clinical focus that distinguishes its practitioners from general acupuncture practice — and Michael is among the few in Southern California who hold it.